Saturday, March 28th, 2015

Bon  Acceuil  
 
My Entrance
 
 
Now, when I reached customs at the airport the other day I went through an exercise in claimed territory. It was quite amusing to me. To the officer I dealt with, what can I say, I ascertained he did not have a good day.
 
I offered him my passport. He asked for a document with my travel itinerary. I reached in my right pocket the schedule and handed it to him. Along with that document accidentally had come a string of saffron cloth from my monk's shirt. It was about 1 1\2 inch long and kind of curled up. He handed it back to me saying with a straight face, “this is yours!”
 
I took it as a joke but he, as I said, didn't have the best day, so I speculated. He asked where I was staying and I couldn’t provide an address. “They, my community from Bon Acceuil, just pick me up every year.” That annoyed him. Mauritians are cool folks. They don't easily flair up. This customs officer also didn't lose steam on me but I thank him internally for giving a lesson on paying attention to details as to your address as a visitor and also in letting me know about ownership- a thread from your clothes is yours.
 
I'd be walking daily since here, only three to be precise. To a glorious first a group of forty-five of us trekked from the mountain at Black River Gorge National Park. In areas it was a tumble-down and rocky switch-back trail with wild guava trees everywhere. We spotted green parrots and the almost extinct pink pigeon. The river's water was invigorating to swim in.
 
Day two and fewer came, due to exhaustion from the day before but our reward was a dip in the ocean at Belle Mare beach.
 
Finally today, a group just circumambulated the temple at Bon Acceuil on the celebration of Ramnaumi Day. To document the three on for diksha (initiation). Khervind was given the name Krishna Katha. His wife, Hema was given the name Hari Katha. And finally Keshave Sharma was given the name Kirtan. Congratulations.
 
May the Source be with you!
 
6 KM