The same adjective as in my previous post, qualifying two very different but historically intertwined things. And if it weren’t for a disgruntled Pachamama (Mother Earth) in the form of an Icelandic volcano, then I would not have spent two nights in the shadow of the cathedral Gaudi laboured away at in Barcelona for most of his life, and which is still not finished. In the 5 days it has taken me to get back to Geneva overland from Madrid via Barcelona and Montpellier I have experienced acute culture shock – but the other way round. In 2 weeks in Cusco, I had got used to walking everywhere or to taking a beat-up Toyota taxi when a splendid natural treasure beckoned me further afield. It was easy to be careful about my water consumption and not to put paper in the toilets. There wasn’t a lot to buy in the shops and I had even started to feel a bit guilty about an occasional “gringo” treat (a caipirinha, cosmetics…)
Madrid airport on Saturday 17th April was about as far from dusty, annoying but beautiful Cusco as it is possible to get. And although I was lucky to get a room that night – and needed it as I hadn’t really slept on the plane – there was something surreal about paying 300 euros for it and being asked in the Mercedes courtesy car from the airport if the level of the air conditioning was to my liking…
Barcelona was better – I was with a friend, the soothing sea helped and I could wander back to the Iglesia de Santa Maria del Mar that was my favourite monument when I spent 2 weeks in Barcelona 2 years ago (above left). It was there that the wives of sailors prayed for the safe return of their conquistador husbands… gone to evangelise (understand civilise) the barbarian populations of the New World… I think it is clear to you, my readers, which to my mind of the 2 things qualified by the adjective sagrada best deserves it. I’m not saying the Incas were perfect and I’ve certainly still got those magnificent southern hemisphere stars in my eyes but their closeness to nature was tangible and the way our planet has been protesting lately at our total disregard for our environment really brings this home. Coincidentally, it was international Mother Earth day on Thursday. But we all need to make every day Mother Earth day before it is too late.
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