The Dartmouth Royal Regatta has finished, and what a party it’s been. It wasn’t all yacht racing. We’ve also had beer barrel rolling races, and races carrying trays of glasses of beer. The scoring system took account of both speed, and how much beer remained in the glasses. We’ve had low level flypasts from a Hercules, and a Spitfire. The Red Arrows were cancelled due to mechanical failure. The music has been excellent. We were entertained by a duo called Harbour, playing covers of favourites old and new. I think my highlight was listening to a family trio in Saint Saviour’s church. They were Bethany Cox (soprano), Dawn Cox (piano), and Paul Cox (cello).
Listening to their heavenly music in such an inspiring building reminded me of a time walking the Camino de Santiago. It was at Santa Colomba de Somoza. We pilgrims had been invited into the church to listen to Gregorian chants. It was a wonderful experience.
A window in Saint Saviour’s summed it up, music and incense. When you start the Camino you are issued with a passport which entitles you to pilgrim meals for about 5 euros including wine. You get the passport stamped at each hostel. I don’t think I once had to show the passport to get a cheap meal. As explained to me you don’t need a passport to prove you’re a pilgrim. You look, walk and smell like a pilgrim. The famous swinging incense burner in Santiago cathedral has a practical purpose in a building packed with pilgrims.
Life is simple on the Camino. Life boils down to two things. Where do I get my next meal, and where do I sleep tonight. You meet people on the way, walk with them for a few days, then one of you goes on, and the other falls back. I suppose on of the attractions of historical fiction is a slightly simpler life, with less technology and less media. People don’t change much.