Via Francigena

21st May 2015  Pietrasanta to Valpromaro
19km
Good but somewhat cooler weather, day ending quite cloudy & cool

Shorter version: started out later than I’d have liked and walked along the main road, then took smaller roads to Camaiore, more across country finally to Valpromaro. Met at hostel by a couple of Spanish hospitaleros…dinner provided! All going well & looking forward to Lucca tomorrow night.

Longer version:
After an Italian breakfast (there was even vanilla icing sugar to sprinkle on the breakfast offerings on the buffet table!), I finally set off, later than planned as I couldn’t get myself organised. As I was paying I spoke to the young woman at the desk of the albergo & remarked that she seemed to do everything so was she part of the family? She replied that the young owner (I think his mother was in the kitchen) was her fiancé so I said that young men in Italy seem to have much luck with their fiancées to which she agreed. I walked right through the centre of town, past the beautiful cathedral once again and then on the main road which was a fairly challenging experience – in the last 2 days I’ve had several experiences of drivers not respecting pedestrian crossings, even if one is on it…so one has to have one’s wits about oneself all the time.

As pilgrim Charles had told me to avoid part of the marked path because of trees being across the paths after the recent horrendous storm (I’ve seen fallen, broken, and uprooted trees everywhere for the last few days so was this from the storm I encountered on Friday?) I fortunately could see another way to go on the map but wasn’t exactly sure of the distances to the turn-off. To cut a long story short I did an extra km until I found the right little road and then it was fine.

I had to walk up and down a few hills but I encountered several people

– a farmer planting his organic cannellini beans who had worked for the World Bank and other NGOs in South America (he said his Spanish is much better than his good English…),

– a bike rider going north on the Via Francigena to whom I explained the problem of broken trees further on and who set off but 5 minutes later was back saying he was going via the coast instead (only a couple of km away) but I couldn’t work out how he could negotiate some of the paths I’d walked with a mountain bike,

– a German couple who were holidaying here for 6 days and doing local walks but were interested in the Via Francigena

Walking in an area of small farms, little villages with prosperous looking houses and beautiful gardens with an abundance of flowers and fruit trees, set into the beautiful hills all around, was very agreeable, but no bar anywhere… I also encountered a few people who “weren’t from here” when you asked directions… Then I came to the SS1 (via Aurelia going to Rome) but crossed over it and walked on a path along a canal parallel to it. This was fine until I nearly jumped out of my skin with the barking of an ugly dog in a property running along the canal.

I can’t understand why the whole country needs to have such aggressive animals and I finally shouted back at it & then saw the owner standing outside her door but making no effort at all to call to the dog… Otherwise it was lovely walking along by the very clean stream on the path which eventually turned into a little road, all the time hearing the buzzing of the cars speeding along the road.

Eventually I arrived in Camaiore after midday without having had my morning cappuccino… This is a lovely little walled town nestled in the base of hills (and Sigeric did in fact stay here overnight in 990) with churches dating to the 13th century. Then one of the highlights of the day occurred – an excellent sandwich lunch from the little grocery store… We now have good Tuscan bread and I asked the lady to cut me a good slice for a sandwich of cooked ham and fresh ricotta which she did, weighing each element, and then I bought a cooked artichoke and a big pickled onion and a piece of Parmesan cheese – all this cost €4.40, a bargain for a queen’s lunch!

Now, where to eat it I asked them as I needed a cup of tea…no problems they said, go to the bar further on next to the church. I tentatively asked the owner (as he was also selling sandwiches, but not as good as mine!) if I could eat my food and buy a pot of tea and he said no problem & he’d stamp my pilgrim passport as well. So I sat there at the corner of the main square and the start of the main pedestrian street running right through the town, and enjoyed my feast watching all the life going on around me.

I walked out of town on this very long main thoroughfare and continued on for another kilometre until I came to the “chiesetta” of San Rocco. The lady in the grocery shop opposite was bringing in her wares to close for lunch.

I spoke to her to confirm about the church and lamented “It’s closed” to which she replied “I have the key” so she opened it up and we went inside. She explained a little of the history of this 17th century church, about how a flood had gone through it and all the frescoes had been lost but some years ago after it was renovated some of the frescoes could be seen again (not sure how) but what I saw were lovely.

I saw the sculpture of San Rocco and then she showed me the building next door which had been built at the same time.

Outside her shop her daughter had painted some signs giving the mileage to the following stops in each direction on the Via. It was all very moving and gave new life to my feet as I still had 10km to walk. I chose the longer option to be off the road, not many footpaths, and walked through woods, beside streams, and then went up a long steep path until I came out on the top at Montemagno and had a glorious view right down the beautiful valley. There was also a delicious water fountain there.

From then on it was mainly down the provincial road which was a much less busy thoroughfare until I finally reached Valpromaro where I am spending tonight in a hostel. When I arrived I walked into a bar to get a cup of tea and it was a strange place (with a strange bar man) like something off Route 66 in America with several wooden posts with signposts to many cities in the USA, all pointing in different directions, with much paraphernalia linked to motor bikes all around, not good vibes and I did not receive the normal scontrino (official receipt) for my tea and the money was simply dropped into the till.

I went on to the hostel where I had the good surprise to be greeted by a Spanish couple who are “hospitaleros” which means they give their time to welcome & look after pilgrims (meals, etc) for a donation. This is a system which exists on the Camino in Spain at the albergues which welcome pilgrims and which are staffed by volunteers from all over the world who have walked the Camino themselves. For a donation, all is provided. One can’t reserve so it a case of “first in best dressed” but they assured me that there is always alternative accommodation provided if an albergue is full. It seems a lot of Italians go to do this in Spain so they encouraged Pilar and Alfredo to come here for two weeks as the first such experiment on the Via.

This hostel, although not enormous, is very well set up with a big kitchen, as well as a dining room/pilgrim relaxing room, laundry, etc, as the church next door also uses it for meetings, etc. I am the only pilgrim tonight and have had a delicious paella with chicken and peas and a salad and cake. They will prepare breakfast tomorrow. I also used the washing machine to give half my clothes a good wash. I think I have been very fortunate as they have made me very welcome (& I wouldn’t have wanted to eat at the bar). It seems Gonzalo spent a night here last week (he simply popped his head in the door to say Hello as he was going further on but when he heard the Spanish he was in for the night!) and another German pilgrim from the Cisa Pass was here last night.

Then a young man Mirko from the village came & asked us to go to the Rosary in the church next door which we did (he was indeed fortunate to have Pilar’s beautiful soprano voice, singing the prayers in Spanish) and he prayed for pilgrim me. He then very seriously presented me with a special attestation from the ostello stating that I had stayed there and said I would be able to participate in some visit at the cathedral in Lucca free of charge. A nice finish to a good day & now to bed…as the bells chime 23h00.

PS Pilar was a teacher of French so I didn’t have to struggle with my forgotten Spanish and she mentioned that the village was pleased that the bar had opened up recently which will give a new life to the village (where there is already a grocery shop) but it doesn’t seem to me to have the feeling linked to all the other bars I have seen, as a hub of social contact. When she explained that the bar owner was from Naples I wondered and had bad thoughts…not good for a pilgrim!

