My Trip

My recent trip to Europe was both fruitful and enjoyable, a chance to do a bit more a bit less work, a bit more meditation, to re-connect with old friends and make new ones. I arrived in Frankfurt and then went to Euerdorf near Wurzburg and stayed with my good friend Ingrid Baum. There I did two weekend meditation courses and gave several evening talks, went for walks in the forest and delighted in the blackbirds’ songs at twilight. I also took a few day trips. The highlight was seeing magnificent altarpiece at Munnerstadt and the beautiful baroque cathedral at Fulda. I also visited the lovely medieval Franciscan monastery at (I can’t remember the name of the place) but was unable to meet any of the monks – they were preoccupied with making beer and selling it to the tourists!
Then I spent a week in Frankfurt enjoying the hospitality of Herbert Rusche, an old radical, former green member of the Bundstag and now council member of the German Buddhist Union. I have never met Herbert before but we hit it off well from the beginning. Herbert showed me around the city and arranged a few talks for me as well. While in Frankfurt I also met the nuns at the Fu Kwan Shan centre, the monks at both the Sri Lankan and the Burmese temples and made acquaintance with the Israeli monk Phra Ofer Adi who happened to be on his annual visit to Germany. I also went up to Kevelaer near the Dutch border and spent two most pleasant days with publisher Michel Hellbach and his family at his beautiful farm. Michel publishes those great Buddhist calendars (see www.tishita.com/catalog-us/).

Then it was off to Paris to meet my youngest brother Charles who I have not seen in seven years. We had the use of a flat in the city. We went out early each morning, saw the sights, returned at about four for a rest and a shower, and then went out again until dark, which at this time of the year in Europe comes down at about 9.30. I had missed the Louvre last time I was in the city and was determined to see it this time. Now there is one serious problem confronting anyone visiting the Louvre – that being what to see, given that there is just so much. I had already settled on the Egyptian, Greek and Roman collection topped off with a quick peep at the Mona Lisa. Several hours left me utterly satiated and ready to leave. But as we made our way to the exit we passed by the Mesopotamian galleries. Suddenly my feet were not so tired anymore and we postponed our departure and went there too. In the next few days Charles showed me the other sights (Place de la Concorde, Notre Dame, the Left Bank, the Eiffel Tower, the Hotel des Invalides, Arc de Triomphe, Sacre-Cour) and tried to shield me from rude waiters. I wanted to visit Musee Gilmant and Musee Albert Kahn but time didn’t allow. Next trip. Then we took the train to Renne in Brittany where I spent a most pleasant, peaceful and relaxed eight days being treated to superb French cuisine by Charles’ wife Catharine and getting to know my little niece Sophie. We took several trips out of Renne, the being to Bayeax, because I have always wanted to see the famous tapestry. We avoided Caen because Obama was due the next day and we didn’t want to get delayed by tight security.
Okay! Now its back to the treadmill. Er, sorry! The Dhamma wheel.