Movie A Walk in the Woods

'Wild' for the older audience I read somewhere.

(Since first published more on music and an interview with Redford and Nolte were added)

In 1998 (travel) writer Bil Bryson wrote 'A walk in the woods'. He and his friend Katz walked about 800 miles (1300km) of the Appalachian Trail (2180 miles). People not walking the full trail is usual btw.

Already in 2005 Robert Redford announced his intention to work on this book. Redford on the project:

"It'll be fun. I don't know when I've read a book that I laughed so loud. Also, it's a chance to take a look at the country... The backdrop is pretty terrific, if you stop to think of all the visuals that are possible as they go along that trail." (Cinematical.com)

And after summer of 2015 the light and humorous movie will hit the theaters. Robert Redford is one of the producers and playing Bryson. Nick Nolte takes Katz's role.

Bryson was 44 when he walked the trail, Redford and Nolte are in their seventies.
If 'Wild' invited younger people to walk the trails or the camino, 'A Walk in the Woods' will perhaps attract the older youth, at least to the cinema!

Out: Sept 19 in Belgium, Sept 2 in USA, Sept 11 in UK and Nov 19 in the Netherlands.
(Looks like the Dutch date will shift into december)

Musical featurette
(4"46')

Interview by Andrew Freud

(10"55')

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The IMDB info for this movie here (rating 8.1!)

The trailer on Youtube here.

Imagineering Mecca

The city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the major pilgrimage town for Muslims, doing the annual Hajj. The continues and growing pilgrimage has a great impact on the city and changes it sights and skyline.

The Guardian published an article on plans for building the largest hotel in the world, 10.000 rooms.

(Screen webpage The Guardian, taken May 27, 2015)

Next to the Grand Mosque the Abraj al-Bait clocktower was built, one of the largest buildings in the world and featuring the largest clock.

(Photo: Wikimedia commons, Fadi El Benni)

The western part of the city features the Jabal Omar project, a complex that should accomodate 100.000 people.
A new city arises, the old one gone.


See the article in The Guardian, May 22, 2015 here.
Another article on the mega architecture in The Guardian of Oct 23, 2012 here.
See additional report on birthplace of the Prophet (pbuh) here. 

Northern Spain Camino's on Unesco World Heritage List

The process took many years. But finally several Camino's in Northern Spain enter Unesco's World Heritage List.
Other sites as the old city of Santiago de Compostela or the wall surrounded city of Lugo (along the Camino Primitivo) are already on this heritage list. As is the Camino Frances, and we know it's success.

"Las diferentes rutas del Camino de Santiago propuestas para su inscripción en la Lista del Patrimonio Mundial cuentan con una longitud global de 1.498,91 kilómetros. La distribución por itinerarios es la siguiente:Camino Primitivo: 311,31 kilómetros ; Camino de la Costa: 936,28 kilómetros ; Camino Interior: 196 kilómetros ; Camino Lebaniego: 55,32 kilómetros"
(La Nueva Espana, 6/5/2015)

A mere formality is the acceptance of the proposition of Icomos (International Council on Monuments and sites) by Unesco, this summer in Bonn.

The Camino Lebaniego is a lesser known camino. The major place on that camino is the Convent of Santo Toribio de Liebana. They celibrate their Holy Year in 2017.

Website Camino Lebaniego

The efforts of the Asturian government pays off, touristic succes is expected.

Link to the article in La Nueva Espana

Link to the camino Lebaniego

L'Allée des Alyscamps

Recently the painting L'Allée des Alyscamps by Vincent van Gogh was auctioned in New York. The new Asian owner was prepared to pay 66,3 million dollar (about 59 million Euro). The landscape painting dates from 1888.
Alychamps is a necropolis near the centre of Arles. Originally Roman along the Via Aurelia, but in use untill late medieaval times.
It's interesting to see how the painting compares to a photo from about the same period. And then compare the place to how it looks in our days. So that's what I tried to find out.

left L'Allée des Alyscamps by Vincent van Gogh (Wikimedia commons), right present Alyscamps (Wikipedia Hawobo)

The following photo of the L'Allée des Sarcophages des Alyscamps was taken between 1859 and 1910.

