Old Glory

Old Glory on EcstaSea has taken quite a beating lately. Last year she got whipped and shredded in the big winds and this is what she looked like when we left the boat for the winter:

So we bought a new flag and brought it with us this summer. Now the Captain and first mate clearly disagree on what size the flag should be. But it is a maritime law that we must fly one on the boat. Although a few years ago and with another political administration in power, we would have gladly done without a flag. In fact, we tried to swap flags with a Canadian couple then. Just kidding--kinda--well, not really....
Anyway, we bought and brought a size larger than the old one by mistake. And it is clearly too big. So the old one went up again--tied in a knot to prevent more shredding. We hope it is knot quite to the point of "defaming"it, but we don't know for sure. What is defaming anyway???
So now beautiful EcstaSea is adorned with a not so beautiful flag:

Now we notice the size of various countries flags over here. In general the British clearly fly the largest and the French the smallest. The Dutch and German are pretty big too. And we don't see enough US flags to generalize them. We're not really sure what all of this means or implies.

Grateful as we are to be born in America, we are painfully aware of the role that patriotism has and does play in the breeding of division. The division of countries is just another way of defining "us" and "them". We celebrate our differences and diversity but do not want to be divided by them. We are clearly thankful to be Americans with all of the freedom and opportunity that brings, yet we welcome the day when there is no longer a "them" and we are all "us". And on that day, we could all fly the same big flag celebrating our true humanity.

Santiago

   Ten years ago, i (Willow) took a walk. It was a very, very long walk. In fact, it was 500 miles long across northern Spain. This walk is called the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. I had read about it in the Shirley MacLaine book "The Camino" a year earlier, and knew it was something i wanted and needed to do for myself. It is a pilgrimage dating back to the 12th century with Catholic roots, but has evolved into a pilgrimage for all people over the years, irregardless of religion or belief. For me, it was a journey within, and with nothing to do but just set one foot in front of the other for 500 miles, it was quite a journey indeed. It was a long solitary journey and took me a month. It ends in the small town of Santiago at the 10th century cathedral. It was a life changing journey and is always with me.
   Now i have no desire to repeat this walk, but i have wanted to take my Love to Santiago and let him experience some of the magic of this journey. So, we left the boat in Palma, Mallorca and took a quick flight to the NW corner of Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Now ten years ago, i stayed in what we called "Refugio's" (primitive centers where the pilgrims took refuge). But this time my Love booked us into a 5 Star Hotel that was once a 15th century hospital. It was started by King Ferdinand and Isabella to tend to the Pilgrims after their walk to Santiago. It was magnificent and right on the Cathedral Square so we were right in the heart of it all.
    It truly was a dream-come-true to share this important part of my life with Richard. He of course is the direct result of that long walk and journey within. So to be able to share it with him was unbelievably precious. So i hope you can get a sense of it and enjoy the many pictures of Santiago.

                                                            The Cathedral.    





The Cathedral by day and lit up magically at night....




















Our hotel on the square looking down from the Cathedral stairs....

And one of many courtyards in our hotel....

                                                             Music Everywhere....

                  

                 

There is music everywhere in Santiago. The haunting melody of the bagpipe plays night and day as Santiago is in the Galicia area of northern Spain and much connected to the Celtic tradition. The Indian Sage plays the Sitar on the street corner and the Troubadours sing every night in the courtyard.

And the pilgrims straggle in to the city every day, exhausted but triumphant to have made it.

         A pilgrim with her heavy pack just arriving in the city.













 Looking at the map because after 30 days of wandering in the countryside, even a small town like Santiago is daunting....

When the pilgrims arrive in Santiago there is a pilgrim mass to celebrate and honor their journey. Inside the Cathedral is a huge swinging incense burner that is lit and hoisted high. The story is that not only was it used to cleanse the pilgrims but was used to help cover their smell as they came to mass after such a long walk. It truly is a moving ritual as the burner swings over your heads and the organ plays loudly while the nuns sing beautifully. Of course, the pictures just can't do it justice--you have to be there to experience it.

                                                                                                              

                             

The food in the Galician area of Spain is outstanding and is known for it's seafood (octopus, lobster and shrimp from the Atlantic) and it's great beef. It is also here that i was introduced to Orujo which is an herbal digestive liquor. It is quite strong and something we drank every night after walking 20 miles. I still love it and after enjoying way too much food here in Santiago, it was a necessity.

Santiago was a trip of a lifetime 10 years ago and also a trip of a lifetime now as i shared it with the love of my life. We walked the old cobblestone streets of the city, we lingered in the Cathedral courtyard and watched the pilgrims wander in, we indulged in the best of food, we experienced the swinging incense burner at mass, and we just breathed in the spirit of Santiago....together.

And oh yes, the long walk was worth it !!!

       


 

Helpless

Right after last full moon and after a little more work done in port, we anchored on the southeast coast of Mallorca in Ensenada de Rapita. It's a favorite bay of ours for it's long sandy beach and crystal clear water. There is plenty of room for a lot of boats without feeling crowded and the swimming is great. But we awoke early the first morning to rough, big waves and wind rolling in and making it a lee shore. Quickly climbing up into the cockpit we saw a boat already beached on shore and the people scurrying back and forth to the boat unloading it of their possessions. Then as we sat there watching and accessing our situation, another boat lost their anchor and began to drift  ashore. And helplessly we watched as that boat pounded into shore and the people all jumped into the water and scrambled to the beach. No one was hurt, but everyone lost so much....
Before we could lift our own anchor and head out, two boats directly behind us got into trouble---one couldn't get their anchor up and were out of control and the other lost their rudder and couldn't control their boat. Once again we were unable to help them as we couldn't leave our own boat in such rough conditions. Thankfully, both were finally able to control their boats before hitting us or going aground. We pulled up anchor and headed into the pounding wind and waves, but safe and sound.
We never get used to the feeling of helplessness that is often the reality of life on the sea. It's not as though you can just stop, get off and help those in need. Sometimes yes, but more often no. Our foundation is the ever moving sea and nothing is stable. Which of course, is also our constant learning and reminder of the ever-changing, transient nature of life itself. A great teacher, a up-in-your-face kind of teacher, that you can't ignore when you live in such close quarters with Mother Nature herself. And for that learning we are always thankful.
As far as the "helplessness", that is something we must experience from time to time, but we always remind ourselves that we are not "powerless". There is a difference....