Field Walks by Baba

“The old Atlantis is now underwater except for parts of Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Iceland.”

Baba suddenly stopped walking, and asked, “What was that?”

I directed my torch light at our feet. Due to the dark I had not seen it, but a small animal had run in front of Baba and now sat in front of Him.

I said, “A small mouse. Baba. No. A shrew.”

Baba laughed. I felt that Baba knew exactly who that shrew had been in a past life, and that the shrew had wanted Baba to touch it, or even kill it by stepping on it. Though He refused to do so, I felt He still blessed it. We sidestepped the shrew and walked on.

“Dharmavedananda, what is the name of this sea?”

“Mediterranean, Baba.”

“Why is it called that?”

“It means middle-earth, Baba.”

“And is it the middle of the earth?”

“It depends how you look,” I said, “since the earth is pear-shaped.”

“Can there be a middle?” “No, I don’t think so, Baba.”

“Yes. There can be no middle. But the ancient people thought this was the middle of the earth because for them the earth was only Semitic and Alpine. There are big waves. Why is that? The Arabian Sea does not have big waves.”

“Because the Mediterranean is deep. Baba?” “No. Because it is shallow.”

Next day. Notes from this morning’s walk: “This hillock is not an ordinary place. What is the direction of the sea? Is it not east?”

“Yes, Baba,” replied a Spanish Margi.

“I remember one old story,” Baba said. “In the Medieval stage when the Romans—this means over 2000 years ago—when the Roman empire was on its pinnacle of glory, they came here crossing the Mediterranean on the east to conquer Iberia. A fierce battle was fought.”

He pointed to a concrete slab about 150 meters away. “Perhaps this is the place, and that monument commemorates the battle.”

“Strengthen yourselves in north Africa. We will attack from Spain with love. But we shall say to them we are not your born enemies. They will say, ‘We hate you.’ We will say, ‘We love you.’

“From Gibraltar move southward. Gibraltar is actually Spain, but it was given to England as part of a dowry. Historically, ethnologically, culturally and economically Gibraltar is a part of Spain. Now, know a little history. Here also the Romans attacked Iberia in the B.C. period. But at that time there was little difference between Italy and Iberia. The Iberian language is also a part of the Latin language, which died out 500 years ago. (I am not sure He said ‘500’ years ago.)

Regarding Oriental-demi Latin and Occidental-demi Latin: 1300 to 1400 years ago Oriental-demi Latin became French and Italian; Occidental-demi Latin became Portuguese and Spanish. Portuguese is just like a dialect. Spanish and Portuguese people each may think. The other is speaking a dialect of my language.’

In the future, Spanish and Portuguese will come closer together and both will be benefited for proper development. Forget the last 700 years of history—they come from the same stock. The old land of Basque, i.e. Spain and Portugal, were a single people….

“Roman pirates came from that part. What is the meaning of pirates? Sea robbers.”

Fie started talking about agriculture. “What are the main vegetables here?”

I missed writing a few vegetables that Fie said. Then Fie continued “…potatoes, beans, brinjals, and onion of white color or gray color? Garlic has no seed. But in the case of onion, the seed or root will work. This land is of what sort?”

No one knew.

“You are cultivators and you do not know? The land is green, and thus fit for cultivation of vegetables and fruits of Mediterranean culture.”

One Margi said, “Baba, do you know that here they use more organic and natural fertilizers than artificial?”

“I know the entire agricultural history of Spain.

“Sweet lemons can grow on the rocky soil here, not oranges. What is the difference between the two? The skin and grain of the orange are loose. But you cannot easily remove the skin of the lemon. Amongst lemons are sweet lemons as big as oranges, which can be conveniently grown on rocky soil. The lower portion (He pointed downhill) is suitable for oranges. Up here is good for sweet lemon.

“Is the ground black or a bit red? It is latterite, a bit red—looking like brick. There is much calcium in it. It is suitable for sweet lemons and grapes. Vineyards are good in the hill area because of the latterite soil. Is this area more engaged in agriculture or horticulture? Horticulture. You may get proper saplings from Israel of sweet lemons. Are there any pineapples grown here?”

“No, Baba,” someone said.

“Pineapples may also be successfully grown here in the summer season. The winter variety may not grow well here because pineapples can not stand chilly climate. There is a ready market for these fruits in north Europe. Now they are imported from far away. In the winter also you can grow them in glass houses. This is particularly applicable in southern and eastern Spain, and southern Portugal—taking advantage of the fine weather during the summer.”