News April 2013

The weather has gone crazy in the Pays Cathare. One day it is 22 degrees with a bright sunshine and the next day it is 8 degrees and raining. Not just here. The whole of Europe and also the USA are suffering. Would that be a sign from Mother Earth, or even from the Cosmos, that things have to change? I certainly hope so. For not only the weather has gone crazy, the whole world has gone crazy. Except of course the people who are reading this newsletter and the people that are coming to Les Labadous! It is good to see that so many old friends are visiting us. Attracted by the energy and the beauty of this place. Welcome dear friends! Welcome Thomas and Anneke {PIC 01} and many others.

• Thomas and Anneke Thomas and Anneke
•  

Note: To view a slideshow of images in this article, which will start automatically, do click on the first image of a gallery and it will start. Pressing again will discontinue to slideshow.

Les Labadous

Les Labadous is undergoing a midlife renovation. Sealing all the cracks in the balcony of Le Ciel and painting it with Titanium paint {PIC 02}. Replacing old and broken floor tiles with the help of Franklin and Axel {PIC 03}. Cleaning walls, tiles and wooden structures with high-pressure water {PIC 04}. Mowing the lawns {PIC 05}. And it pays off. The place looks lovely now, even from a distance {PIC 06}.

• 02 Le Ciel balcony 02 Le Ciel balcony
• 03 Floor tiles 03 Floor tiles
• 04 Cleaning with water 04 Cleaning with water
• 05 Mowing 05 Mowing
• 06 Les Labadous 06 Les Labadous
•  

Spring is here!

Finally, spring came to us in the south of France. We had two weeks of wonderful weather. And it is great; it is fantastic to see how nature welcomed the sun. And responded to the light. Look at the collection of flower pictures, all taken within two weeks. The cherry blossom {PIC 07}, the forsythia with the standing stone and Buddha across the river {PIC 08}, the tulips {PIC 09 – 11}, the field of yellow flowers south of Rennes-le-Chateau {PIC 12}, the orchids {PIC 13} and the purple tree that can be seen all the way from Rennes-le-Chateau {PIC 14}. And you know what? The air is so clear that everything shines more brightly. Look at this picture of Les Labadous, dressed in soft green ivy {PIC 15}. Look at the Ruisseau des Couleurs, so clear and so happy {PIC 16}. And the sky full of strange, white clouds {PIC 17}. It is magic.

• 07 Cherry blossom 07 Cherry blossom
• 08 forsythia 08 forsythia
• 09 tulip 09 tulip
• 10 tulip 10 tulip
• 11 tulip 11 tulip
• 12 yellow field 12 yellow field
• 13 Orchids 13 Orchids
• 14 The purple tree 14 The purple tree
• 15 Soft green ivy 15 Soft green ivy
• 16 the river 16 the river
• 17 The blue sky 17 The blue sky
•  

Tours

I have been touring the area by myself, like I did in the old days and I have been touring it with good friends in the new days. Every time I discover new things. Like the lovely village of Le Somail, between Narbonne and Minerve, bordering the Canal du Midi. With this boat, annex shop {PIC 18} selling bread and all kinds of touristic things and this huge second hand bookstore {PIC 19}. Or the Chapelle de Centeilles, an ancient chapel on a fortified hilltop with its own well, near the village of Aigne. See {PIC 20} and {PIC 21}.

And if you cross the river at the ND du Cros, with its Black Madonna and sacred spring and go up the mountain, in your 4WD, you come to the area where the famous red Marble stone can be found. Some pieces can be found just on the side of the road {PIC 22}.

I also did some tours with Franklin, who is keen to learn a bit more about the area. Here he can be seen ‘dressed in cobweb’ {PIC 23} at the Source of the Mother Goddess in Campagne-les-Bains {PIC 24}.

Then I picked up my good friend Door at Toulouse Airport where I found this curious statue {PIC 25}. We took a wonderful trip to the Rock church of Vals {PIC 26} and the lovely town of Mirepoix. She came here for a week, to rest and to get back some energy, for she is working very hard at her book. A book about the dangers of vaccines and the attitude of Governments, Pharmaceutical industries and medical institutions. Reading that manuscript really shocked me. Bravo Door for having the courage to take on those corrupt, outdated and power hungry institutions!