19th May 2015.  Sarzana to Massa
20.9km by foot & 3km by car…
Beautiful weather (not too hot!)

Short version:
After breakfast, set off on foot following the guide book even though a longer route which was more scenic and passed through villages, had an interesting cappuch, then took back roads to Massa in Carrara marble country. Finally had to get the lady from the Agritourismo to pick me up. All well & feet seeeeem to be getting better by the day.

Longer version:
After yesterday’s mammoth effort I was a little fearful for my feet. As I walked yesterday the words of my versifying friend (which I sent you in first text for 2015) kept running through my head – taxing and tricky tracks…but my feet had stood up very well and I dare to think that they are finally adapting to the Via! So I was ready to continue on.
After eating an orange & a peach, some dry bread (not bad & one gets used to it!), I went back to yesterday’s alimentari armed with a fresh panino & the woman made me a nice ham sandwich for the road! Went into a lovely bar nearby for a tea, & then set off following the directions in the guide book, even though it was a few km longer than that on the map which went 6km straight along the main road (now the Via Aurelia which was one of the famous Roman roads, this one going from Rome to the north-west of Italy), probably without a footpath. I was quickly on a rural path going uphill towards the castle on the remains of a Roman road and then walked through quiet streets of the outskirts of Sarzana with neat houses with lovely gardens. There were no great events this morning but several little encounters:
– A woman was filling bottles at a fountain on the roadside and told me it was excellent water and many people came there to fill their bottles. So I drank some also – good

– There were many thriving and beautifully tended vegetable gardens.
– A couple were pruning in their small garden which had several olive trees and I asked them if the trees provided enough oil for them but she said there was none last year (a late frost put paid to their crop) but is hopeful for this year. When I replied affirmatively to her question about walking alone she replied “well at least you’ve got no-one to argue with you”.

Then I came to a bar and I was asked whether I was a pilgrim and going to see the Pope, and I replied that for the moment I was a walker. I in turn asked if this person was a believer to which he let out a loud laugh and said he was a mechanical engineer and once one studied physics it was not possible to believe! The coffee was very cheap but it turned out this was the bar of a Circolo (association) but one man said that it was “nothing too cultural”. I decided to try to go back to a bigger road instead of walking around a big loop & asked a fellow client to show me where I was on the map. This village was in the middle of the map but he looked and said where was another bigger map, so I thanked him & said I’d manage – when will I learn that many Italians are not geographically gifted…
All around there were beautiful views to mountains.

Almost every house had electronic gates so I’m wondering if these come as a package deal with the video surveillance cameras.
Eventually I got to Via Aurelia & crossed over it and went under a dis-used railway line with much graffiti including many about tax dodgers being thieves.

I walked along quiet roads parallel to the railway line and started to see the enormous marble quarries in the mountains and asked myself how much can one take away and still have a mountain?

I arrived in the town of Avenza and was absolutely flabbergasted by the marble industry here. Everywhere were yards with many colossal blocks of marble with many markings on each block including the weight (often between 15,000kg and 20,000kg) and huge installations of cranes, etc. In one enterprise there were several buildings with no windows, more than 12 – 15 stories high & many linked together, so I asked myself what was done in there.

Marble enterprises of all types, including of course funerary monuments. My eyes were out on sticks.
I walked towards Massa and could not believe my eyes when I saw footpaths that were all edged with marble!

At one moment a man on a bike stopped and asked if I was alone and expressed concern as it could “torna male” (turn bad) as you don’t know whom you might meet…
Then I started thinking about where I should end up as (lack of good old garden common sense) from the iPad reservation I had only noted the phone number & address of the Agritourismo (which I had booked as it said it was .3km from the centre of town) and not its name. I asked many people about the address but was afraid to walk where they said as I feared it was a very long road & I didn’t know which end it would be on. Even got two Municipal police-women on the case thinking that they’d have a map but no they just got on the iPhone …Italians have absolutely no sense of geography (except my Italian friends in Geneva) and don’t even know the names of the streets they are on.

I went into a shop to ask a young woman to call a taxi, but no reply. Then I asked her to call the Agriturismo & she started to call when the father walked into the shop & took over the case. He told my hostess Giulia that I was there & that she should come & fetch me but he couldn’t tell her the name of the street we were on – only what shops we were near! Finally she came & took me to her out-of-town haven of peace & beauty, a big old-fashioned garden & orchard.

Giulia is a lawyer but couldn’t find work so the great grand-father’s house where they all live has been renovated and open for guests since last year.

Giulia’s father looks after the organic garden and people come to buy fruit, vegetables and salads, etc. I had an interesting dinner with the family (including her sister and husband), at the time which suited them, cooked by her mother Carla and it was simple but to die for!

Two anti-pasti of lightly floured and fried sliced young zucchini and flowers, broad beans and pecorino cheese salad, a primi of silver-beet with onion lightly cooked in oil and served on a piece of good toast in broth with Parmesan cheese, a secondo of squid in its broth, followed by a green salad – perfect!

Everything where possible is from the organic garden and cut that day. Carla taught French in a “scuola media” (middle school) where the principal was the younger brother of the Signora from Da Busse in Pontremoli. I suggested that she give cooking lessons (just of the evening meal) to guests who could visit local sights during the day – I think I’d come back for that. The agriturismo Is very close to a specialised heart hospital so she often has families of patients to stay. It seems that the health system is one of the things that works in Italy. I was fortunate in seeing fireflies “luccioli” in the garden before bed which was magical as the May season is drawing to a close. Slept well!

18th May 2015  Aulla to Sarzana
17 (long and difficult) km
Beautiful, but very hot, weather

Short version:
Walked on extremely difficult mountain paths with beautiful views but also with (thankfully some shade). Finally arrived in Sarzana

Longer version: (very, get yourself a cup of tea…)
When I was getting ready to leave the hostel I heard voices & went out of my room & found 3 people who must have come in late last night. Couldn’t work out what nationality they were as there seemed to be a mixture of languages but the man spoke some English & said he had a cousin in Australia. I made breakfast at the cupboard kitchen the Italians are expert in, some fruit, bread & tea. On leaving the city on a beautiful morning I went straight to a nice cafe for my cappuccino as there would not be many options en route as I was straight over the river & on to a road leading up to mountain paths.

Within 700m of leaving the hostel I was going up from 75m altitude to 275 over 1 km in woods and the paths were treacherous! My walk right along the summits of the Jura mountains had not prepared me for such paths…the guide book warns walkers, especially in autumn, to check what is under their feet & the fallen leaves… I came up out of the woods on to a road with relief & discovered the 3 pilgrims from the hostel. I thought they were Romanian.

We took photos as it was such a clear day and the scenery was spectacular. I started off before them again along a path going up steeply over a short distance to 350m before tackling another rocky path up having to pay attention with every step. I was so worried about slipping on the rocks, shale & ruts and other obstacles in the path that I just kept thinking that I had to keep going well ahead of the Romanians as they would be my safety net in case of problems… The only positive point was that much of the path was shaded so the heat was generated more by my forcing myself to go ahead rather than the beating sun… Whenever I was out in the open the beauty of the landscape was a consolation for what I was coping with.

