Tuesday 24 January 2017

Sunday, January 15th, 2017

Plaisance, Guyana

By the Sea Wall

Meeting the wind, ocean, clouds and periodic sun is possible here at the sea wall.  Before daybreak, Rama Lila, Brihat and I took a trek along that important wall of power.  Keeping the splashy and muddy waves of the South Atlantic waters at bay, is this wall.

The sea wall is a popular location for the local fishermen.  They had their boats anchored, and were preparing to embark for a catch, with massive nets laid out ready for spreading in the water. 

I spotted at least two mongoose by the wall.  The mongoose was introduced to Guyana, as in Fiji.  The only difference is that in Fiji there are no cobras or snakes at all for them to eat.  The mongoose did, however, multiply like crazy on those Fijian Islands, where they have practically no predators except for humans.

Here, in South America, there’s no shortage of snakes.  Come to think of it, I feel like a snake who is shedding his skin.  The sun, in these last few countries of South America I’ve travelled to, is particularly intense, so guess what happens?  There’s a burn and then there’s a peeling of skin—actually a flaking dynamic.  This kind of thing happens to us “white” folks, and the sun doesn’t discriminate whether you are a monk or not.

Today was our last day of padayatra, and the cart with us chanters penetrated through the marketplace in Plaisance.  Merchants, vendors and shoppers really liked the sound of the sacred kirtan.  It added so much to the atmosphere, and under the blazing sun, the mantra did dominate.

This was the tenth year I’ve come for the Guyana padayatra.

May the Source be with you!


6 km

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