" Ummm"
"Was that a yes, did you nod?"
" Umm-hmmmm"
"Is there any dinner"
" Sure"
" I don't see any dinner"
"Ummm"
" Well, would you like to go out? I heard they had
a new menu down at Irishman's Pub"
" If you want"
" Let's try something else.
You got any notions about what you might be wanting for Christmas this year?"
" A rock".
" You mean like another big diamond"?
"No Blowfish, I have more jewels than I can wear".
" Well, what kind of rock are you talking about?"
" Amadour's"
" Whomadoors? What the heck are you talking about"
" Actually it's Rocamadour."
" What is it??????"
" The place where I left my heart."
" Where?"
" On Saint Amadour's Rock"
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| An amazing ancient city |
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| Cleaved into a cliff face above the Alzou |
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| The buildings are astonishing |
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| As are their construction methods |
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| The merge of man-made and God-made is intimate |
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| Boggles the mind actually |
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| the architectural detail is breath taking |
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| The messages sometimes painful to contemplate |
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| Pilgrims come from ....everywhere..... to witness ... to experience ... to plea |
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| preserved acts of adoration |
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| Devoted artisans made their contributions |
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| surely it was prayer that accomplished the staggering construction logistics |
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| For some, carving for God was a life journey |
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| Their contributions still inspire, educate |
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| The location...defensible ... the access ..... limited |
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| The hike to the ramparts is beautiful |
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| And it's a long hike |
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| Worth every prayerful step |
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| With interesting venues along the way |
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| and inspiration for pilgrims past and present |
14 comments:
The heart's a muscle. You have to break it on occasion so that it can get stronger.
Also:
"Is there any dinner"
" Sure"
" I don't see any dinner"
Did we marry the same man?
This takes my breath away! Such stunning photos of such an amazing place. I am so grateful to my bloggy friends who give the opportunity to armchair travel!
Meanwhile, I am relieved to report my "grief by separation" has blessedly come to an end. My dear Scout-man-guy has returned from whatever pilgrimage (or not) he was on.
Good morning Fishy,
I can see how you would fall for it, what in neet looking place.
Moi!
You definitely have been spending too much time with a trainer! I do however, think we both must have buff hearts if we are married to similar men. They are not for the puny or the needy types are they?
I know you have been to France, did your journey take you to Rocamadour?
It's calling me, calling me ....
Eggy!
So glad prayers have been answered and your wandering pilgrim Scout is returned to you. Don't you wish they could tell us about their adventures? I kept seeing the same beautiful gray cat in my exploration of Saint Amadours rock.... he seemed to take his hosting duties seriously, in a regal sort of way !
Do google Rocamadour, the history and the images are both impressive :-)
Karl,
Lots of adventurers as well as pilgrims travel to Rocamadour. It is a draw for hot air balloon aeronauts, and freestyle climbers and geo-cachers and maybe even
double OH! Karl.
No, I didn't visit. I spent two weeks in Paris and a month based in Cannes touring the Riviera. But I'll definitely go next trip. It looks amazing. I'm always astonished at what the human hand, pre-industrial machinery, could create.
It's a strange feeling, to mourn a place that speaks to us. I've had it happen on occasion (New Orleans, Missoula, NYC), but there's just no way to be in all places at all times, unfortunately.
"Is there any dinner"
" Sure"
" I don't see any dinner"
Funny, this is what I hear from the Mrs. The architecture IS staggering. All by hand and horse.
While I viewed your pictures, I was thinking of the Starz series last year called Pillars of the Earth. The back drop for the series was the construction of a 12th century cathedral and I think they did a pretty good job in depicting construction techniques. I found that more interesting than the storyline.
You can always find a way to go back.
Magnificent!!
of COURSE yore heart is achin' to return thar'--
stunnin' display of medieval man's mind an' ingenuity.
Oh this is a great post, Fishy.
Moi,
not mourning ... longing...pining ...
but soon the ice will come and those on Amadour's rock will stay, and stay and stay .....Not too sure I could do that. But come Spring ...