Up to the little spectacularly-situated village of Bibola which I did not enter but I saw the terminus stop of the local bus. On the other side of the village I met a woman walking up to it with a container of wild strawberries. She offered me one which I declined & asked her where she had found them & she pointed to the sides of the road – her eyes are better than mine as I did not see any! A little later a man came towards me walking his dog who was attached to the waist of his shorts by a cord – dog didn’t bark which I complimented him on & he just smiled. I ploughed on over a path up & down at more or less the same altitude to the medieval village of Vecchietto where there were only a few older people & of course dogs. But what views. See photo of one terrace – a room with a view!

There were several little vegetable gardens, wherever it was possible to plant something, and I saw one bent-over old lady hoeing a little culvert between her rows of vegetables to let water run down the slope. Next door there was a house which was looking for all the protection it could get, the Italian flag, the Beware of dog sign, video-surveillance sign and just down the steps into the garden there seemed to be a statue of Snow-White! And not a soul around.

I saw the “Romanians” again & set-off to remain ahead of them. Then another section on terrible paths up another 200 m over 2.5km. It was taking me 30 mins per km and this was only because I kept saying to myself “The Romanians are coming”…which spurred me on, otherwise it would have taken me longer… At one time I could hear them in the distance but never saw them again. Up and down until I got to the beautiful & spectacularly-situated village of Ponzano Superiore 200m lower. Can you believe I didn’t look in the guide book to see that there was a bar in the village (but as it was Monday it may have been closed) but this was a more prosperous village with several cars parked in a piazza. There was a trompe-l’oeil on the side of a house so I should have reasoned that there might be other possibilities here.

Splendid views and I went up off the road to a small cleared area and I saw the sea!

Following the signage I came to an open place but couldn’t see the way to go when a man appeared up a path with a dog (which didn’t bark) & pointed me down there & when I remarked on the difficulty I’d already had he reassured me and as I turned to leave him he tapped me twice on the shoulder like a blessing! Going on I passed a public wash-house with marble scrubbing board so. Am wondering whether it is still used…

You may think going up a mountain is hard but going down can be worse, especially with the state of tracks such as these which sometimes resembled river beds with deep culverts. I could never have made it without my sticks which were a God-send.

I would strongly encourage anyone considering such a walk to have their trusty sticks with them as I was so thankful of mine all the way. The other unsung heroes of the day were the people who marked the route, often with two white and a red horizontal painted bars, sometimes on painted tin plaques, in the most remote places. How reassuring to come around a bend, or even on a straight path, to be able to look up & see them.

I slowly worked my way down lower to the outskirts of Sarzana and it took me a couple of km to get into the centre of town, the part I like least about bigger places, as with villages one is either in or out very quickly.
I eventually got into this charming city with a lovely old centre with many piazzas and found my hotel. Went to the tourist office and you guessed it, closed on Mondays, but I got a map from the hotel. The hotel recommended a bar/cafe which was also closed on Mondays but I found another next to a grocery shop where I stocked up on fruit.  I asked the woman if she’d be open in the morning to make me a sandwich but she said she’d have to ask her husband what time he was opening…as it was his turn to do so!
The young woman in the bar was lovely and I sat there for a long time drinking my pot of tea (which she refilled for me) & finally I decided to have a Prosecco before dinner. It took a while to come & finally she appeared with a big tray of 8 different types of nibbles to have with my drink!

I was looking forward to a seafood meal as I was virtually next to the sea in Liguria. I had a fritto misto of prawns, calamari, octopus, etc in a very light batter which was delicious but I couldn’t eat more than half of it – I think my pilgrim stomach must be shrinking…

Oh, and by the way, Napoleon’s family was originally from here before they went to Corsica. This town has much history so off into your history books you go!

17th May 2015  From Pontremoli to Aulla
28.25km
Beautiful weather, but too hot in the afternoon.

Short version:
Long walk in beautiful (but unseasonably) hot weather. Walked out of Pontremoli on the main road & visited the beautiful Pieve di Sorano and then walked uphill and down dale, including along too much bitumen road. Arrived in the hostel with the help of a kind Romanian woman, had some dinner & fell into bed.

Longer version:
Another nice breakfast to prepare me for the road but much earlier. There were several other foreign walkers at breakfast, eating what I was eating! An Italian couple came & went in 10 mins while the Germans & I were still there eating away on cereal & brown bread!!
It was a beautiful day and the hills all around were very clear! I wanted to get away early as, being Sunday, I decided to follow the map (rather than the route in the guide book which seems to have some silly detours to get one off the main road) & walk straight along the main road for 7 km. I walked by St Peters church but still closed…so sadly no sight of the labyrinth of the pilgrim’s trials.

Walked on the main road affronting the oncoming traffic but, being Sunday and early, fortunately there wasn’t much of it. There were many cyclists out singly or in bigger or smaller groups. The warmest memory of the day was a group of about 25 cyclists riding single file and when the first one saw me he waved his right hand and the wave went down the line (made me think of the wave I’d seen once in Montreal in a Stanley Cup hockey match) and a chorus of Ciao greeted me as they all went past! It was fantastic. Another time, with a smaller group, the first cyclist whistled and the arms went out and they all moved over to let me pass. What technique!

After 7km I reached the beautiful Pieve (small church) di Sorano, a 6th to 12th century church which was beautiful. I arrived there and went in & the priest was getting ready for the service at 11h00. I spoke to him and it seems he is also the priest of another church as well as the principal of a school in Pontremoli. He said the church was from the 6th century and modified until the 12th, and advised me to see the apse from the exterior. He asked me if I was a Catholic but I replied that I was raised an Anglican. It was a beautiful simple interior and from the cemetery behind I could see the full beauty of the construction.

I went over the road to the bar recommended by a man who had done his washing & was hanging out all his “smalls” in front if his house front door. The bar was a riot (not sure how many of them would be going to church…) but I think the whole village must pass through there. Was drinking my cappuch when I heard the church bells ring. Many people were making their way there. About 5 mins before the hour, the bells rang with a “hurry up or you’ll be late” ring just like at school.
I reached the village of Filatteria (pop 2453 today) and was struck by a memorial plaque for the the WWI dead – there were 70 – 80 names, all in inlaid marble, classified by rank. I couldn’t get over the sheer number of people affected in this small rural commune.

Went up long steep hill road & another 93 steps to the village itself & came across a couple of painters in the square. Then tried to find way markings – at one point I asked a man who said he’d walked the Via but it was to Compostela (!) & he didn’t even know where the Via Francigena signs were in his own village (he looked like a local & as he didn’t say “I’m not from here” I can only assume he was!).
I walked up further (on remains of a Roman road) and through many woods, often with rocky or muddy tracks which just needed a little care to pass, but no real problems and I was ready for the two streams which I would probably have to ford but fortunately stones were placed such that one could pass without having to remove one’s shoes!

