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Three trips out with the elders last week feels almost like full time work, though very satisfying ... and voluntary ... maybe one reason for the lack of blogging, which prompts another nudge from the editor, still languishing in the Correze in temperatures rather higher than Stanhope in Autumn ...

This weekend is showtime in the village and the street is taken over by the fair, whilst the showfield by the river hosts all sorts of entertainment and not only of an agricultural nature. An early visit to browse and mingle has only one firm objective - good bread ... as it turns out, though sweets, cakes and pies are abundant, craft bread is absent ... more than compensated with spiritual nourishment from Ben, a regular stallholder with his Aloe Vera products and currently into Sufi wisdom ... an invitation ensues, a good connection ... next a stall raising funds for vulnerable women in India and another warm connection, a prayer bell and an invitation ... two consecutive philosophical discussions plenty and time to return to the cottage before the rain.

The Dalai Lama is current teacher and great value ... though some of the philosophy is questioned, mainly around his staunch defence of organised religions as helpful for spiritual development ... making him very liberal and open and a champion for the simple practice of kindness ... other readings of the history of organised religion suggest corruption and abuse ... a topic much mused upon along the Camino to Santiago, with its locked churches and murky past ... a blog thread on Ivar's Camino Group investigates the spiritual and religious nature of the phenomenon, with general agreement that the traditional Catholic Camino is by no means followed by the majority of pilgrims.
Facebook provides daily commentary from a group of women, including the friend of a friend (hence the link) walking from Porto to Santiago ... tempting to do that route and call on the folks at the Quinta Estrada Romana Albergue ...

Meanwhile, Buddhists in Burma (now known as Myanmar) commit atrocities against their Muslim compatriots ... drawing criticism from HHDL, though previously sainted Aung San Suu Kyi declines to step into the fray publicly ....

Krishnamurti, consistent critic of organised religion, told a story of the Devil and his friend walking along the street and seeing a man in front bend down and pick something up ... What has he found? asks the friend ... Just a fragment of the Truth, replies the Devil ... Bad news for you my lord says the friend ... Not really, says the Devil, I'll help him organise it!

So, Life unfolds leisurely, summer limps damply towards autumn, though optimistic forecasters predict a possible return of warmer weather ... and October in Spain and Portugal are mostly warm and sunny ... November too ... let's see ...