We also took a wonderful trip to the north. First to the ND de Marceille surrounded by beautiful trees {PIC 27} and to the sacred spring on the Voie Sacree, containing water that heals the eyes {PIC 28}. Then to Carcassonne {PIC 29}. From there further north to Caunes Minervois and the ND du Cros with its Black Madonna {PIC 30}, sacred spring {PIC 31} and its lovely picknick place {PIC 32}. Then east, past the enigmatic Dolmen de Fades at Siran {PIC 33} to Minerve. What a beautiful place Minerve is. The weather was fine, it was quiet and the colors were magnificent. So early in the season it is still possible to visit these places without being swamped by tourists. See the famous dove, commemorating the 114 Cathars that were burned alive here in 1210 {PIC 34} and the huge bridge connecting the village to the ‘main land’ {PIC 35}.

The next day we walked the labyrinth, or it is better to say the maze of Nebias. But not the short version, where you only visit the ‘Labyrinth Verte’, taking about 90 minutes, but he longer version. Which takes about 4 hours. It was an incredible voyage. The labyrinth was still wet from previous rainfall, everything was green, all shades of green and we discovered some wonderful, new, sacred places. But first we had lunch at the lovely little restaurant in Nebias, with its Indian kitchen and  biological food {PIC 36}. See how green it is {PIC 37}. Look at those wonderful shapes {PIC 38}. This tree is called “The Harp” {PIC 39}. And this is the largest collection of stones {PIC 40}.

The last trip was to the Pech Cardou. The ‘female’ mountain. We first passed Rennes-les-Bains {PIC 41} and then parked the car at Montferrand. We might have gone up by Four Wheel Drive to the pick nick place near the top, but the weather was good so we walked. Here is the pick nick place, a special place. A place where 5 roads cross {PIC 42}. Here a picture of me taken at that famous place {PIC 43}. Close to the top of the mountain you can find the most incredible flowers. And the view is magnificent. Here a view from one sacred mountain, the Pech Cardou, to the other sacred mountain, the Pech Bugarach {PIC 44}. Finally, on top of the mountain, lies this enigmatic stone circle {PIC 45}. On the way back we went to the Roches Tremblantes in Rennes-les-Bains. The light was beautifully striking the dented rocks {PIC 46}. And again we had this strange feeling on the plateau. With its huge, straight trees. A feeling as if time stood still {PIC 47}.

• 18 Le Somail 18 Le Somail
• 19 Book store 19 Book store
• 20 Chapelle de Centeilles 20 Chapelle de Centeilles
• 21 The well 21 The well
• 22 Red Marble 22 Red Marble
• 23 Source of the Mother Goddess 23 Source of the Mother Goddess
• 24 Dressed in cowweb 24 Dressed in cowweb
• 25 At Toulouse Airport 25 At Toulouse Airport
• 26 Rock church of Vals 26 Rock church of Vals
• 27 ND de Marceille 27 ND de Marceille
• 28 Sacred spring 28 Sacred spring
• 29 Carcassonne 29 Carcassonne
• 30 ND du Cros 30 ND du Cros
• 31 Sacred spring 31 Sacred spring
• 32 Picknick place 32 Picknick place
• 33 Dolmen de Fades 33 Dolmen de Fades
• Title Title
• 35 The beautiful bridge 35 The beautiful bridge
• 36 The restaurant 36 The restaurant
• 7 So green 7 So green
• 38 Wonderful shapes 38 Wonderful shapes
• The Harp The Harp
• 40 Huge stones 40 Huge stones
• 41 Rennes-les-Bains 41 Rennes-les-Bains
• 42 Picknick place 42 Picknick place
• 43 Me at the Cardou 43 Me at the Cardou
• 44 View at the Bugarach 44 View at the Bugarach
• 45 Stone circle 45 Stone circle
• 46 Trembling rock 46 Trembling rock
• 47 The plateau 47 The plateau
•  

