Connecting with myself, connecting with nature

I have just spent a weekend on a mediation retreat at the wonderful Casa Virupa in Tavertet. I have visited Tavertet a few times and have always been amazed by the incredible scenery. Perched on the cliff top, the village offers spectacular views across the Pantà de Sau (a reservoir where you can see the spire of a church belonging to the village that was flooded when the reservoir was constructed in the 1960s) and the area known as Collsacabra.

I won't write about the meditation aspect of the weekend but I would like to say something about the nature. On Saturday morning, the clouds had settled deep in the valley and it was really was quite marvellous to be above them, looking down and seeing the sun rising over the distant hills. Being up high also means that in Tavertet you are on a level with the soaring birds of prey. Sometimes they fly even higher above your head, sometimes they are below you and sometimes they fly past at eye level. It's incredible to see them close up and I wish I had been able to look at a reference book to find out what they were (vultures or eagles?) but as the retreat meant being free from books and internet all weekend, I wasn't able to verify what they were!

I also enjoyed seeing and hearing lots of insects and lizards during the sunny days and to narrowly avoiding treading on some toads (or frogs?) the evening that we arrived and walked up the path in the dark. I was only able to take a couple of photographs just before leaving on the Sunday evening but here is one to show one of the views from Casa Virupa.