Day 820 – 22nd June 2009

I think I may have mentioned in the last few days, perhaps even more than once, that Holy Island isn’t really an island. This also applies to the ‘island’ picture here, accessible on foot when the tides are low.

I have walked around the place, seen the couple of pubs and shops and explored the coast. It’s quite nice, although it’s Monday and I’m quickly running out of things to do. Tomorrow I think we might visit the castle, once that’s done our options could become quite limited.

I can’t help thinking that the ‘holy’ side of it all is a somewhat commercial venture. All the shops sell Celtic themed goods (if you’re thinking the football club, think again), and there are crosses sort of everywhere. In fact, I don’t know if you can make it out, but there is a cross on the island in today’s picture.

The thing is, spiritual as it may seem, it’s difficult not to think that at the end of the day you could put a cross anywhere you like and it becomes ‘spiritual’ and ‘atmospheric’. I was on top of a cliff with my dad this afternoon when a group of Americans came up, sat on the cliff’s edge and starting singing and praying. They were from Tennessee – I don’t mind the Americans at all, but you could stick a cross up in Tennessee and hey presto, you’ve saved yourself a journey.

Maybe I’m being naive but I just don’t buy it – I’m no atheist, but religion on this ‘island’ feels little more than a gimmick.