Aulla to Sarzanno

Actually, I was wrong about nothing being able to keep me awake last night. After I lay down to sleep, my feet felt like a couple of molten blocks attached to the end of my legs, pulsating with pain, and refusing to allow me to sleep. When I exposed them to the air and suspended them by putting a pillow under my knees, they were much happier and the next time I looked at my watch it was 0630.

The rest of the day was less eventful. I walked and walked some more. I met an old woman on the road who talked to me at length about the walk I am doing. Somehow, I think I understood most of what she was telling me. I met Sylvia again and she helped me to find the bed and breakfast here in Sarzana, where I have decided to stay. For reasons unknown to me, my hands and feet have become very swollen and sore. Probably a combination of factors, but it seems prudent to just stick around here this afternoon and try a longer walk tomorrow. And for now, I will enjoy the beautiful garden here at the Limoni B&B.

Pontremoli to Aulla

It has been a gruelling day to say the least. I left the Convento at 0630 and went straight for a coffee at the petrol station. Then, as I was feeling the effects of the caffeine, I stopped at a bakery and bought an apple strudel to water it down a little. Shortly after that, a man stopped in his car and wanted to know more about the VF. He asked if I was travelling in a group and I told him I was, as I didn't trust him. I thought that any local person would probably know all about the VF, and I referred him to the bookstore in town for information.

I didn't give him too much thought, but when I saw him driving through the next village I became concerned. Why didn't he have somewhere else to go, like work, at that time of day? I decided to hang around a while to see if any of the others would show up, just in case he was a pelligrina stalker. The next challenge was getting across,a bridge where it was either wade ankle deep through the rapids or tight walk across a log with about a 7" diameter. I tried the log but quickly discovered that maintaining balance with a backpack is not easy. Meanwhile I was being observed by a group of loggers, who were cutting trees in the area. One of them yelled at me from the other side, urging me to go the log route and then came over to the other side of it and held out his hand. He told me to out one foot in front of the other, which I did. Soon I was over and gratefully, on my way.

The rest of the day was just as strange. Steep mountain trails with loose shale, ankle deep mud, numerous water crossings, skin shredding brambles and an attack by a troupe of ticks. Yes, ticks! By the time I dragged myself into the convento at Aulla 12 hours after I started, I had no less than 7 ticks lodged into my legs and I looked as though I had been in a fight - covered in scratches, dried blood and heat rash. But back to the ticks. The worst of them is that you cant feel the little buggers, even as they are burrowing in. I guess they spit out some sort of anesthetic so you can remain blissfully ignorant of the fact that there is a small bug busy making its way into your body. God knows if there any in my scalp...

By 1300 I had only walked 16 km and I was stymied as to how it could have been. I had stopped yes, but still. Not to mention the fact that I still had another 16 km to go. I was feelong slightly dejected when I caught up to an Austrian woman named Sylvia who I had seen the day before. We walked the rest of the way, and I was grateful for her company. It helped the time pass much more nicely!

Needless to say, I was absolutely knackered when I set myself down on the bed and a shower and change of clothes never felt better. I managed to divest myself of my little visitors by covering them with vaseline. The ideas is that that cant breathe anymore and have to back out.

At dinner, I availed myself of the local take out pizza joint and a beer from the little store down the street from the convento. I never eat pizza and hardly ever drink beer anymore, but they were almost the only choices I had. I figure there isnt much that will keep me awake tonight.

Tomorrow promises similar challenging terrain, so my intent is to walk just 16 km to Sarzana. I don't want to push my luck by trying to do another long day...

Pontremoli

Ciao! This blog entry today comes courtesy of a kindly health food store operator who has unlocked his Wifi so that I could do my thing! Grazie mille Luca from Ira Di Bio!!

It turns out I wasn't on my own at the conventi last night. A cyclist and two backpackers showed up about 7:00 pm, which was nice as I wasn't that keen on being in the building all by myself. It is a great thing that these religious buildings are being put to some use; clearly, the call to the church is not being heard by young people today and there is little need for monasteries or convents. They are a perfect refuge, however, for pilgrims such as myself. I suppose I am not a pilgrim in the sense of a religious quest, but it is a pilgrimage of sorts. A chance to step back from life and reflect on how one is living life and to consider what is truly important. For me yesterday, it was rest.

