Yesterday  we headed for the small village of Bugarach. 

We had driven past it previously but did not have time to stop. Today though as we came into the village we spotted several hippie-type people living in a cluster of caravans and sheds on the edge of the village. Dreadlocks, shoeless children and colourful clothes were evident. According to an ancient prophecy, this sleepy Pyrenean village was to be the only place on earth left standing when the world ended on 21 December 2012. We’ll, it is still there, we can attest to that. Click on the link here to find out more. 

It was cute, but there were no obvious places for a coffee so we headed on towards Couiza. Just outside Rennes Les Bains, pictured below, we saw a couple hitchhiking. 

About 45 years old, not too hippy-like, so we thought they may be in some trouble. We picked them up, and the gentleman accidentally broke Mick’s car seat while he tried to get himself and his female companion into the tiny back seat.

We did not ask them where they were coming from to hitchhike but after chatting with them we figured it was a good chance it was Bugarach. 

Mick was left sitting in a very uncomfortable squat-like position in the front seat, hunched over, but we continued on towards Couiza pretending it was ok. The gentleman began to speak. He at first seemed a bit miffed that we didn’t recognise him, since he was to be a candidate for the next French presidential election. They were on their way to Limoux to secure the support of 120 registered voters so he could qualify for the election. Sadly we did not get their names- I was focussing on the road and Mick was busily pretending his seat was ok. 

We think his companion called him Claude, but we are not sure. She had lived for 25 years in Senegal with her husband who had recently died. She was on a ‘pilgrimage’ of sorts, or so we understood. He told us he was the “new messiah”. 

Mick was shocked. He thought “Holy boy! Think of it. In our back seat”. 

Mick was enthralled with this gentleman’s tales of mind controlling groups all over the would that, well, control minds. Ours, apparently. We learnt of  the “Paperclip” conspiracy, whereby nasty Nazis are still afoot being bred in USA. 

I am not rubbishing him because he was a peaceful man hoping to bring peace like Jesus did (his words) to the world, before World War III. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have world leaders with that as their motive?

Anyway, we dropped them off in Couiza so they could continue to hitchhike and we tootled off. But, here is the good bit:

When we pulled up in Quillan, Mick got out and his seat was fixed. Mick was convinced it was a miracle, but I told home to behave. 

I’ve tried Googling this party and this gentleman with no success, but I will be watching the French elections in April next year very closely to see if he achieved his goal of at least taking part in the election. Who knows, stranger things have happened.