L'Allée des Sarcophages des Alyscamps (Wikimedia commons, Bibliothèque de Toulouse, domaine public)

With growing pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela it became more important. It's the starting point for the Via Tolosana, one of the four main routes to Santiago de Compostela in France as mentioned in Aimeric Picaud's Codex Calixtinus (Via Aegidia).

Via Tolosana

Nature's Hand

(photography : paul)

Walking towards a wishful dream,

By your side a crooked stream,

Above, the clouds are fluffy cream,

No longer do you want to scream.

The air it smells so sweet.

The birds go, twitter tweet.

Soft grass to place your feet.

You groove with nature's beat.

Out here, there are no cars.

Out here, there are no bars.

Nighttime brings you Venus, Mars;

Uncountable amounts of stars.

Take it all in friendly stride,

Don't ever feel you have to hide.

This is where you reach inside,

And spread your wings; feel them glide.

Your life is yours, not theirs to take.

Light a fire by the lake.

Always love, with whom you wake,

Never let your friendships break.

Always live without regret.

Don't give up, not now, not yet.

Know the future isn't set.

Appreciate what love you get.

I know that nature's trees are tall,

There's some you cannot climb at all-

Full in Spring 'til Autumn's Fall,

Covered in a winter shawl.

And as the seasons come and go,

You'll see the stream begin to grow.

Filled by your whole life you know,

Carried in the winds that blow.

Listen to the song it sings-

Love and peace is what it brings.

Sharing all the little things,

Smoothing over dents and dings.

That what living's all about.

Never fill it up with doubt.

Look real close to find this out-

Always seek the kinder route.

And you will see, my oldest friend,

This dreamy life, it has no end.

There's always more beyond the bend,

Nature's hand, a limb, to lend.

Carol Lafreniere

Another virtual pilgrimage to the Holy Land

A few weeks ago I reported on mental pilgrimage. Today I'm adding a virtual pilgrimage.
From April 19 until the 25st the Jesuit priest James Martin visits The Holy Land and asks you to join his group, virtually.

(Source: America Media)

Youtube introduction:

Everyday a new video will be introduced following a journey to the places of Jesus's birth, life and resurrection.

(Source: America Media)

Read reflections and send in prayer requests.

Follow this pilgrimage here at the special page of America Media

and on the Facebook page of James Martin 

La Santa Compaña and O Apõstolo

I happen to live in the Netherlands. It happens to be a month where the animation movie O Apõstolo enters cinema's and theaters overhere.
So, this entry is about the Santa Compaña, the Holy Company. The pilgrimage of the dead.

(Source Wikimedia Lameiro)

This is the Santa Compaña, a procession of dead or lost souls wandering around the paths of a parish.
It's mission: to visit people who are going to die soon and claim their souls.
Santa Compaña is a mythical belief in parts of Spain, mainly in Galicia and Asturia. A living person leads the procession and it is often seen at crossroads.
Pilgrims, remember the howling dogs along the way? They herald the coming!

More info in the weblog My Galician garden.
More on Youtube in The Holy Company by Rafael Veiga Cid. (text like My Galician Garden!)
Also in the Youtube video Spooky camino of CaminoWays.com
Spanish spoken MISTERIO TV: La Santa Compaña

Now, towards O Apõstolo.

(Source: Artifilm)

This Spanish animation (stopmotion, 2012) is directed by Fernando Cortizo. The production took seven years, music composed by Philip Glass.

Ramón escapes prison and is heading for a small mountain village to find a buried treasure. he follows the Camino de Santiago and disguises himself as a pilgrim. The village is populated by just a few older people.
During the night he finds out there is a curse on the village: the Santa Compaña. 
The elderly are looking for new people to lead the procession of the ghosts, ghosts in eternal pain. Pilgrims passing by are a defenseless victims.
Together with the archbishop of Santiago de Compostela Ramón discovers the secret of Santa Compaña. Will they escape alive? 
(my translation of dutch synopsis)

Original trailer (Latin, Spanish):

Dutch subtitled trailer:

Official site here
Dutch site here
IMDB info here


See also: Elisardo Becoña Iglesias, La Santa Compaña, El Urco y Los Muertos