I was very grateful for my little room at the conventi, happily in my bed by 9:00 pm out like a light until 05:30 this morning. When I awoke, I felt fully rested and by 0600 I was fed, watered and out the door with a little spring in my step. This is a good thing because I had another major climb ahead of me. It is amazing how quickly things can change as you walk; you just don't know what is around the next corner. When I left Berceto it was it was a pleasant June morning with sun and light airs, but by the time I got to the top of the Cisa Pass just over an hour later, it was blowing about 30 knots, the fog had begun to close in around me and I was freezing and wet in my T-shirt!

Then, just as quickly, I found myself back in the woods, no sound of wind and the sun filtering through the trees. It's kind of a nice metaphor for life, I think. This too, will pass.

After the Cisa Pass, I followed an alternate secondary road for the most part today that was easier under foot, but just as long as the footpath. The views were fabulous once again, and I enjoyed the solitude of being on my own. I was glad that I had stocked with food yesterday, as it was probably 1230 before I came across an open bar, and then when I went in and ordered a cappuccino, I was glad that wasn't hungry. The proprietress was busy plucking highly unappetizing looking wieners out of a plastic bag. Clearly the food there would not be the best.

By 2:30pm and 29km later, I was in Pontrremoli. It is a fairly big town, with lots of very old buildings, but perhaps lacking some charm or at least a friendly feeling. I looked in vain for any of the three conventis advertised in my guide until I happened on a priest, who gave me directions to the Conventi of Padre Pio where I am now. The lovely little Padri who signed me in, gave me a nice tot of some kind of herbal liqueur when I arrived and then a tour of all the display cases containing the Padre Pio regalia they have here, including several pairs of his wooly socks, his robes, various handkerchiefs and yes, something stained with his blood. Excellent. Padre Pio wasn't your average priest though; if memory serves me correctly, he healed quite a folks during his life, including some with leprosy. I don't think the Padre achieved saint status (miracle required), but he wasn't too far off. I am hoping he can work a little of his magic on my feet tonight; today's walk generated a couple of blisters, probably due to the fact that my feet got wet this morning.

Tomorrow is a 32 km day and at the moment the weather isn't looking too promising. Still, no matter what it does, it will be a great day. This is after all, Bella Italia.

Berceto again...

It is Day 2 in Berceto for me. For a variety of reasons including stomach upset and the remote possibility of too campari, I did not sleep at all last night. This morning I felt awful, so I asked Roberto to go on without me, wrote a note for the man who looks afet the Conventi and went back to bed, hoping to be able to say another night there. By 1100 I was ready to face the world again and I ventured down to check on my guest status. The signor had not received my note and payment, but he was glad to accommodate me. Unless they were anticiapting a couple of busloads of nuns for the night, anything else would have been a surprise, considering the space availalbe.

Yesterday's Fettuccini con Funghi platter for Two

It took pretty much all my energy to get into the town and I was truely grateful for my sense in deciding to stay behind. Another steep climb over an even longer distance in full sun would have resulted in disaster, I am sure. My main priority in the mission was a coffe and somewhere to catch up on my emails. Having exploited many of the other possibilities yesterday without success, I venutured into new territory looking for a Wifi signal. Soon I was lurking outside a pretty trattoria checking for an unlocked signal and voila, success! I planted myself down at a table, asked for a cappuccino and was soon catching up on the news at home.

Miniature Pansies

Soon the battery on my iPad was low, not to mention my own charge. I was ready to trudge back to the conventi, but not without a look around the local castle ruins first. The view of Berceto and tomorrow's mountain pass was fabulous, if not a little daunting. A good reminder tht it was truly time to home for a rest.

And now, all battereies adequately recharged,I have some grocery shopping and am back at the same little trattoria for a Campari-Soda and blog post before heading back to the kitchen at the conventi to make myself a salad. It will be strange to be the only person in the building tonight, but at least I will have no excuses for not having a good sleep!

Ciao ciao ciao...

Berceto

Greetings from the lovely Berceto where I am sitting ouside someone's office picking up their unlocked Wifi! It seems to be the only option for Internet here, so why not?

