A pilgrim & a Retreat

So there I was at 'Vers' enjoying helping my friend Mike move house. Only he then turns up with Adrian, a 23yr old German lad who just happened to bump into Mike one evening after I had returned to Foxy10. He asked Mike if there was anywhere to sleep in the village plus where he could forage for food.
Errr! 'Forage did you say?'
Turns out this young man just happens to be walking from the Black Forest in Germany to Santiago de Compostella. The 'St Jaque's' Pilgrim trail. Only he is doing it with no money. He explained further of how he is an activist and involved in the green sharing/bartering movement. Well he was about half way through his 3000 kilometre pilgrimage. He was lean, fit, good company, a harmonica player and Dharma practitioner too (Buddhist). He also plunged with me into the icy cold water of the Vers river for a welcome swim after a very hot and busy day.

Mike took him in and fed him that first night and I was introduced to him the next morning. As we all worked together moving Mikes furniture I offered to take him with me to Plum Village for a few days. Adrian eagerly accepted while I pondered on the fact I'd just agreed to feed and finance him for the duration. However; there was not too much pondering. When Madame Universe decrees and clearly presents the path who am I to argue. He was very good company and also a very hungry young man.

Plum Village, for both of us, was true, deep retreat experience. Meditative calm and peace, excellent veggie food, beautiful walks and meaningful sharing with like minded retreatants. We made new friends plus I met again friends from my past visits. On one 'Dharma sharing' workshop there were people from twenty seven different countries in attendance.

I could not finance the two of us for the whole retreat but we stayed for five days with one of those days so kindly paid for by 'Dirk', a very special man from Dusseldorf who was also in a motorhome.

Finally, a week after our first meeting, I watched Adrian, now well fed and with his huge rucksack stuffed full of food, set off once again on the 'St Jaque's' route. Go well young man. We shared a special week together. I will not forget.

Poor Tanya did not fare quite so well. She was attacked by an alsation on one walk. Unfortunately he got his teeth into her shoulder before my foot connected with his head making him back off. Plenty of antiseptic and a lot of TLC and she seems fine. There is a bit of a lump and some swelling of which she was initially very touchy. Pleased to report she is now much better but we are both suffering in the very hot weather just now.

I shouldn't complain as we are slowly headed North now. UK bound but in no particular hurry. I usually, when it is really hot, do most travelling in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day. Driving with Mrs SatNav set to 'meander along smaller roads' and the air conditioning keeping us cool is really rather pleasant. Unfortunately, we don't do many kilometres per day so I will probably, and reluctantly, switch to main roads next week.

We're Dordogne at present, out in the countryside well away from the tourist mayhem of a Bank holiday weekend. I will hold onto, for a few more days, Plum Village's mindful and peaceful mindset.