Miraz: Meeting interesting people

An English group, CSJ, whom we bought our guide books through, thankfully opened an albergue in Miraz. As we walked into the town, there was a castle home. This castle has been in the same family for 500 years.

There was a French man Allain, helping the Englishman who was looking after the albergue, who was very interesting. He had a sad story of being a street kid until 11, where he then went to an orphanage. He didn't choose the life of street person, but choose to travel, with no money. His funnist story was an inspiration to go to Canada. So on the advice of someone, they said, the cheapest way to do it, is to go up Norway, which has ships going across to Greenland. From there work on a ship that goes across to Canada. So off Alain went to search for a ship. But as Alain said, 'I searched and searched, all the way up the coast of Norway, and there were no ******* ships'. We laughed, because Norways coast is long. He ended up living there for four years.Alain had a journal of all his paper clips where he had been in the news, for organising a group to celebrate 2000 twice, first in Manchuria, China, then to travel across the Bering Strait, Alaska to catch it there again. The journal detailed how he traveled through Pakistan, over the Himalayas, into Tibet, couldn't get into Russia so went to China.Listening to Allain is impressive, but underneath is a sadness. In his travels he got married, had a son in China. Today he is still travelling, divorced, his son doesn't have his father around. Basically I perceive, repeating his own sadness of his own youth, not having strong male influence around to guide and support him.


Chatting away on porch


Javier wicking his stick


Back on our trails, out of Miraz we walked over these unusual grey rock boulders.






We met our tweenie friends along the route. It was lovely walking with them. We met them at a café bar, where we played with the most beautiful natured puppy German Shepard. Along the route, the tweenies sang and chanted.




Clara had incredible pain in her knees that was slowing her down. As we were walking, her and I had time to just talk without the distraction of the boys. I discovered that she was a devout Catholic. When I questioned her why not catch a car to the next town, she explained the importance of her completing her pilgrimage, even if she had pain. If she could handle this pain, she could then in life face difficulties that were painful, and she could succeed. Explaining that life is not always easy. But if we can endure painful experience, we turn out to be conquerers and better people. So bravely, she kept on walking, knowing that this was a life lesson she was going to persist in.

I asked her about her boyfriend, whom she was walking with. He didn't believe in God, which she realised was important. She explained very simply that he was a sad person. If one has God, you are never alone, you are not sad, she said. She explained how her Granddad encouraged her in her faith as she grew up and her parents. We talked about how difficult it is when one tries to have a family where there are different beliefs. I explained how when Rod and I have kids, we will bring them up with the same faith, there is no struggle, there is agreement. She agreed and that this was her hearts desire. She is such a beautiful young woman. I loved listening to her instructing the guys to cook, how things had to be done a certain way. She was so lovely natured, yet had such a lovely strength in just being who she is. She'd sit painting her journal for hours. Then she'd have all the guys around her, painting too, except quiet Javier - he'd be wicking his stick or smoking quietly, thinking I presume.

We didn't chat again after that. I'm so pleased we had that moment.