The 'Other' or paralell journey.

Rain in the night. Snow on the peak above and a weather forcast indicating iffy for the next couple of days. "Well Tanya." I say as I look across at one happy, just fed, curled up and asleep dog on her 'parked up' perch of drivers seat.

We're very wild here high up in the 'Parque natural sta Barbara' East of Granada and just south of 'Baza'. It's quite cold too but Tanya is able to just run free. I literally open the door when I get up and off she goes. Normally I walk with her but it is quite pleasant to occasionally have a lazy morning where I chuck her out for a solo walk. About twenty minutes later she is back waiting patiently outside the door till I let her in when of course she expects her breakfast to be served up pronto.

"Well Tanya, I guess if there is snow on that peak above I suppose I'd better play safe and take the lower pass over the 'Sierra Nevada", don't you think?"

No reply of course but the question refers to the next stage of this wander which is to visit the 'Alpujarras' area on the Southern slopes of the 'Sierra Nevada'. Kate and I spent a week walking in the area back in 2006 and trecked to 'Mulhacen' at 3482m the highest peak in Spain (I think!). I remember it as a beautiful area but for now, I have to crosss the mountains North to South to get there. As I said, with snow on the 2271m peak above us I think a quick scoot East on the A92 to the lower pass over the col near the 1710m peak of 'Montenegro' and on to the village of 'Olhanes' looks favourable.

If I do decide to move on today that is what we will do but there is no guarantee. Reflecting on the last few days, and in particular yesterday, re-inforced the; 'no plan or guarantee, be as it is, spiritual go with the flow' aspect of my wanderings.

The weather has been warm and sunny albeit cool at night. Yesterday I stuck to my promise and did not drive too far. We were soon perched in among fields and irrigation ponds enjoying the afternoon sunshine, just north of  'Bazen'. We were to the east of, and in sight of the hill 'Jabalcon' with atop it a shrine to 'Virgen de la Cabeza'.

"we'll drive round the other side tomorrow Tanya, look at the resevoir (Embalse del Negratin) and drive or walk up to the 'Virgen de la Cabaleza' shrine."

The action / thought seemed to be confirmed in a later, and particuarly deep, meditation. I have spoken of this aspect of my journey previously. It is integral to everything I do. Religion is often, but not exclusively, the way 'this aspect' is talked of or thought about. For me it is more about energy, meetings and 'at peace' levels of body and mind. Religious language and symbolism as opposed to scientific or psychological reference has been, and to a large extent still is, how humankind expresses or explains the unexplainable. That is why I am often drawn to shrines and places of religious expression. These are the places where I, and before me many others, feel energy and are given, for want of a better word, gifts.

And yesterday, once again, it was so. This 'gift' had a wee twist to it. We were on a service road running alongside a large irrigation channel which of course was wending its level contour hugging way around the mountain to where, according to my map, the road to the shrine branched off just before the village of 'Zujar'.

"Uhho! Whats this then Tanya?"

In the middle of the road, hands in pockets and earphones in ears was a cyclist happily weaving his way along the level roadway. There was a sudden and frantic grab for handlebars and swerve to the right as Sadies large white front slowly edged up into his field of vision. A cheery wave was imparted as we passed.

Cue five minutes later. We are stopped admiring the azure blue of the 'Embalse del Negratin' (reservoir) laid out before us. I was to the side of Sadie, having a pee actually, when our friend the surprised cyclist pulls to a halt beside us. He turned out to be a lovely guy. A teacher at a local school who was out on this warm and sunny Saturday for some much needed physical exercise. He could speak good English even though his English teachers assessment was, he told me: 'not good'. I, an acknowledged expert in many languages (NOT!!) assured him otherwise.

We agreed to meet for coffee a little further on at a restaurant where we spent a happy hour or so chatting away. As I said a very genuine Spanish guy who, like myself, was country born and bred and liked nothing better than to be out in it.

We said goodbye and continued only to find every road leading to the shrine was blocked and undergoing repair. The walk from that point would have been major and so we continued on our way. It seems someone had decided a visit to the shrine was not to be. It was not until evening as I reflected upon the day that our 'non visit' and the 'gift' became clear.

You see, I was on my way to visit Mary, mother of, or 'Virgen de la Cabeza' whereas I was instead gifted a meeting with a lovely Spanish guy.

And his name?

'Jesus'.

Yes, his Christian name was Jesus and he has to live with it as he explained to me. I left him my card so, if you read this Jesus please forgive my inference to your name and may you also see our meeting as one example of this area's / earth's powerful, wonderful, and once again for want of a better word, spiritual ability.