Lost on a pheasant farm

The blessing by Canon Clare was most moving;  thanks for the signal Joe:   Of course I  got lost on North Downs way; into a pheasant farm, with beefy kent farmers with shotguns  :" wot is this pilgrimage; then?"   So a tip for colonial pilgrims on La Via Francigena:   if you see a stile; climb over it!   The Pride of Kent ferry drifted into Calais on three engines:  but we got there:  Saw Rodins burghers:  great:   once upon a notion I visited  his museum in Paris:  Despite being rocked by bronchitis, I harmonised:

It is a fine day in Calais:

Deus nobiscum in via

OP
 

The Canon at One

Simon photographed me at stone zero in Canterbury Cathedral.  So starts La Via Francigena.   Canon Clare will see me at one pm for the blessing. This is a holy town , in spite of the icecream shops.  The flight from Australia has knocked me around a bit.  I will be out of tune for evensong in the Cathedral .

This blog/pilgrimage is dedicated to Radiation Oncology at Canberra Hospital.

Ultreya 

Gently growls The Don

I ponder how my angular friend, Don Giovanni, would declare his spirituality at St Peters.  It is necessary to declare that to earn the testimonium.   After all, The Don is the epitomy of pragmatism. A fact is a fact is a fact.   Strange.  In his youth he was a guerilla Christia , punting religious tracts in the rough docklands of Melbourne. Often chased by irate Baptists and heated Calabrians, he learned to hurdle fences.  This athleticism stood him in good stead as he became one of the foremost high jumpers in the Antipodes.  He has legs right up to his neck.   He is quizzical about La Via Francigena.   He may find the crossroads to God at Aquapendente.

Deus Nobiscum in Via 

The Polish Ballroom Dancer

The Polish Ballroom Dancer has threatened to bail me up in Besancon at the feet of the Jura.   But I think he holds a slight trepidation about the nation of  France.  Last there he was chased down the Champs Elysses by a furious femme: the Dancer's French language was insulting.  Of course his accent had been tortured by a not injudicious mix of guttural Polish and Australian slang.   But the Dancer is a good man.   He is an occasional practising Catholic but a fine Christian, and I know his heart is with me on this pilgrimage.

A bientot. 

Bring me little water, Sylvie

It is with a conceit borne of western affluence that a Pilgrim blindly accepts that clean drinking water is available on La Via Francigena.  The source of life.  Those old Romans knew it,  piping water from the seven hills along an aqueduct into the hustle and bustle of the Forum.   But nearly a billion people on this planet do not have access to clean drinking water. That is why the charity building filter pots for Laotian villages is impressive.   See http://www.abundantwater.org/.

Ultreya.

Going with Gunyah

An ultra-light Gunyah 2 tent  (by One Planet )  is the canopy of choice for Pilgrim on La Via Francigena.   Weight for full tent with footprint is about 1.3kg.  It is a modern tent for an ancient road.   There is only one loop pole frame but I do not expect high winds across Europe in the seasons of summer to autumn.  I carried too much weight on El Camino de Santiago and the only excess I wish to carry now is a fresh batard with fromage.

ad limina apostolorum