Sauntering in the Old City

Any day is a nice day to walk in the Old City. Today was especially pleasant. It is Friday, and the city is just coming back to life (photo used by permission: Todd Bolen).

Therefore, my pace is better one of "sauntering." Such is more like strolling and taking in one's surroundings. A stop at the Austrian Hospice for hot chocolate is even in order.

But sauntering is the right word. Thoreau said, "It is a great art to saunter." He also provided this account of the origin of the word.

It derived from idle people who roved about the countryside, in the Middle Ages, and asked charity, under the pretext of being on their way to the Sainte Terree - Holy Land. These people came to be called Sainte-Terrers. And thus evolved the saunterers.

I am delighted to be in the Holy Land as a saunterer. Such a pace is not always my choice, but today is a nice day to saunter. May we all, wherever we are, seek to recover this art. There are days for sauntering.