It has been a fantastic day, with all kinds of weather and a gruelling walk with very steep inclines, spectacular nonetheless! Bella Italia is right.

On more than one occasion I had the feeling I was in the middle of a medeival fairy tail of some kind, with ancient castles and villages appearing through mist and then brilliant sun. Escorts of butterflies and fields of wild flowers, forest trails in silent woods, deer bounding by and seemingly empty villages with fabulous old homes. It was jaw dropping stuff. I had to pinch myself a few times to make sure it was real (no one else is stepping up to do that, by the way).

And now, beautiful Berceto at the conventi, where Donald from Belgium, Roberto and I are the only people in a giant building that was built to house hundreds!

The walk was only 24 km or thereabouts, but I am feeling it my legs as it perpetually up or down the whole way. tomorrow is much the same, and hopefully it will be just as beautiful!

Sivazzana

Its probably not a good thing when the place you spend your first night is so restful, because then you compare it to every night after that and it is hard for anything else to meet the standard. At Medesano we went directly to the church and rang the padri's bell at the Hostel Don Bosco. He didn't answer, but with repeated ringings, he eventually stuck his head out from the window above and reported that the Hostel was not ready. Roberto was insistent, however,and he reluctantly referred us to the youth centre down the street where we rung another bell, that was eventually answered by a man who was clearly having his siesta. The only room in the hostel with 3 single beds was not ready, but we didn't care particularly; it was a room and as far as we knew, it was probably the only place in Medesana to stay.

I rested much of the afternoon and then wrestled with my blog, trying figure out why I couldn't download my photos to it. Eventually I got it working, but in the meantime, I had started to wonder if it was worth the effort. Dinner was excellent at the Restaurante Silvia, where I inhaled Insalata Caprese and Rucola (Arugula) with tomatoes, strips of beef, parmesano and olives. Different and very tasty.

At 1000 I dropped into my bed, but there was no sleep to be had. The room was stifling despite two open windows, and so I lay there bathed in sweat and sleepless listening to a group of rowdy Italian men who seemed to be directly below us celebrating something, maybe the Popes's visit to Milan this weekend or the fact that a Canadian won the Giro d'Italia last week. It was 0530 this morning when the last of the revelers outside took to their cars and finally left us in peace. Man, I thought the Spanish were party animals; these Italians have them beat hands down.... Roberto had set 0545 as wake up time so there was no point in trying to sleep then; it would have cruel to be wakened 10 minutes later.

Needless to say, when Roberto jostled my foot as a wake-up call a few minutes before 0600, I felt a little cranky. The prospect of dragging myself out of be was singularly unappealing and had I been on my own I would have just stayed there and faced the heat of the day a little more squarely with some sleep behind me. But I had to consider Roberto's needs and so I reluctantly roused myself and began stuffing things into my pack.

Even with the guidance of a GPS, we managed to get lost three times this morning, the last being At Fornovo di Toro where we had the good fortune of stumbling across a Trattoria selling the most delicious spinach tortas. We sat outside where I was able to tend my feet with the Arnica gel I was given yesterday, followed by a winning combination of diaper cream and Vaseline to to prevent chaffing and blisters. Roberto talked away to a group of men who were also sitting outside. From what I can discern so far, groups of men sitting around in bars seems to be a common social practise here in Itlay, as we have encountered such groups everywhere we go. But where are all the women? I dare not ask. Without fail, the men seem to know that I am not Italian and ask Roberto how it is that he has come to be with me. They are surprisingly curious...

Leaving Fornovo, there was a very big hill and I was extra grateful for the opportunity we had taken by way of getting lost, to rest a while. By the time we arrived in the little village of Sivizzano at 1130am, it was hot and I hoped that there would be beds for us at the hostel. I rested and minded our gear outside the bar while Roberto investigated the location and found the lady in charge. It was with relief and delight that we walked into the little hostel Santa Margheritta attached to the church of the same name, with its corbeled ceiling, stone floor and 4 single beds. So far, the only noise here is a rooster crowing next door and this I can handle, no problem. Still, anything could happen later on. There are two more beds here that could potentially be filled with Roncadores (snorers). A Sunday night fiesta could errupt in the village. As a precaution, I will have my earplugs at the ready.

