Friday I packed my stuff and left it in the storage room. The woman at the desk said she was sure I could get a room but check later! So off I went to try the aerial tram again. This time I made it! It was a short high up view but don't really think it was worth the wait in line. I did get some great shots from the top of the tower while I was waiting. The tram crossed the harbor and left me half way up Montjuic. I just headed down, harder on my knees! To the metro
Tram built for Olympics
Harbor with Montjuic on right
Looking towards the city
Oh, I forgot, there is a walled garden up here that sisters had mentioned so I walked through that in the a.m. Nothing was in English but I gather it was a rich persons home up in the cool hills from the city, with lots of pools and an AMAZING maze, and a boxwood garden. Turns out it was free for Seniors!! Doesn't happen very often here in Europe.
Box garden
Tonight was our final session of the retreat. We met first Ina big hall for songs and thank yous to all the organizers. Leon, one of the organizers, was given the first certificate that they read aloud. We would all be given one in our individual groups (Daisy and I, of course, didn't get one as we had switched groups. I don't think I was ever even registered for the course, just a gate-crasher!)
In our group we each shared, except Kim, something that happened during the week. I shared my frustration at not being able to get an answer about the room!!
Others shared some practices that they would take home with them. Daisy shocked us all, by saying (she had shared this with me earlier) that she wants to be a nun in Plum Village and be a teacher. I heard later that she had shared this with a few other monastics in our group. She said her parents (she's an only child) aren't too thrilled. Her dad is trying to figure out how to break the news to the mom back in Saigon. Daisy had told me she had spent some months in Vietnam in a monastery but it had a lot of strict rules, and she didn't feel it was a good fit and she wants to teach and be involved in the Happy Farm. This is a new project this year in Plum Village that hopefully I'll see when I get there (Daisy headed thereon Friday so maybe I'll see her there.) I think the idea is a big organic farm where interns can come to work and take the ideas home with them. I know Doug worked on their fundraising website and video this winter.
At the end of our session when pretty much everyone had shared, Daisy said she wanted to share a song. She is so quiet and you can hardly hear her speak. But all of a sudden out of this little 35 year old Vietnamese woman came the most beautiful voice, singing in English song! We were stunned like on that talent show in the UK when Susan Boyle all of a sudden came out with this soaring voice!!! Daisy's wasn't quite like that but it shocked all of us! Sr. an Nghiem said, "You want to be a nun? We'll have to talk!" Everyone laughed.
Our group each received their beautiful certificate and then we headed outside to meet the bigger group. Somehow I feel I've already written this but maybe it was just in the picture captions. Anyway the entire group of educators met outside in the parking lot and we each had a leaf and a tea light candle. A big circle was formed and several PV songs were sung. Then we all slowly walked down many steps towards the Metro stop, silently (first we were chanting and humming along with Anja the violinist, but then we were silent!). We stopped on a grassy spot near many sports courts where kids were playing on Friday night! We got a few stares as we all hugged goodbye and those taking the metro headed off.
Very moving
Candlelight ceremony
Back at the dorm I sat outside with Doug and a few monks and chatted and passed around food, there's ALWAYS food! I finally could tell they kind of wanted to talk "business" so I headed up to my room, now on the third floor at the very far end. But it was still nice! I ended up paying E103 for the three nights. I guess the BCN sangha paid for the 10 nights I stayed in the other room! That was really nice and unexpected! They have been so incredibly welcoming and gracious to me, I think because the Spanish sangha REALLY loves, respects and appreciates Doug and how much he had to do with Thay finally coming to Spain.
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