 

At the village of Filetto I passed the half-way point between Gt. St Bernard Pass and Rome! At one point, I came out of woods & passed over a tree across the road and passed through some fields & cameto a junction with a road ahead and another to the right and both had way-markings and the guide book said “continue on a walled lane” which they both were! I followed one to the right and ended up in a field & a man asked me where I was going so told him and he said I had missed a turn to the right on a path parallel with his fence which he told me to take. About 500 m later I ended up at the same tree over the road! I must have lacked a little common sense, but it showed me once again that many Italians do not have a good sense of direction.
I ate some lunch in a chestnut wood where there were picnic tables, quite unusual. Continued on through some other villages & decided to tighten my boots when I saw a park bench by the road-side. Just as I was moving off again a man popped his head out of a window opposite, said Hello, heard my accent and asked if I spoke French. It seems he had worked in Aigle and then wanted to buy me a drink in a bar but I pushed on. It was a very hot day and from then on I walked along bitumen roads, up hill and down dale and it was long, long, long. At one point there was a sign to excuse the roadwork ahead being done Gratis! I then came across a older bare-chested man with no hat, very tanned, working on a turn in the steep road with a grader(?) who was clearing a culvert all along the hill-side road, not an easy task, but a real professional. At the other end there was another sign similar to the first. A very civic initiative! Then as I walked parallel to the autostrada for a while I got to thinking that perhaps all we Italophiles could give a few days of free labour to the country we love visiting so much (but of course we would have a parallel programme encouraging people not to just throw rubbish everywhere!)…

Walked through Barbaresco then into Terarossa, and was no longer where either the guide book or map said I should be but I saw a sign and asked a woman whether the railway line wasn’t on the other side of a fence over the road. She said she’d accompany me to the hostel next to the church where I was to go. It turned out she wasn’t Italian at all but Romanian, working looking after old people, long hours for not much pay… After a couple of km we arrived in Aulla (not an interesting city as heavily bombed during WWII) at the gruesome museum (lots of skulls in costume) next to the church and was I happy when the man there offered me water. He took my passport and asked surprisingly why did I have an Australian passport if I was Indian? He had used the Indian visa in my passport as my passport data! He took me to the big hostel, no one else present & told me where a restaurant was. I was so pleased to be there as it has been a long hot day! The meal was forgettable except for excellent gnocchi in a tomato sauce. Went home exhausted and fell into bed.

Favourite experience of the day, the bike riders! No photo…

Favourite place of the day: Pieve di Sorano
Favourite flower of the day: beautiful zucchini flowers

Favourite stream crossed on stones!

16th May 2015.
In Pontremoli (241m altitude)

Short version:
Having a day off in Pontremoli to cope with yesterday’s experience!
Super dinner.

Longer version:
No stiff thighs which I thought I’d have! The hotel had a reasonable breakfast as in addition to the usual it had one sort of muesli which was great for me and a sort of whole wheat bread, as well as yoghurt and fruit! I had come late to breakfast and was the last person in the dining room when the owner came in and turned off the lights before seeing me so he apologised and turned them on again. I said I’d forgive him if he’d make me a cappuccino, of course assuming he knew how? No Italian is going to admit to not knowing how and in fact it was excellent. Perhaps I didn’t need to have it there as this city is a cafe-society…more of that later.
When I went out to the tourist office (opening from10h00-12h00 and 15h00 – 17h00) I asked the woman why it was only open restricted hours and I learned the sad story of there being no money for this as she was a volunteer. “Pensions have to be paid to older people, other costs eat up the public finances and of course problems with the quality of the politicians, not to mention the influence of the Masonic Lodge with its secret operation…” ( remember the famous P2 lodge & Lucio Gelli who was at one time in prison in Geneva?). So what changes?
There were markets in all the public squares, not only fruit & vegetables, but a whole piazza of plants, gardening equipment, clothes, etc but what really surprised me were the number of beautiful cafes and bars – they were wall-to-wall around the piazzas in the ‘centro storico’ and finally I just had to go into one & have a decaf coffee with a delicious little amaretto. So the latest verse from my versifying friend is very appropriate here (although she thought it not very good & not recommended for publication)

Caffeine cravings
Create
Command
Compel
Capricious capers in
Cosy comfy cafes

There was an abundance of beautiful fresh produce on sale including wonderful zucchini flowers which I hope I’ll be getting in Geneva when I go home. But also the number of small specialty stores of all sorts was amazing, food, wine, artisans, manchester (household linen of all sorts), etc. One shop selling nothing but mushrooms, mostly dried, cheese shops (although there were also many stalls at the market with Parma specialties), I went into one fresh pasta shop where one had to take a number to be served and there were at least 25 different types of pasta on sale… I also learnt the Italian gesture for signalling that something is so delicious – take your index finger and push it into your cheek and turn it around!

I went up a little side street and came across one of the Pontremoli culinary institutions (one of the recommendations from the Tourist Office) & opened the door to ask if I could eat there in the evening (only open on Saturday evenings and for lunch some week-days). I spoke to an old lady who was in the kitchen preparing food & she said OK.
I then visited the main cathedral where women were arranging white flowers so I asked if a wedding was to take place but no, on Sunday it would be the first communion for 19 children from the parrish. The church is very baroque in decoration, not particularly attractive, but with a very venerated 13th century wooden statue of Virgin with Child, the People’s Virgin.

I walked to some other churches including that of Saint Francis (13th century) which had a magnificent 15th century marble sculpture of the Madonna & child by Agostino di Duccio (as well as an amusing notice saying “Have you remembered to switch off your mobile as God does not need to speak to you and you are here to listen to him”!).

I walked quite a way to Saint Peter’s church to see a famous sandstone sculpture depicting a labyrinth, symbolising the pilgrim’s journey, beset with difficulties, but it was closed and I consoled myself with the thought that I’d be walking past it in the morning, Sunday, so perhaps it would be open.
I then had an easy afternoon & the weather was very changeable and windy.One of the strangest thing I have seen here is a marble sculpture of people holding up a Euro sign! Perhaps in sympathy or to encourage the Greeks?

So, in the evening I went to Da Busse and had an excellent meal. On the way I checked my friend’s apartment almost next door as she was worried that the door to the street was not kept locked – I could report that all is well. It seems that the Signora, who is 85 years old and the cook, is the unmarried child (one of five) of her parents who had this restaurant in the 1930s. She makes everything and it is GOOD! I decided to take the tortellini in brodo (as I hadn’t eaten that before) but then decided that this was the place where I should really taste the home-made testaroli. As it was too late to change the order, she said she’d make me a half-serving of it to try. However…the tortellini in brodo were to die for! I’ve never had such wafer thin pasta around the delicious meat stuffing which were served in a clear broth. Then the testaroli with pesto sauce, followed by a selection of two meats from the main course (all prepared by the Signora) with a side dish of artichokes the likes of which I’ve never eaten before. Fried then cooked in broth?

