Wandered to Ameugny, the next village along the ridge. After cold, wet weather these last days, the sunshine was wonderful.
We stopped to listen to birdsong we didn’t recognise and to enjoy the wildflowers in the fields and along the hedgerows. The trees are coming into leaf and blossom gloriously.
We arrived in our beloved village of Taizé in Burgundy yesterday. It is a joy to be here. We feel at home in this place for body, mind and soul. We have a month before we move on, which is the longest time we will have stayed in the same place since August 1st 2015.
For any followers who do not know, Taizé village is also the home of the monastic ecumenical community of Taizé. All are welcomed to their rhythm of prayer during the day and those who stay with the community join with other pilgrims in study, work, conversations and fun!
We are staying in a gite a walking distance from the community. We hope to enjoy a regular rhythm of song and contemplation with the thousands who will be here on the hill over the next weeks.
We took a short walk through the fields and vineyards surrounding the place where we are staying in Commugny, just north of the City of Geneva. The landscape reminded us for all the world of East Lothian (apart from the vineyards!)
Wandering the shore of Lake Geneva both yesterday and today, we noticed the shifts in light and mood of sky and water. A beautiful and gentle place.
Yesterday we crossed the Alps from Italy into France and then on to friends in Switzerland. The cloud was low and heavy over the peaks. Today we saw Mont Blanc in the far distance over the southern shore of Lake Geneva.
Following the heraldic tradition, Swiss flags on land are square in proportion. The red and white Switzerland Flag is one of only two square sovereign-state flags in the world (the other being the flag of Vatican City).
Walking close to where we are staying I caught sight of these beautiful wildflowers growing alongside the road in a bit of rough ground.
On days when we are most aware of the fragility of all life it is good to recollect the journey these fragile flowers have made through the hard earth to where they can find new sustenance.
We are resting just now in Arenzano in the Gulf of Genoa which is a part of the Ligurian Sea, itself an arm of the Mediterranean Sea located north of the island of Corsica.
The colour of the water seems to change hourly with the clouds that pass by. This morning it shines white and grey. Yesterday in the harbour it was a deep turquoise.
Dusk yesterday and the mist hung low across the Apennines. All was caught up in a stillness.
And we are still.
The Italian Riviera or Ligurian coast curves between France’s Côte d’Azur and Tuscany. We arrived in the small seaside town of Arenzano yesterday afternoon after stopping for our picnic lunch in Santa Margherita Ligure.
It was lovely to soak our feet in the cold Mediterranean of Arenzano beach, listening to the roar of the waves. Much else in this small town is quiet. Too early for the summer visitors, the piazzas are filled mainly with small boys playing football and people of all ages doing their shopping after the stillness of siesta time.
Last day in Lucca. Bikes and towers everywhere. We wound our way through the streets finding places we had not yet been. A very relaxed and attractive city especially with spring flowers springing up in the warmth of the sunshine.
We decided that if we lived here we would need a very tiny car or a three wheeler bike.
Lucca and Florence were such a draw that we didn’t get round to exploring Montecatini Terme until yesterday. A fascinating place to stay, the town’s hot springs spawned a number of thermal establishments, some wonderful Art Nouveau or Liberty architecture and a funicular which pulls its way up to the airy Montecatini Alto on the hillside above the town.
We took the slow run of the funicular and checked out the two churches and their neighbouring towers which sit on two hills spanning Montecatini Alto. It was a hot day and the butterflies were focused on nectar, the birds on singing and humans on shelter and a drink.
After lunch in the lively main square we headed back down the hill to the lower Montecatini. Finding yet another random table tennis table (and enjoying a game, naturally) we made our way home through the buzzing crowds out for an evening stroll.
canddaway's Blog 