By the time we were out the door, I felt surprisingly energised and my good mood had returned. The day was sunny and warm and I had coffee to look forward to at the first open bar; really, what was there to complain about. Roberto walks a very fast pace and as such it seemed that in no time at all, we were sipping excellent cappuccinos at a bar 5 km down the road. Italian coffee makes me very happy; I can see myself sipping Cappuccinos here for the rest of my days.

After the mandatory ablutions and washing of clothes, we returned to the bar for a drink and bite to eat. Roberto has differing needs around food than I do; he is very thin and seems content to exist on a banana and a can of peaches for an entire day, whereas I seem to be constantly starving. He thinks I am just eating for fun and makes fun of me wanting to eat so often, but in spite of the fact that I am anxious to to sample real Italian cuisine, I actually really need the food. I hope that my appetite will decrease a little after I get over the fatigue from jet lag and sleep deprivation, but for now, I need lots of snacks and protein.

At the bar I ordered a Campari - soda and lasagna. Here in Italy the Campari and soda come pre-mixed in a beautiful little bottle, sort of like the bacardi drinks you can buy at home, but I daresay not nearly as tasty and without all that sugar. The lasagne was like no other I have had, in a white bechemal sauce instead of tomato and it was very good! Tonight, the signora who looks after the hostel is making spaghetti for us. Needless to say, I am going to get my fill of pasta, which I guess is what one does here in Italy. Fortunately for me, I will be walking it off as well. Tomorrow, we will walk to Berceto, about 23 km from here, and uphill all the way!

The Conventi at Sivizzana

Medesano

After a long flight from Vancouver and a brief wait in Amsterdam I arrived bedraggled, elephant ankled and tired in Milan on Friday afternoon. Lucky for me, my friend Roberto was there to meet me, and thanks to his guidance, we were soon installed on a packed and absurdly hot train heading for Fidenza! Fortunately, the windows in the car opened, and the pool of perspiration that had developed under me as we waited for the train to start moving, was partly reabsorbed.

At Fidenza we collected credenziales, the passports required to stay in the Hostels for Pellegrini (pilgrims) form the tourist office and then made our way for the Convento di Frati Cappuccini. I was disappojnted to see that there was no coffee bar, but the wonderful single rooms looking over the garden more than made up for it! What a wonderful place to spend my first night, in perfect peace!

At the hostel in Fidenza we met an intrepid couple from Brussels who are walking to Rome and then! all the way to Jeruselum! They shared their coffee and biscuits with us and described some of what they have experienced so far, which included walking in snow in the St Bernard Pass, and broken ribs from a fall.

Below is the view from my window at the Hostel

This morning we were up and on the road by 0630 in order to avoid the heat of the day. It was 25 or 26 degrees, which is pleasant enough for walking, but just warm enough to get burnt if one isn't careful. The first waymark appeared just out of the driveway from the hostel and somehwat surprisingly, they were consistent throughout the day. I had read that the VF is poorly makred and envisioned getting lost right off the mark. We stopped for a delicious cappuccino (actually two because they were so incredibly good) about 1000 and meandered into Medsano by 1300.

I am amazed at how friendly and kind people have been since I arrived yesterday. In Fidenza I was given a Via Francigena sticker by a man at the cathedral and today, a tube of Arnica gel by someone when we walked through their property. Everyone stops to talk, not to me especially, but Roberto chats away as though with them as though they were old friends. Not many people walk on the Via Francigena, so the locals are inevitably curious and impressed that folks actually walk all the way to Roma.

I am paying careful attention to what Roberto tells me and doing my best to learn some basic Itliano, because I will soon be on my own. Sometime in the next few days, Roberto must return home to look after things there. And becuase there aren't many other pilgrims about, I will have to rely on myself enitrely. Not many people seem to speak english...

As you can see from the photos, Italia is truly Bella! I thought Spain was lovely, but I have to say that so far Italy is just as pretty if not more so. If the weather cooperates tomorrow, the views should be spectacular from the big climb ahead.

It is another 20km walk to Sivizzano, a good but steep distance for getting used to walking with a backpack again. With water, I am packing about 12kg, which is about 2kg more than is good for me. But what to get rid of? I will have to think carefully about it....

Ciao for now...