Photographic tours

You know that I love to take pictures. I now have, I think, about 40.000 pictures. Pictures of this area and of the rest of France. And I love it most to take pictures of people. Beautiful people in beautiful settings. And pictures of sacred places and energy spots. So if you want to make a photographic tour, I can take you to the most wonderful places. And if you want to be photographed, in beautiful, special settings, I will be glad to take your pictures. Here some examples of the pictures I took of Door. So you can get an impression of the kind of pictures that can be taken. First Door in the Rock church of Vals {PIC 48}. Then clinging to a tree, or the other way round, in the labyrinth of Nebias {PIC 49}. Next Door nose to nose with the curved stone in the Dolmen the Fades {PIC 50}. And finally Door with the dove in Minerve {PIC 51}. And this is what it looks like when I am taking pictures {PIC 52}.

• 48 Rock church in Vals 48 Rock church in Vals
• 49 Labyrinth of Nebias 49 Labyrinth of Nebias
• 50 Dolmen de Fades 50 Dolmen de Fades
• 51 Dove in Minerve 51 Dove in Minerve
• 52 Taking pictures at Minerve 52 Taking pictures at Minerve
•  

Books

Good news. My book “Jamie on his cloud” published by my English publisher Local Legend, will be submitted for the Peoples Book Price, summer collection, in England. If it is accepted, I will need all the support I can get to vote for me! There I count on you. I will let you know if it has been accepted and how to vote. And I thank you in advance dear friends.

Franklin is busy editing the French version “Jamie sur son nuage”. To make it ready for self-publication. It is incredible that no French editeur is, up till now, interested in publishing this lovely story. A story about Mary Magdalene and Rennes-le-Chateau!

Abraham Tol is busy working on e-book versions for Mary Magdalene in France and my book about Orbs.

And Val Wineyard is working on a shortened and revised version of my Orbs book.

On May 10^th there will be a book-signing event in the Jardin de Marie in Rennes-le-Chateau from 12.00 – 15.00. The book to be signed is “The Cathar View.” It has over 20 visionary contributions by various authors, including myself. You are most kindly invited to come to this book-signing event.

Various

Café brocante Renaissance

Joke’s shop in Quillan is getting more beautiful by the day. Joke and Franklin have been working very hard, together with our friend Annemarie, to get the place in perfect order. Look at the proud people {PIC 53} and their beautiful shop {PIC 54}.

The market in Esperaza

Visiting the market in Esperaza on Sunday morning is a special event. You go back 30 years in time, to a period where people had all the time in the world, where news was exchanged on the market, where people could sell home made food and where music was played. Joke is almost always there, but she does not particularly like it to be photographed {PIC 55]. I persuaded Door to buy a skirt. She even bought four of them for a total price of 10 euro’s. And look how well the skirt becomes her {PIC 56}.

Music

The season has started again. With music and singing. Here in Alet-les-Bains, in the Galerie des Roses. Two hours of popular folk songs {PIC 56}. Wonderful. And after the concert we could admire the town, dressed in light. The abbey with the moon {PIC 57} and the abbey as seen from l’Eveche, the bishop’s palace {PIC 58}.

Orbs

Where would we be without Orbs? And other special light effects? So for your joy and wonder here a picture of Orbs at the chimney {PIC 59}, of a violet light effect at the ND de Marceille {PIC 60} and of an Orb or a light effect, I am not sure, at the Tour Magdala {PIC 61}.

Rennes-le-Chateau

To conclude a few pictures of this special, enigmatic place. Located on top of this green hill {PIC 62}. And pictures of the garden of the church {PIC 63} and the Tour Magdala {PIC 64}.

• 53 Joke and Franklin 53 Joke and Franklin
• 54 Part of Renaissance 54 Part of Renaissance
• 55 Door in skirt 55 Door in skirt
• 56 Singing in Alet 56 Singing in Alet
• 57 Abbey with moon 57 Abbey with moon
• 58 Abbey from the garden 58 Abbey from the garden
• 59 Orbs at the chimney 59 Orbs at the chimney
• 60 ND de Marceille 60 ND de Marceille
• 61 Tour Magdala 61 Tour Magdala
• 62 On the green hill 62 On the green hill
• 63 Church garden 63 Church garden
• 64 Tour Magdala 64 Tour Magdala
•