St. Christopher in Reims

This is a shot of the interior of the Basilica of St. Remi in the city of Reims, France.
The Abbey of St. Remi founded in the sixth century contains the relics of the Bishop St. Remi, who converted Clovis, the king of the Franks, to Christianity in 496 AD. The small church later became a basilica thanks to the Pope Leo IX.

The origins of the abbey lie in a 6th century chapel dedicated to Saint Christopher, as seen on the photo carrying baby Jesus on his shoulder. The church later acquired the relics of St Remi which founded its success and was visited by many kings and Popes.
The Basilica was looted during the French Revolution and many valuable objects where destroyed. Later during the first World War, the building was bombed and a huge fire destroyed the roof and vaults. The restoration lasted until 1958 and the stone vaults were replaced with wood and plaster.

The original organ was destroyed during the 1918 bombings. In the year 2000, the French organ-builder Bertrand Cattiaux offered this magnificent instrument to the basilica. It looked like it was almost glowing in the dark.
The chandelier seen in the background contains 96 candles representing the Bishop's age when he died in the year 533 AD.

In 1991, the Basilica of Saint Remi became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
I recommend visiting the place!

Thai Spirits [HDR]

Thailand is a Buddhist country, but Animism is also omnipresent and interwoven in daily prayers and religious ceremonies, especially in rural parts and the North.
Spirits and ghosts live everywhere in Thailand. Unlike in western culture where they are mostly feared and  banished, Thai people pay a particular respect to them.
Flowers, incense, or food is placed in front of shops, on the bows of boats or in front of Buddhist icons. Brightly-coloured ribbon is wrapped around trees or other objects. These are all offerings to the spirits that reside there.
One common feature representing Spirit worship seen in most parts of Thailand is the "Spirit House" called San Phra Phum in Thai (roughly meaning Abode of the Land's Guardian Spirit).
These Spirit Houses usually made of teakwood or concrete are often in the shape of small temples or Thai style houses raised above the ground on a pillar. Inside can be found little figurines or an image of Phra Chai Mongkol, an angel like figurine, often gilded, and holding a sword in one hand and a money bag in the other.
Each day fresh flowers & food as well as lit candles & incense sticks are placed either on or close by the Spirit House to ensure that the spirits maintain karma and protection.

In this photo I took in Chiang Mai, gauze ribbons in assorted colors are tied around an old bodhi tree. Next to it lies a Spirit House, which strangely is placed on the ground instead of a pillar.

I have found a new interest in this tradition so more info will come in the future concerning Animism and Spirit Houses. Enjoy!

Hanging Prayers

As I walk past Logroño, heading towards Nájera, I reach a hill called Alto de la Grajera, in Spain.

There, the pilgrim's path is re-routed across the hill to avoid roadside walking along the motorway. Climbing steadily up to a sawmill, the tarmac road for pilgrims overlooks the motorway separated by a wired fence on the right side while a forest on the left offers a longer alternate path to the Camino.

As I get closer to the sawmill, I notice thousands of crosses threaded in the fence by passing pilgrims. They were in all shapes and materials from branches, chipped wood from the sawmill to wires, pipes and clothes. Here and there, messages and prayers were carved on planks of wood hanging on the kilometer long fence. The contrast was strong with the primitive crosses on the foreground and a busy motorway on the background.

I put down my backpack and stop for a while, connecting myself to the spirit of the place. One can almost sense the thousands of pilgrims, slowly threading crosses, whispering prayers to loved or lost ones.
Focusing on the messages and taking photos transports me to a different dimension, where stillness and peace float in the heavy cloudy atmosphere, sometimes broken by a passing truck overloaded with goods on the motorway.
My peaceful world is finally shattered by the sound of two young boys shouting and running around picking up branches to help their mother add a new cross in a small empty corner. I watch them weaving a new prayer in this spiritual cover protecting this place. I politely smile at them, wish them a "Buen Camino" and continue my path.

I sometimes wonder, how did this all start? Who put the first cross on a wired fence along a noisy motorway, followed by thousands of others? I realize later that Alto de la Grajera is a dangerous section where many accidents occur. It probably all started with prayers added in memory of road victims. It just happens to be on a spiritual path, where the smallest prayer is magnified by the hundreds of pilgrims seeking answers every day.

Find Reality

"To the desert go prophets and hermits, through the desert go pilgrims and exiles.
Here, the leaders of the great religions have sought the therapeutic and spiritual values of retreat, not to escape but to find reality"

~ Paul Shepard ~

I have always found the desert to be a mystical place. It is serene, quiet and relaxing. Silence reigns like a void enabling us to hear those important voices inside ourselves.

Almost every weekend during "winter" time when I still lived in the UAE, I escaped the chaos of big cities with a few friends to find peace and refuge in the surrounding deserts.
Either camping or just desert crossing, it's always relaxing for the soul... and Fun!

I also love photographing the desert. There is something about all those forms, dunes and harsh shadows that make it very pleasing to the eye. Call me crazy but I also find all the curves kind of.. sensual and feminine.

Shooting in the desert is quite tricky. The sand here is made of very fine grains. With a slight wind blowing all the time, it's not an easy task to keep your camera clean, not to mention your eyes, ears and mouth... And the best moments to take pictures are at dawn or evening because of the light, sun angle and temperature!

Since I started traveling, it is probably one of the rare things I miss from the UAE. From desert to jungle... what a change!

Eglise St André

While in France, I had the occasion to visit a few towns around Paris. One of the cities I actually enjoyed (despite what my friend says about it *wink* ) is Reims, located North-East of Paris and hometown of the Champagne!

I had a lot of time to just walk around and snap some pictures. Apart from the famous Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral, particularly impressive, I was attracted by the beauty of this catholic church next to my friend's house: Eglise St-André.

This church was built in 1859 (ended in 1865). It was heavily damaged by bombs during the first World War and was later rebuilt. Parts of the damaged building and bell can still be seen next to the entrance though.
One unusual aspect of this church is that it faces South, unlike most catholic churches facing East to symbolize the resurrection of the Christ. I have not found out why South.

I was really happy with this shot. I got a nice, dramatic, haunting shot with a lot of details despite the annoying light rain (and the cars on the front).

"Faith is an act of a finite being who is grasped by, and turned to, the infinite."

~~ Paul Tillich ~~