Come all ye faithful

Lourdes, France. It's essentially the Catholic Las Vegas. Six million people come here each year to visit the Grotto - where Mary revealed herself to a peasant girl, Bernadette. Catholics make massive pilgrimages here from all over Europe, Asia, Africa, to pray and experience the healing powers of the spring waters. It's completely overwhelming.

The whole western part of town is filled with shops, all focused on the tourists. Bernadette figures, Virgin Mary key chains, Lourdes oven mitts, glow in the dark rosaries, Mary snow globes. The most common thing you find is liter-sized jugs for the holy water - people fill up dozens of them to take home. But huge numbers of sick and elderly people come here to bathe in the waters. The picture on the right is at the nightly procession to the Basilica - the whole audience on the left is made up of wheel chairs.

On one level, the experience is touching - seeing thousands of people from all continents sharing their faith and belief, seeking strength together. On another level, seeing the elderly and poor here, spending thousands of dollars, and all the tourist traps that are taking advantage - it's strangely disturbing. As i watched the procession, with its thousands of candles, it was overwhelming and uncomfortable. But as an outsider, I guess that makes sense. I also attended mass in the huge underground Basilica - the original was too small, so they built one underground that feels like a hockey stadium. Huge flood lights, video screens, and huge banners of Saints - hanging like star althletes.

I'll be glad to head out in a few days - though I've met people from all over the world since I've been here. It's also probably the weirdest place in France to watch the world cup match...

Oh well, allez les bleus!!