Here comes the rain again is an apt statement to make when considering the signs during our pilgrimage in Brittany. As I think about our laudable and laughable progression along the path I have to ask, when will we learn to take note of the signs and portents? It seems that we still have a long way to go before we appreciate that this magnificent world has portents galore should we be able to ignore reason and embrace rhyme.
Rain
For example, we set of on our first day towards the famed Tumulus of St Michael. It was an early start to the day and the drive was about an hour. As we set of the rain clouds gathered in force and rain began to spatter on the wind shield. Our drive took us past many signs for Tumuli and other sacred places and we couldn’t resist stopping at one of them. As we stopped the rain too stopped and we spent a good 30 minutes at a beautiful site called Tumulus of Kernours. As soon as we got back into the car the rain started again. A coincidence of course.
Reversal
We saw the sign for St Michaels and drove up the road towards it. Seeing a sign for parking we drove on past another pebbled car park, only to find that the car park we arrived at was a field not suitable for our car. So we reversed back to the one we passed which proved also to be closer to our destination, the tumulus.
Interdit
We walked around the Hotel (called Tumulus of St Michael too) and found that the tumulus was not accessible.
Our first destination for the morning was the island of [name] but the rain was already giving us second thoughts. As we pulled up to the port and went to check the ferry times. They were completely inconvenient at a 12:30 departure and 5:30 return. We had got there at 11!
That being the case we decided to head for the Table of Merchants. Our reasoning being that it was raining and that site had a visitor centre and a tumulus we could shelter in. We drove to the site and took out our wet weather gear only to approach the gates and find that the site was closed. On May Day!
By this time we had had enough of Interdit! We were hungry, wet and a little bit pissed. So we decided to go to our main sacred place of the (Beltane) day, Carnac.
As we parked the car the rain eased and stopped. Walking up to where the avenue of stones start we spotted a shack that seemed to sell food, but looked closed. On impulse, we investigated and found it open. As we ordered the sun came out from the clouds and gave us a sign that finally we were in the right place.
Are these coincidences or synchronicities? The above is just a few samples of what happened on our trip and happen to us in general. For us, the coincidences have gone beyond coincidences. But I guess you guys have to do your own pilgrimages to figure whether what we’re talking about.
Kal Malik
