Back in February I wrote about the second book in the Inspired Traveller’s series Mystical Places by Sarah Baxter as that one captured my attention first. Now, after reading her first effort about some well-known sites with transcendental qualities – along with many that are obscure, I wanted to share some thoughts about these places as well. Once again, as with Mystical Places this edition includes an intriguing collection of noteworthy sites from every continent to explore at least as an armchair traveler if not in actuality. This book also includes illustrations representing each of the twenty-five diverse sites included in the book created by nature and some by humans.
Speaking of man-made sites, the fifth entry about Mont St-Michel located just of the northern coast of France has quite a loaded history that fascinates me due to it’s sheer durability. This ancient Romanesque Abbey sits atop a massive chunk of rock where huge tides of the English Channel completely cut it off from the mainland during high tides. This imposing and magnificent site has been inhabited for hundreds of years containing religious buildings in some form throughout it’s history. The abbey began to take its present, most striking form in 966, eventually becoming one of Europe’s most renowned sites. It had also been a prominent destination over the centuries for pilgrims who believed that it somehow represented a mortal earthly paradise. They’ve also believed in being granted blessings from St. Michael which eventually would usher them into the immortal spiritual paradise.
Mont St-Michel is also an incredible feat of construction and engineering which has undergone numerous modifications over the ages into its present form, which has also included a picturesque village surrounding it. Another outstanding aspect of the abbey is the dramatic history that it has survived. Everything from Viking attacks (going back to the 800s), partial collapse (1103), bombardment by the English during the Hundred Years War (1400s) fire (1776), the French Revolution (1790s), the infirmary collapse (1811), World War II & Nazi Occupation (1940s), to say nothing of braving the elements over the last 1,000 years or thereabouts. Despite becoming a prison after the French Revolution (forcibly secularized by the new regime) Mont St-Michel went back to being an abbey in 1863 and became a national historic monument in 1874.
From it’s founding back in 708 AD by Bishop Aubert (his angelic vision came from Archangel Michael to build the sanctuary) right through the present day, Mont St-Michel has an awe inspiring allure and stunning views that continues to attract many thousands to visit this majestic site every year. While Mont St. Michel is a great monument to Christianity in the Western world, the Shwedagon Paya in Myanmar (also known as Burma) is perhaps the greatest pagoda representing Buddhism in Asia. I can only imagine how spectacular it must be to see in person. Seeing it in photos or documentaries just doesn’t give an accurate impression of its splendor. Comprised of gold plates placed over the brick structure, covered with nearly 8,000 diamonds and other precious gems, and resembling a large bell, Schwedagon has dominated the skyline of Yangon (Burma’s capital city) for at least 700 years.
Schwedagon contains many relics that are sacred to adherents of Buddhism and thus a major attraction for pilgrimage. One of the most fascinating aspects of this site is that nobody knows exactly how old the pagoda is, since it has evolved so much over the centuries to it’s present form. Also, no other buildings in the city are allowed to exceed the pagoda in height – ensuring it remains the centerpiece of the skyline soaring to a whopping 367 feet high including the spire. While the site is considered outstanding in the sunlight, it’s also entrancing in the evening under artificial lights such as the multitudes of votive candles lit for offerings. Although pilgrimages to some holy sites are rather subdued affairs, a visit to Schwedagon is very much a social event where worshippers engage in prayer and make their various offerings to Buddha.
While man-made spiritual sites such as the abbey of Mont St-Michel and Schwedagon Paya are prominent, timeless allures for the faithful Spiritual Places also contains a number of lesser-known natural sites such as the Saut-D’Eau water fall deep in the Haitian jungles which showers down from a height of nearly 100 feet and is also unique for being sacred to Catholics and Vodou practitioners. I find the obvious clashes between the so-called “Christian” and “Pagan” fascinating in itself as they appear to come together at this site. Many believe that the Virgin Mary made several appearances here in the mid-nineteenth century, but the site is also considered to be a gathering place of vodou spirits and some believers have fused the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel and the Haitian deity Erzulie Dantor together, thus largely explaining the appeal of Saut-D’Eau to both Christians and Vodou adherents whether the Catholic Church likes it or not!
In any event, many who come to visit the waterfall are eager to partake of the cool, soothing waters by bathing here, believing that the waters are blessed by their respective deities. The curious blend of Catholic rites and Vodou worship is not unique to Haiti, but the persecution of “pagan” worshippers in the past caused many of their gods to hide, disguised behind Catholic deities and this was particularly pronounced at Saut-D’ Eau over 200 years ago. Another impressive site of spiritual significance would be Crater Lake in Oregon which is sacred to the Native American Klamath tribes. This stunningly blue lake is situated in a giant, volcano which collapsed on itself over 7,000 years ago in the wake of a massive eruption.
Much of the reason for the incredible blue color and clearness of Crater Lake’s water is due to the lack of soil and plant life in the lake bed. In Native American folklore the lake is sacred because it was believed that an epic battle occurred between two gods – of the sky and of the underworld, resulting in the destruction of Mt. Mazama and the creation of Crater Lake. In the past the Klamath people supposedly engaged in “vision quests” of great danger such as running down the sheer rock walls of the mountains down to the water surface without falling – and living to tell about it! While sacred to them, the lake is also fearsome which no doubt is part of it’s mystique. Of the twenty-five sites described in Spiritual Places, Crater Lake is the only one that I’ve visited, but it is magnificent and unforgettable, definitely worth a visit. Here I’ve shared just a sampling of the many places to visit that could be worthy additions to anyone’s travel bucket list.