For dessert the one waitress (by this time two other tables were occupied in another couple of little rooms beyond mine & were also being served) suggested a home-made (bien sur!) almond cake but version “sexy”. Fine, I replied. It was delicious and was served with fine slices of fiordilatte ice cream with sliced strawberries, a hit! I met the Signora

and congratulated her on all but especially the tortellini and she explained that her sister comes one night a week and they make them from 19h00 until midnight. When she is no longer here, it will close…
I went home a happy little camper and slept well.

15th May 2015  Il Tugo to Pontremoli (over the Apennines via the Cisa Pass)
24.7 km
Bad, bad, bad weather

Short version:
After finally deciding to set off instead of waiting for Fausto to drive to Pontremoli, reaching the Pass in not-too-bad weather for an early cappuccino I set off on a 20km descent in terrible weather. Stopped for a “workman’s” lunch at a trattoria to get out of the rain & walked quickly to arrive in Pontremoli…where I’ll spend two nights.

Longer version:
Had to drag myself out of a warm bed at 7 & went down for a typical breakfast but with a choice of corn flakes or chocolate rice bubbles – not to my taste, so I ate the remains of last night’s bread. It was not promising weather and raining on & off. After much discussion the Irish walker set off as he only has 6 days to walk (& in good Irish style “it’s only rain”). One German decided to go down with Fausto (he came on a 6 hour drive from Karlsruhe in Germany for a 4 day walking weekend over Ascension) & the other decided to walk but I set off before them in damp and very windy weather (with very low clouds over the pass) but not really raining. It was 6C so it was off with the sun-hat, on with the water-proof vest, up with side air-vent zips in my trousers, and on with the waterproof cover on my rucksack…

After going up 2.5 km to the Cisa Pass at 1041m I went into the bar for a cappuch and discovered another option for an Italian breakfast as the young woman, who’d taken over the bar in January after the death of her aunt (“God bless her soul”), was serving a hot ham and cheese focaccia to her “regular” client with a glass of red wine at 9h00! It seems that this lonely pass was once a very dangerous area for pilgrims as robbers lay in wait for them so that the medieval statutes of Pontremoli decreed that trees along the road should be cut down to a distance of a crossbow on either side (so perhaps I do have something to be afraid of…)
Because of the overnight rain I decided not to take the 500m path down through the woods to cut off a loop in the road and walked down the road. Strangely enough, the official VF way-markings pointed to the state road which Napoleon built in 1808 while the guide book & map signalled an older small local very winding road down the mountain which Sigeric would have taken. By sticking to the road I probably did 1.5 km more but thought it worth it as it was now lightly raining. Down, down, and down with hairpin bends, very lowering clouds but once or twice I saw a break in the clouds further down the valley. There was very little traffic but I was feeling my thighs & thinking that I’d sooner walk down this road than up, as Sigeric must have. I finally arrived in Gravagna San Rocco where there is a little modern church dedicated to this patron saint of pilgrims but of course I couldn’t get in to see it as it was locked.

However above the door was a lovely low-relief in marble showing the time in San Rocco’s life when, as you may remember from last year, he was lying ill in the woods and a dog was bringing him food every day (& perhaps trying to cure him by licking him), until the dog’s master, intrigued to see where the dog was going each day, followed him and discovered the sick San Rocco & took him in.

I continued on and two cyclists stopped to speak to me. They were going on the Via from Ivrea to Rome “in bici” – said they’d be there in 6 or 7 days – and both had their GPSs to guide them. I said they were the anti-Giro (the main Italian road race in which my nephew is participating at present and whose team has had the pink jersey, leader, for the first few days) but they were thrilled to hear of my connection with the race and knew the name of Matthews (the current leader)! All this time there had been spectacular displays of flowering laburnums and other flowers so the scenery was not all doom & gloom.

Walked on further and it started raining more heavily then it calmed a little when an older couple in a utility vehicle kindly stopped to ask me if I’d like a lift but as I’d seen sun shining on little villages further down the valley I thanked them but declined the offer and they said something about a bridge being washed away but I said I’d be staying on the road (which I hoped was OK?) so they drove off. Then the thunder rumbled and reverberated around the valley & it started pouring…I was trying to follow where I was on the map in my transparent pouch but I needed to turn the map over to the next section but it was not possible as it was raining too much.

The general state of the road was pretty awful – I could see that there were no “case cantoniere” here & they were desperately needed – and in places it had fallen away up to 30% – another winter and perhaps a single car wouldn’t be able to drive through… So I continued on (valiantly if I do say so myself!) and eventualy after 13km I came to a little village where there was a bar and a trattoria.

Anything to get out of the rain, I chose the latter and I saw that there was a “worker’s lunch” on offer. As it was just midday I could go straight into the dining room with the workers who’d been having a drink and waiting until midday to go in. What a relief to take off my rucksack and outer clothes. There was a choice of 3 or 4 types of “primi piatti” (of various types of pasta) and I chose the testaroli as I’d never tasted them before – in fact this a specialty of the area. They look like pieces of a crepe, cut into 4-6cm squares with fork holes in them with a pesto sauce, and are made of flour and water, perhaps the original type of pasta.

Delicious! Then as it was Friday there was, among other possibilities, a fritto misto of fresh small fish and seafood (calamari, octopus, etc) fried whole in a light batter which was delicious, with a salad. There were 6 tables occupied in the restaurant, withgroups of men all talking to each other and I was the only female client. I had a bottle of water, wine and a coffee and the total bill was €12!

I’d put my waterproof jacket and gloves near the half-hearted heater to try to dry them out, although I was perfectly dry inside my (very-expensive-and-finally-worth-it) waterproof jacket. My shoes also were fantastic and my feet were dry and cosy – only the legs of my pants were wet – so you might well ask what did I have to complain about but my guide book in the trouser pocket suffered a little (more!) with the rain. Anyhow I had to venture out again after an hour and a half and it was raining still and I had another 8.5 km to go.

I struggled on and was constantly watching the metres go by, then the kilometres go by as my little feet were doing all they could to help… But, even when one has the highest hopes and dreams, one must remember to keep one’s feet firmly on the ground – I was looking ahead to a bend and thinking that when I got there I’d have done 18km and the next thing I know I’m flat out on the ground as I hadn’t seen that the road had subsided a little and I had fallen forward, but more on to my side as the brunt was taken by my right elbow and knee… So, I thought, how to get up from here with my back pack, but I managed, no worse for the wear than grazing a knee and elbow with fortunately no damage done to my jacket or trousers!

