France wins and Cauterets celebrates
In a quite valley
In the Pyrenees
A few sort miles from Spain
Over the Pont d’ Espagna
Cascading
Water
Bringing joy and beauty
On the bridge to Spain
In the Haute Pyrenees
And in bars in Cauterets the faithful watch the world cup being won
And the Gendarme too sounded the victory siren
In Cauterets when France won the World Cup.
Friendly
Diverse
Lively
Passionate
Yes the culture of Spain but the north west is a little different
Maybe it’s the Comino de Santiago
Or the hydrangeas that are every where
The pipes being played at the cathedral in Santiago de Compestela
Or could it be the thermal pools in Ourense, free for the public to use
But I think it’s the vast greenness and amazing Lakes and rivers.
Colour
and light
stands alone
often in the wilderness
the boundless plains
the culture of different peoples
The colour
of a land
of the wildlife
the people
are the constant
like a beacon
colour and light
like life itself
cannot be diminished
This poem was inspired by travels in Kenya and Ethiopia
The colour and light of the animals
The People
The Land
The Dordogne Riders had lured me to the Vezere Valley
St Leon sur Vezere a beautiful Village in the Dordogne Region of Southern France
Camped on the edge of the river
Amongst significant historic and prehistoric sites
and Chateau de Losse
But southern France is also about the beautiful villages
The continuation of the wonderful biker culture that exists in Europe. *
And of course in France food
And
* I was amazed that after 3 months covering 16,000km in 9 countries I was not pulled over once by the police. Three weeks back in Australia I was pulled over for a licence check while not breaking any law. It was motorcycle awareness (HARASSMENT) month.
From Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald you can see the Aletsch Glacier. Running over the mountains.
But, in time, it may be lost a sad loss both in beauty and the impact on the Alps.
North of Interlaken the valley runs north to the Jungfrau region and the Glacier.
Past lakes
And beautiful waterfalls
But in time as the Glacier melts the villages, the lakes, the waterfalls will in turn be reshaped.
