Shared Illusions

No, not that one!

Carnac, Bretagne has the largest collection of megaliths in the world.

Note the alignment of these stones. They were erected during the Neolithic period between 4500-3500BC – 6,000 years ago! There are almost 3,000 standing stones, along 2.5 miles. The people erecting them would have transitioned from hunter-gatherer to settled communities, raising livestock and farming.

Why were they placed here? There’s no apparent relation to stars or moon or sun. So the scientists say. Though it’s difficult to tell, the stones are placed in descending order of height. When we first arrived and I beheld this curiosity, I felt something within; a frisson of awe. Perhaps these people built horizontally what later man built vertically, in terms of cathedrals, to summon a feeling of power, of the mystical, of a connection to forces beyond the known.

The grey sky and on-again, off-again drizzle contributed to the ambiance. It also helped that the place wasn’t overrun with people as it would be in high season. The main parking lot has space for 2,000 cars.

We left the mystery of Carnac behind to walk to the beach. Ed, my pathfinder, used Google maps to determine a route off road. It was a beautiful meandering walk in the countryside, down lanes and gravel walkways. Rounding a bend we came upon this house.

Carnac is on the Bay of Quiberon.

This is not a worm. Something underneath extruded the sand; I saw it happen. But I didn’t see what did it. Dug around and nothing came up. I think it could dig faster than I.

I’d love to have been here just a few weeks earlier when the weather was still good. We’ve fallen off the shoulder season and are heading down the back. Time to come home. Weather has been rainy and chill, and looks to continue in that vein for the rest of our time here. Fortunately, except for two mornings past, it has not kept us in. Though it did keep us from going to Île aux Moines (Isle of the Monks) this morning. It was going to be windy and rainy there. Only 600 or so inhabit the island, so the whole purpose was to walk around (literally around) the island and enjoy the beaches.