Continued onwards paying more attention to the road. At one point I saw a snail crossing the road and I knew exactly how it felt to carry all you have on your back… Of course, towards the bottom of the valley the skies cleared a little and I finally arrived in Pontremoli, very relieved to be there & decided to stay two nights (to get over the trauma! But also to see this very old town). Saw briefly that Pontremoli, which is nestled into the base of the hills of the Apennines, is at the top of a valley, at the junction of two rivers, which I would walk down but also very strategically placed on the main thoroughfare from Sarzana to Parma. This would explain a turbulent history of being conquered, bought, given away in marriage, etc. It once had many inns and hospices for travellers, and in fact my British friend (whom I will just miss seeing by 3 days as she is to arrive here on Tuesday) who had bought and renovated a second home “apartment” in the old town (after working between London and Milan for some years) said that inside her building it is a warren of courtyards going down to the river and must have been originally a caravanserai or hostel, etc.
I walked to the tourist information office, which I saw would open at 15h00, in order to find a hotel (as I wash staying two nights I preferred staying in a hotel rather than a hostel). As it didn’t open I finally just went to the hotel mentioned in my guide book & booked in. However I went back to the tourist office before closing time at 17h00 to get information on what to see in the town. Then I read the sign again & saw that in fact it only opened on Saturdays! Disheartened, I consoled myself with a nice gelato from a shop nearby producing them artisanally. I didn’t need to eat dinner that night. However my feet are not too bad at all…are they getting used to the Via? And I didn’t melt in the rain… I will stay here tomorrow for a rest, washing, and visiting Pontremoli.

I received a mail from pilgrim Charles warning me about walking down the alternate track which he had taken the day before in good weather (Google Maps must have taken him there!) as it was a real experience including the bridge being washed away! It arrived too late but there was no way I’d have taken it anyway.
Off to bed for a good night’s sleep.

14th May 2015  Cassio (813m altitude) to Il Tugo (near the Cisa Pass at 900+m)
16.5km

Beautiful weather all the way but becoming very windy

Shorter version:
Fantastic walk through these absolutely beautiful mountains, which have to be seen to be believed, and which seem to go on forever. Some quite steep climbs up and down with incredible winds. Arrived in Bercetto & visited Duomo church and then walked to the hostel further on up the mountain and glad to be there!

Longer version:
It was hard to get out of my cosy bed when the alarm sounded at 7h00, but I could already hear the other pilgrims up and about (a German man and an Italian mother and daughter). Andrea informed me that the match was a draw and that Juventus would be in the European Cup final! He also asked me not to tell the people in the next hostel that he provided flannelette sheets, etc…
I had some breakfast of fruit, bread and tea, and set off in perfect conditions with of course incredible views on all sides. The Apennines are absolutely beautiful mountains so I can really recommend that you visit this area, especially in spring when the wild flowers are fabulous. When I go home I will be studying the atlas of this area to see how these mountains are situated geographically as they seem to cover such an extensive area.

Most of today’s route was constantly uphill on the road with a few sections of mountain tracks some parts of which were quite difficult. At one point a snake about 60cm long was indolently sunning itself across the track and I hissed at it (but of course it couldn’t hear, could it?) and then I scraped around with my sticks so it slithered away into the grass – I was relieved! At another point the path was steep and difficult and I feared I’d have to go up the track backwards on my bottom but finally managed to get a non-slipping foothold on the path – where was my Belgian Army Reserve (since disbanded) captain now when needed? Some parts of the paths were water-logged but I managed to get through without having to remove my shoes!
I have avoided the most difficult alternate paths noted in my guide and marked on the map as the specified paths were difficult enough to cope with – some of the “alternate” paths have been marked by walking groups, often just to take one off the road or to make it more “interesting”, but Sigeric did not in fact walk these paths.

The last part of the path into Bercetto was what was left of a Roman road which was, however, well-maintained and still used in the town centre. After a delicious cappuccino (which was finally very hot!) in the piazza, the waiter agreed to let me recharge my sports watch (which had run down and which I needed to measure distances) while I visited the Duomo.

The church is the Cathedral of San Moderanno, the Bishop of Rennes in France and patron saint of the Duomo, who retired to a Benedictine monastery here in the 8th century on his return from a pilgrimage to Rome. It is a Romanesque building, originally built in the 11th and 12th centuries, but altered several times, and very simple inside. I followed a small group of people in, one of whom was a local & who knew how to illuminate the church and get into the museum of the cathedral’s treasures, so I tagged along listening to his explanations. The most beautiful object I thought was a perfect glass chalice of Murano glass probably dating to the 7th or 8th century which had been found in the ruins of a previous church.

There were also beautiful stone reliefs of the Stations of the Cross on the walls of the church which had a high wooden ceiling in the main nave but gothic vaulting in the side aisles.

I also went to the Bancomat, one of the privileges of the modern pilgrim (did Sigeric carry cash with him for the whole trip?). Bought a huge piece of a delicious Torta d’erbe which was a covered fine pastry tart with a mixture of potato, onions, zucchini, leek or spinach inside. I set off along the road towards the Pass to go to the hostel in another casa cantoniera where I am to stay the night (fortunately dinner and breakfast will be provided). Absolutely fabulous vistas but the wind was so strong that it nearly blew me away, even with the weight of my pack, and I had to make an effort to advance…and to keep my precious hat from blowing away. Also clouds were covering the top of the range which was a little worrying.

After another 6 km I arrived in a cold biting wind but no one was home so I sat out in the sun and ate my late lunch. Once Fausto (who is a state forest worker) & his wife Catarina arrived they let me in and started heating the living/dining area (you’ll remember no heating in Italy after 1st May, even at 850m…) with a fire in a artisan-style tin stove which worked really well, and also the hot water! It is 6C outside! There are 3 other male pilgrims here tonight.
Fausto told us that this building was a hunting lodge in the much-loved Duchess of Parma Maria-Louisa’s time and the carriages used to drive into the building.**(history below if interested and I first heard of her when I visited Parma last autumn)

The building was renovated in 2000 (Jubilee year for this “casa cantoniera” also?) and was closed from 2007-2009 and re-opened when Fausto & Catarina were prevailed upon to take it on. They live in Berceto with two young children, so they went home after dinner (they set the self-service breakfast up before leaving).

It is a very big house and the external walls are 60cm thick & I was pleased to see double-glazed windows but the terrible wind was coming in around the ill-fitting windows. Fausto said that this is the only road in Italy, because of its strategic importance, which is a national road i.e. maintained by the Italian State. It originally went from Pavia to Sarzana and was built by Napoleon (who else!) in 1808. It also used to house, in addition to the person responsible for looking after the roads & his family, many other road workers. He is a very interesting person & we chatted while he was doing his fire-making duties & was happy that I could help with translation with the other pilgrims. He confirmed the importance of the bar/trattoria in Cassio & said if it closed the village would die.
Later…We have now had an excellent meal in a warm atmosphere – an aperitivo of Parmesan cheese, salami and some pressed meat with bread & red wine, home-made ravioli with pesto, hot meat-loaf with sauce & a salad of delicious tomatoes & wonderful sweet little fresh white onions which one can just munch away on! I was the chief translator for the Irish and German walkers so it was for me to ask for more red wine to accompany this good meal but no problem at all… Everyone was happy to fall into bed.

If it is pouring, as predicted tomorrow “brutto tempo”, Fausto had said that he will drive those who desire it over the pass to Pontremoli in Tuscany…but the sun always shines in Tuscany, doesn’t it?

