Photobucket

600km Walking Pilgrimage through Spain

Written by Denise Chng Lisan & published on September 2 2008

From the moment I discovered an ancient pilgrimage path in Spain in June last year, the attraction of walking hundreds of kilometres towards an assured destination grew on me daily. My eagerness to go on a month-long journey on foot across the steep slopes, lush valleys and forests of the Pyrenees, and through countless small towns and villages, was part of a subconscious quest to find depth and meaning in my life. At the age of 33, I was approaching – prematurely, perhaps – what seemed to be a mid-life crisis.

Straits Times Life! Article,Denise Chng Lisan,Camino de Santiago,Camino Frances

Letter from Quebec: Preserving Heritage

Written by Denise Chng Lisan & published on November 8 2008

'TRAVEL is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living,' wrote Miriam Beard. Life in Quebec is now my teacher, pointing out my knowledge gaps and honing my ideas of living - be it language, culture, life-skills, or the environment.

Denise Chng Lisan

On my way to Rimouski, Quebec Canada

Posted by Denise CHNG Lisan On Saturday, June 07, 2008


After many weeks of living out of a suitcase, traveling from Singapore to Indonesia, to Australia, and then back to Singapore, I was finally on my way to Canada. It took me about 30 hours to travel from Singapore to Montreal, and then from Montreal, we took a car ride of 7 hours to reach Rimouski. Someone said that 7 hours drive from Montreal is as remote as one can get in Canada.

To be honest, I never thought I would ever live in Canada. The word itself sounded too big, as vast as its land. Within my vocabulary in my world of travels, Canada held little associations for me, except that it is very cold and ‘up there’. I only knew the names of the few big cities in Canada like Toronto and Vancouver.

So my journey to little town of Rimouski in the province of Quebec opened up another world for me.

Rimouski, by its name in original Amerindian language, means the meeting point of rivers. The drive towards Rimouski meandered along the St. Lawrence river, dotted with little beautiful houses overlooking the waters. I was promised the sighting of moose, but was greeted with flocks and flocks of white birds migrating to find their new home. I read about migrating birds flying in V-formation, so that those who follow the leader would benefit from the lift created in front. But to see flocks of birds flying in unison and in perfect teamwork was an emotional sight for me. I cannot help but be impressed by how they use the sun as their guiding light and magnetism of the earth to help them find the right direction. I cannot help but be moved by the fact that they have to fly many thousand miles away from what they are used to in order to survive.

The Bas St Laurent region is blessed with wide rolling green fields, farms, colored country houses and vast blue sky. I feel I could breathe in deep, and suck in as much clean oxygen as my lungs could hold. In the quiet sanctuary of nature around me, I let Mother Nature guide me in my inspiration.

1 Response to 'On my way to Rimouski, Quebec Canada'

  1. Anonymous Said,
    http://denise-camino.blogspot.com/2008/06/montreal-quebec.html?showComment=1213684560000#c5178269583540469928'> 16 June 2008 at 23:36

    What a stunning place! Looks like u r enjoying

     

    Ave Maria - Lourdes, France
    IN MEMORY OF MY MOTHER

    Blog Archive