Buzz,
It is said Saint Amadour, husband to Saint Veronica (she who wiped the brow of Jesus in Calgary) retreated here. His intact body was found on the rock in the year 1166 ! Following his discovery this location became the staging area for the French arm of the Compostela.
Certainly the geography and the history are impressive but for me, the Architecture is , like Mont Saint Michel, a wonder of the world. I cannot fathom how anyone could experience these cities and not believe in God or miracles.
Ah, Fishy? About Amadour an' Veronica...jes' a bit o' trivia fer ya':
His name might akshully be Amadour
(I needs to ck) but hers, Veronica, is a symbolic name given to that real woman whose real name we doan know fer absolute shure (prolly one of the women mentioned as followers of Jesus) --what we know is her deed an' its result:
Vera Icon ( or, True Image)
Fascinatin' history, huh??
Thar's all sorts of legends floatin' around about Vera Icon(s)
but the many 1st century writin's bear strong witness that a woman did wipe the face of Jesus during His walk to Golgotha--though that story ain't in the akshull gospels.
Too many pious folk --contemporaries of the Apostles--reported the incident fer it NOT to be truth.
Some cain't grasp how Mary Magdalene an' several other followers of Jesus made it to France ( a known bit of data) but Gaul were a Roman province on the Mediterranean, so to "go preach the gospel to the ends of the earth" might make Gaul a natural.
Fer some more fun, Fishy, near whar' Aunty wuz in the Alps, thar's a town called Chambery.
It's biggest claim to fame is that the Shroud of Turin lived in chapel thar' after the French gave the linen to the Dukes of Savoy. (That part of France wuz then part of Savoy)
The Shroud were first hidden in another small village (Lirey) when French scallywags stole it durin' the Fouth Crusade an' brought it home to France. That French family --minor barons--that took possession of the "Acheiropoietos"
(Greek fer, "not made of human hands") later got in political an' financial trouble so they handed the Shroud over to the next biggest wigs around--the Duke of Savoy.
Ah, if only time travel were possible!
"Is there any dinner"
" Sure"
" I don't see any dinner"
that's my house, but reversed. Mr. Boxer typically feeds me.It's why we're still married.
As for the those pictures.
*sigh* I don't often feel emotion when looking at photos, but I did with these. Magnificent. I hope you are able to return someday soon.
Are you enjoying your time alone? :-)
Aunty!
I love that you shared some history about VeraIcon ... I don't think I read anything which said she was on the rock too. But what I do know is the famed Sword in the Stone is there on Rocamadour. The famous sword of Roland (nephew of Charlemagne) "Durandel" is there. In the rock! Another piece of the sword is rumored to be at Mont St. Michele.
Sometime in the 1400's the Pilgrim Church of Notre Dame was built about 400 feet above the lower village ... so many of history's greats have made this part of their pilgrimage. There actually is a huge plaza, planned as a gathering place for pilgrims before stepping forth.
I stood in the church reading how Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry IX and even Richard the Lionhearted had all stood there too. Amazing.
Wasn't the Shroud of Turin in the news recently? Something about controversy over the carbon dating?
Time travel is possible! Now that I have been to Mont Saint Michel and Rocamadour, I can assure you a visit there will indeed place you in another time.
Boxer,
You, Buzz, Moi and I are apparently married to serious food people. In Blowfish's case, since he loves all food, it's pretty easy to keep him topped off. If he was one of those picky foodies he would have to marry another.
I like the new blogger feature for clicking on just one photo and then being able to scroll all the others up to a full screen. I am amazed at how different the photos look on different equipment. The full sized images on Blowfish's tv sized MAC screen is ....wow!
As to your last query!
Yes! I have not set foot in a grocers, the corner market or the Kitchen for most of this week! It's amazing how much more time there is in each day without all those domestic duties.
My God that is beautiful. No wonder youre heart was left there. it was a time when there was time to craft a building - and there was craftsmanship. then came Corbusier. grhehahaha
Fishy? come see mah Paris post--
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