Highlights of the day and things I have seen, learnt,
-vistas, vistas and more beautiful vistas!
– yes, it’s going to be a good year for cherries again, now just many little green fruit on the trees
– surprise of the day was an extraordinary fig tree beside the road (I love figs!) which in mid-May at 850m already had at least a hundred, if not more, tiny fruit on the branches!

-the beautiful simple Duomo of Bercetto with its Stations of the Cross and the perfect Murano chalice. I lit a candle there thinking of all friends and family.
-the warm welcome of Catarina and Fausto in such cold conditions

** from Wikipedia:
Marie Louise (Maria Ludovica Leopoldina Franziska Therese Josepha Lucia; 12 December 1791 – 17 December 1847) was an Austrian archduchess who reigned as Duchess of Parma from 1814 until her death. She was Napoleon’s second wife and, as such, Empress of the French from 1810 to 1814.
As the eldest child of the Habsburg Emperor Francis II of Austria and his second wife, Maria Theresa of Naples and Sicily, Marie Louise grew up during a period of continuous conflict between Austria and revolutionary France. A series of military defeats at the hands of Napoleon Bonaparte had inflicted a heavy human toll on Austria and led Francis to dissolve the Holy Roman Empire.

The end of the War of the Fifth Coalition resulted in the marriage of Napoleon and Marie Louise in 1810, which ushered in a brief period of peace and friendship between Austria and the French Empire. Marie Louise dutifully agreed to the marriage despite being raised to despise France. She was an obedient wife and was adored by Napoleon, who had been eager to marry a member of one of Europe’s leading royal houses to cement his relatively young Empire. With Napoleon, she bore a son, styled the King of Rome at birth, later Duke of Reichstadt, who briefly succeeded him as Napoleon II.

Napoleon’s fortunes began to change dramatically in 1812 after his failed invasion of Russia. The European powers, including Austria, resumed hostilities towards France in the War of the Sixth Coalition, which ended with the abdication of Napoleon and his exile to Elba. The 1814 Treaty of Fontainebleau handed over the Duchies of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla to Empress Marie Louise. She ruled the duchies until her death.

13th May 2015. Sivizzano (248m) to Cassio (813m in the Apennines)
13km
Beautiful weather!!

The walk from Sivizzano to Berceto is supposed to be the most difficult and tiring in the Italian section of the Via so the guide book advises to allow more time to do it.

Short version:
Everything fine. Beautiful uphill (on road) walk to Badone then Terzano (no bars anywhere) then steep climb up through a bush track then up again to the tarmac road to Cassio (from 200m up to 800m) in gorgeous weather and the views everywhere are splendid. Finally landscape is a mixture of Switzerland and Tuscany (but without the cypresses). No cafe anywhere. Arrived at 11h00, the end of the day for me so am now on holiday today. All goes well with feet.

Longer version:
Put the alarm on for 6h00 and just got up when the church bells started to chime (which Charles managed to record so I’ll send you the first audio recording from the Via!). Was surprised to see that Charles was still sitting outside eating his breakfast as he could not get himself moving. So he suggested we walk together which I declined as he had so far to go but he insisted so I said I could be ready for 7am. We had breakfast outside (he had ridden Enrica’s bike to a store yesterday to get bread, bananas, pizza, chocolate, which he shared with me) & I used the last tea-bag I had and it was a gorgeous morning. He advised me on taping my good heels (or part thereof) as the expert, and we then set off uphill along the road to Bardone where the church bells in the beautiful little stone Romanesque church played Ave Maria as we arrived there (8h00).

No bar, but there were women in the piazza as a shop-truck selling fruit, vegetables and other products was there and when I asked if the church was open they said No and anyway we’d have to pay to see inside!

So further on to the next village, still no bar, but a lady let me use her outside toilet. Then the fun began in earnest on a steep mountain path. I was laughing as I remember reading in “Like a Tramp, Like a Pilgrim”, retired British Army Major Harry Bucknall’s account of his walk along the Via from London to Rome a couple of years ago, that he got lost in the Apennines and it must have been on one of these tracks.  When I told Charles this he said that he was a Captain in the Belgian Army Reserve (since disbanded) and he would not get me lost! He was also surprised at how fast I could navigate the tracks.

As we walked up we saw more and more views in the distance and finally we came out on a road at the top with simply beautiful vistas everywhere but no bar, closed on Wednesdays! Via walking is obviously not for faint-hearted coffee-addicts…
From then on we had to climb up via the road for another couple of hundred metres (to an altitude of over 800m) and we met a woman who had just driven up to see her mother whose home was in the most magnificent spot, south-facing and dominating the valley below.  While speaking to us she picked up the mother’s bread which had been left on the shrine outside for her (I almost thought it was an offering!).

Incredible vistas everywhere as we had such wonderful weather.

We had to continue a few more km uphill, past the infamous Kilometre 80 which is the steepest part of the road and causes many problems for vehicles, especially trucks, in winter. Today there is only local traffic as all other vehicles use the tunnel under the Pass.
We arrived in Cassio at 11h00 and finally got our cappuch at Michele’s bar/trattoria which is only closed for lunch once a week, but thankfully not on Wednesdays.
We sat out on the terrace with the most glorious vistas as we were really on top of the ridge and, before Charles left me and continued on towards the Pass, he gave me a couple more tips about my iPhone. You perhaps don’t realize that the real objective of my walk is to learn about the iPhone as each pilgrim I meet has taught me useful things. (**see below if interested, perhaps for you with new phone Margaret K?)
I then went to the hostel just further on from the cafe which is in a “casa cantoniera”, the house of the person who used to be responsible for maintaining a section of the road. There are many along this road and they are all exactly the same – solid dark red square buildings of 2 or 3 floors.

Andrea, a former barman, runs this hostel and it was like a doll’s house inside stuffed full of everything (including clothes on the walls up and down the staircases) and all the tables in two dining rooms were fully set up for guests, quite kitsch, but he put each guest in a different room with private bathroom (although there were four bunk beds and a single bed in my room) which was really thoughtful of him. He stamped my pilgrim passport & I paid him. He said he’s been there 4 years and when he goes to Parma, only 30km away, he goes mad! The sign on the door says that if he does not reply, he’s in the bar up the road!
I returned to the trattoria terrace for a salad lunch and the wifi!! I was finally the only person left except for the locals who came in and out of the bar. This was really the social hub of the village as several men were there (consuming very little) to watch the Giro cycling race in the afternoon and were there again in the evening to watch the European Championship semi-final soccer match between Real Madrid and Juventus.
I walked up the road to see a strange rock formation called “The Jumps of the Devil” (as if the devil is jumping from one rock to another)

I noticed a plaque on a building for 10 WWII victims, 2 fathers and their 4 sons, all in their early 20s, and 4 other students of the same age who were shot by a firing squad in 1944 – such an event must have had an enormous effect on such a small village… Coming back I came across the same shop-truck as I’d seen in Bardone earlier in the morning and bought some fruit. The woman explained that she went to many villages, even on Sunday mornings.

