How could we relate the
ice storm we had
in the the region of montreal
in ninety eight
the Jacques-Cartier bridge
and peace for children
to go walk around the world
we try to go back to that big tower
that
that time
we came in a
sort of war zone even the army was there
big towers pylons
went down and
the trees cracking under the heavy ice of that ice storm
about four million people were affected
in different ways
and me
suddenly
I was affected by
a mid-life crisis
that most of you don't know
i see some grey hair
so
to raise my health
i begun walking
and running
and after
a year
I remember I was running over that bridge
the 2nd symbol
Jacques Cartier bridge
and looking
the city of montreal
I think I had a good shot of adrenaline maybe
then I was thinking
How many days I can join New York and why not Mexico and why not
the rest of the world
so I returned home and I made
on the world map
different ways. But they were something told me
little angel of devil I don't know
you're crazy
you can
you're crazy... you can... you're crazy
so I didn't tell my family
for eight months... secret...
Sooo
Three weeks and a half before to go
I was really nervous I didn't sleep well
that Sunday
sunday morning finally I put the breakfast on the table and I said to Luce
my wife
listen Luce
i'm going for a long walk and run around the world
for more than a decade
She saw that... I was not really comfortable and she said
how will you do this? I said I will push a buggy i will ask hospitality
the way
and she said will you return home sometime? I said no...
After all...
like a walk in the park
and then...
but I said you can come on my way. she came every year
and then after she said
Is it finished between us... You want to go away from me?
I said No I Love you, it's not for other purpose
I should go I must go
I go anyway
finally...
She
replied
maybe let's give us a try
then, do this for Peace
so we dedicated the walk
for the UNESCO decade 2000-2010 for Peace and
non-violence for children that gave a soul on the walk, Thank You
so...
On August
18, 2000 on my birthday 45 years old
I started from Montreal. I gave the house key to Luce my wife
and she gave me the key of freedom... no keys
and then I went down
you saw the map
the project was crossing the 5 big continents
then I landed in Europe, after Africa
and then down to
Turkey
Iran then
Asia
and then we are going to...
China
and then the islands... from Japan to South-East Asia islands
To Borneo where I saw some head hunters uh...
I have still mine!!!
then...
from New-Zealand and back
to Montreal
soon... Merci! Thank You...
when I started...
was a day and a half
to get the border of America that I was thinking because many people said
there at the border they don't like the sort of thing they
will
they will maybe don't accept you to America finally...
I was thinking maybe my walk around the world will finish there
so I passed through they were very happy to receive me and all the
way in America people they gave me food, shelter, warm beds
and people on the way to give me a place to stay
and it was very very beautiful so finally... but it was not always like that
I remember I was in a town
In middle of
American may be
3 months after I started
and I was looking the homes. It was a cold evening at night
9 - 10 o'clock no place to stay then
I said
You see these people they were watching the TV in their living room
They are comfortable these people so why I'm doing such a
apart life
I said... Very easy you just take a plane
you go
to home and then you go work like before... I said no, no, no
I don't want...
finally i had something to live and to learn
so I follow down to Central America South America and I saw
rich people, poor people then
I stayed in churches
Police stations, fire stations even in jails
and
I had a little tent
I slept in forests and deserts
and then I saw the huge mountains
in the Andes
beautiful and big big challenge there
and then one time a guy came to walk with me
and then he said
something that they will never forget
He said: I met people
so poor
that the only thing that they have
is money,
plenty the money
so I had to learn about the value of life... this is what I learned a lot
though Africa
in Africa I stayed with
local people
eating there, and
sharing the food
and then...
even insects
In Mozambique,
I remember when you arrive in a small village
In the evening
children are around so I asked them
please
can I meet
the chief of the village
to have food and maybe sleep
so finally they bring you to the chief They have usually 3 chiefs
spiritual chief
a traditional chief and a politic chief
so they give you place... they welcome you... they take time for you
then the chief's wife
she
bring you water
and she said first you take a bath
I went to take that bath
There is a little cup to take that bath
and further the same scenario repeated after a few weeks
Meet the chief and then finally she said you take a bath
first
They were no cup and I asked the lady
behind the
screen made of straw outside
so I asked the lady... may I have a cup please to
wash myself and to rinse myself
there was a basin there
so finally the lady she said
Mmmm... in Canada you use a cup to wash yourself
so...
after have been very welcome in Africa I when up to
Europe what a shock
there, I could feel something the rejection
and then because, sometimes I had to be careful about what happened on the way to have
really... to figure out to have a place
to sleep so finally I was in Ireland one time I met a guy I said
to this guy
how big is the next village? and the other one please just to see
if maybe I be able to find something
That red hair said
The next village
you have 2 pubs and the other 4 pubs, little bigger!!!
Because sometime people they are happy to promote
Peace and non-violence through my walk
I arrived in
Serbia.
In Belgrade and then they made a walk from from the center city
to a school
with children...
I spoke we went behind the school
They were a small ceremony planting a tree of Peace
A tree for Peace
so we plant the tree
and after planting the tree, they was a small child and they said
Why that
tree of Peace I don't understand
the guy in charge he said: because here in Serbia Peace is very fragile
and further we would like to have a solid Peace like this tree
will be in the future
so he asked the child, he said; will you protect that little tree
the child said: YES
I will protect that tree, if somebody want to break it I will punch him
In india
I walk with an amazing guy
He is a Sadhu
he walked 30 years of his life
naked... no clothes... bare feet
this amazing guy walked more than 200,000 km
But what affected me the most
on my way was in Mindanao
where I had to walk with the police, the army and the intelligence service
to look over the mountains... the movement of the rebels in the mountains
Imagine the guy is walking for Peace
surrounded by guards fully armed
...
it's sort of an ironic image. Is it?
so I asked these guys, these police or army: may I meet the rebel groups
finally they where just separatist group. Is it?
they said "No" you will be kidnapped
Hey! you don't kidnap me now?
finally I follow and I arrive in Darwin in Australia
...
There I had to pass trough my number 6th desert one of the biggest challenge
I went trough some others
like the most arid of the world, the Atacama desert but this one
40 to 45 degrees
3 months... nothing
10 to 12 liters of water per day
yeah...
I'd made it
with good attitude that i'm very proud
so finally
after the Aussies and the...
Kiwis
I got the support for the flight for my 64 country
CANADA!!!
Vancouver
...
from Vancouver all the way
this is what i wanted to hear that "eh"!
you come a long way, EH!
Very warm, all the way people gave me places to stay and made
beautiful chain of hospitality
arriving nearly home I met my 2 granddaughters because I became
grandfather. This is the good news... the sad news: I lost my father
that i saw him
just when i started
and then...
yeah, after 11 years and 2 months
54 pairs of shoes... these are the last ones
and then 75,500 kilometers
we had a welcome ceremony
then Luce and I
we went to home to cover the
last 1.5 km
to home without any witness... hand in hand
then she gave me back the key
no freedom anymore
opened the door
looking my new environment
...
we huged each other
saying: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
three weeks, sorry
three days after I was really... I can say I was completely lost
in my own home
then I was still looking for the things in the cupboards
and I was really...
I didn't know where anything was
and 3 months after still
Luce said
darling
you still didn't lock the door?
OH! sorry honey
eleven years I never locked doors