Laugh to your enemy if you want to disarm him

Žarko Michael BabanMy next destination is almost there. I see sign with the name Lourdes with in the background the beautiful mountains of the Pyrenees. I see them as one of the final challenges on my Camino. The road to Santiago de Compostella, which I began 28 days ago and 2087 cycled kilometers from Enschede shall be prosecuted trough Pyrenees. I feel like David against Goliath, I know I will win and I will go over it, but I know also that it will be hard and that I have to show my respect against this ‘’opponent’’. But this ''fight'' I will fight in two days. But now first I need to find a camping, to eat, to rest, to sleep, and follow the road next morning.

I arrived in Lourdes, one of the holy places and pilgrimage destinations where people transformed their hopes and desires in their faith and where they go to get closer to God and pray for this. It's also part of my Camino, where I've gone maybe with the same reasons; to meet myself, to conquer my fears, to face my desires, to lose my violent past in the war in Sarajevo and to think about what I've become as a person in my 29 years and what I want to become in this life.

After several times asking about the camp, I finally see it in the valley, a huge camp of about four thousand campers. I also see the river and go there to set up my tent and to have some food and rest. On arrival at the campsite, I question in English some campers that will be my neighbors that night if I can set up my tent by designated place near the river and just below a hill. They don’t speak English, but I understand that they have no problem with it and that I can do it.

I begin with unpacking the stuff from my bike and setting up the tent. While I do this I notice some boys are gathering on the hill behind me and start to scream something in French. I can’t understand them, but I notice that they want me to leave and that they are not happy that I 'm here as an intruder ‘’on their domain’’. I lift my shoulders up and pretend like I don’t know nothing and say '' je ne sais pas '' (I do not know) and continue with preparing my meal before the fall of the night. I make a soup and macaroni on gas burner that I had with me. I

'm tired but happy, and just before the sun goes down I start to eat. I feel the presence of the boys behind me, but I ignore them and continue eating.

Suddenly and out of nowhere, my so far peaceful meal with the outlook on the beautiful river get distorted. Something just fall next to me. I was scared stiff and hear boys running away. I look beside me and see a beer bottle lying next to me. I realize that it was very close of this bottle hit my head. I understood message: '' We will not leave you at peace and you have to go away ''. I must act, because I know if I do nothing, they will come back and I will not close my eyes tonight. Or I have to leave, but that is not an option now in the night. So I take the bottle, climb the hill and see guys running away and put the bottle down on a table between the campers. Message I want to convey is: '' I'm not afraid and leave me in peace.'' I return to the tent, but before I 'm back, I see guys again. I feel that I need to get in this confrontation.

Many thoughts go through my head. I take knife to protect me, but soon I see from it. Instead, I hold in my left hand a flashlight and shine on open and outstretched right hand and I go to their camp. With outstretched hand I go there and say: '' I am the friend, here is my hand of friendship, please let me with peace.'' I see in the eyes of the boy that was kind of leader, obvious fear in his eyes. They scream, run away and before I know what is happening I see about twenty people approaching me. There are women’s, older men, few children and on that moment I understand that I ended in Gypsy camp. My hand is still outstretched, and I repeat my words. They are saying something in French to me, and I try to convince one of the men to go to my tent and to ask him to stay there. Finally he goes with me, said something in French, but in his eyes I understand that he also doesn’t fully understand what exactly the problem is. From his body language I read that he finds it is ok and group of people go away. I return to the tent and on hill I see the same boy again, but he is called back from the camp and goes away.

I realized that I won this fight and I will rest in the night. I understood this lesson from my Camino. People do not like strangers, because what is unknown scares, but with an outstretched hand and pure heart is world to be conquered. I did not let myself be guided by the fear and have overcome my fear. My price is a peaceful night at the river of Lourdes with the beautiful starry sky above me. I go to sleep because next days is the physical and mental ''fight '' with Pyrenean waiting for me. Goodnight.