In the evening I went back to the trattoria for a drink sitting on the terrace with the views all around but, as it was getting cool, went inside for a light meal of a super mixed salad and mushroom risotto (very delicious) and then fell into bed with cosy flannelette sheets which were most appreciated as it was cool at an altitude of 813m..

Day’s highlights:
– the bells chiming at 6h00
– the incredible beauty of the Apennines and the vistas we had of them, with many ranges and valleys as far as the eye can see
– flowers everywhere, even honeysuckle growing in the woods
– the kindness of ordinary Italians whom I have met
– free afternoon in Cassio, almost like having a day off in a little part of Heaven (& with my feet holding up well)

Words which were said to Charles when he turned up at an ostello unannounced which really show the spirit of pilgrimage :
“A pilgrim is a message from God so thanks for coming!”

** I now know (which you all probably already are aware of so skip to end of paragraph if iPhone expert) about the Health application which turned up with a recent OS update, how to use the compass in case I get lost in the woods, how to take a photo without having to log on to the IPhone, how to do a screen shot which will then be shown under Photos, how to turn off options which consume charge and also cause longer charging time, how to make sound waves which are saved in voice memos, etc.

12th May 2015 – Medesano to Sivizzano (248m)

16.9km
Fine warm weather again

Short version:
Much better day with good walk to Sivizzano, through woods along a river, into the town of Fornovo on market day! Finally, after walking along roads without footpaths, arrived in the haven of the hostel in Sivizzano with the wonderful Enrica & who was there waiting for me but Charles who had had a problem with his leg. Delicious simple meal in the only trattoria in the village. An early night. All is well.

Longer version:

I think I heard Charles get up but he had inspired me so I put the alarm on for 7 but awoke at 6 anyway (just as the bells were about to strike again) & got up & on opening the shutters I saw the sunrise!

When I went into the bathroom I found a lovely note from Charles written on toilet paper. As I had to decide which foot protection option I would use it took me a little time to get away.

Went to the local bar which was open & had a breakfast with real bread and proper cheese, as opposed to the plastic sort, and even an orange which the girl didn’t charge me for! I set out for a walk of 17km but stopped after 4 at the first town (opposite a tomato canning factory), Felegara, at a bar with gorgeous climbing roses outside for a cappuch & the woman (after hearing my accent!) told me she’d been in England 25 years ago & had forgotten her English but she now has a BBC TV channel and can understand the news! Every time there is any conversation everyone in the bar joins in – what an important social role bars play. Walking on further I came across a very prosperous-looking Parmesan cheese factory.
Then I went into the woods along a river and was surprised by all the flowers I saw there – yellow Broom everywhere, many others. At one point I turned a corner and there before me was a stage set as the ground and all the vegetation was covered by white “fluff”, like white smoke, which was perhaps from the acacia trees and which rose well above the ground.

Quite magical to see! Further on downstream I walked along the side of a gravel business which went on for at least 500 metres if not more! At the end were the modern offices but also some accommodation for, perhaps, foreign workers.
By this time I was arriving in Fornovo di Taro and had to walk over a 500m-long bridge over the river as the town is situated at the junction of three valleys. There was a Via Francigena sign at the start with two arrows, one to Canterbury and one to Rome.

And it was market day, in every available piazza, and Fornovo’s name in fact derives from ‘Forum Novum’ (market place). Fantastic! There were even lots of live birds for sale – chicken, ducks, other birds. I bought some grilled vegetables, fruit, a carrot and a tomato! Walked to the centre of town and sat down in a cafe for a tea and had the best tea since I’ve been in Italy, beautifully served in a ceramic cup and pot on a big ceramic saucer. And it was Darjeeling (Margaret’s Hope, only second flush but what can you expect for 2 Euros) from Le Palais des Thes in Paris which I know. I asked a man whether the road here was the main road out of town but, guess what, he “wasn’t from here”! However he asked was I only “walking” or was I also interested in seeing the “monuments”? I said it was the trip and not the destination which was important so he told me a few things to look out for.

I walked on to Respiccio, still on a tarmac road without footpaths, and then saw a cemetery off the road, these are often very ugly affairs, but with a stone seat outside! So I sat there and took off my shoes to cool my feet & air my socks, in the shade and breeze and listened to a cuckoo singing to its heart’s content. I checked on the taping on my 1 & 1/2 good heels, but I think my taping technique needs some refinement…so will revert for the moment to my Compeed stick. I think I’m going to have to look for lighter socks when I get to the next sizeable town as I have heat rash on my legs (although have now opened the vertical zips of the air-vents which I discovered in the legs of my trousers and they make a difference)! However, I have decided to stop obsessing on my feet and just let them be and go with the flow – I certainly have enough “options” in my travelling chemist shop to affront what happens!
Finally arrived in Sivizzano which is a long straggling village beside the road (for 2 km) and then found the hostel. I was not looking forward to it as it was described as a hall with two beds and lots of mattresses and a shower…but in fact it was in what was left of a Benedictine cloister attached to the church and the “hall” was a beautiful long stone-vaulted room and the guardian was the wonderful Enrica.

As she opened the gate for me she said I’d have to reserve in the trattoria for dinner and that there was another pilgrim, which turned out to be Charles whose leg problem had become worse, so I gave him more antibiotic cream from my pharmacy. I was pleased to see him again and he said he had already reserved for us for dinner!

Enrica gave us advice about the road ahead, and possible accommodation, and stamped our pilgrim passports. She was so busy talking to us that when her 93 year old mother came down from their upstairs apartment she realized it was already past 16h00 and she hadn’t open up the church for people coming to say the rosary!

Charles & I went to the trattoria (when reserving he had asked if we could eat outside, he thought under the tree opposite the little restaurant but there were now men playing cards there) but the owner had set up one table in the summer area (which had not yet been prepared for summer) under beautiful big trees with views to the hills beyond. We had a very simple but delicious meal (no choice) of fresh pasta with mushrooms followed by lemon scalopinni and fried potatoes. The bells were supposed to ring at 20h00 but didn’t (Enrica said a technician had just been for an annual “greasing” but they were quite irregular in ringing). But they did at 6h00 the next morning!
Charles says his favourite expression in English is
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, today is a gift and that’s why it’s called “present” which I’d never heard before.
We turned the lights out early as he was getting up at 5am to set off again for a long walk, hopefully with a better leg…
Just thought that a couple of friends have said that they could never go on such a pilgrimage without books (even in electronic format) but I have so far had no time at all to read except the guide book. I also brought along several cryptic crosswords cut out of my FTs which I hadn’t had time to do & haven’t even looked at them.
As well, there’s a change of attitude as anyone I encounter now who asks if I’m alone just says “what courage” and not any reference about being careful…

Highlights:
– first sunrise on the Via
– seeing my pilgrim friend Charles again
– Enrica’s warm hospitality
– a wonderful cup of tea
– beautiful flowers everywhere

Wise words on the pilgrimage… as well as those which I liked of Charles’s grandmother who used to say
“L’experience est un manteau qui ne s’use que sur ses propres epaules” which roughly translated means “experience is a coat which can only get worn out by your wearing it” (better translation would be appreciated please by you bi-lingual readers).