Rest Day: Viterbo — May 27, 2022

15 km — 33^oC and hazy/sunny 

(By Jim)

When we arrived at Il Castelletto yesterday we were exhausted and, therefore, happy about the prospect of just hanging out in the shade during our rest day.  Laurel, especially, had been beaten down by the kilometers and heat.  Imagine my surprise, when after an early breakfast in the garden this morning, she suggested we walk to an ancient thermal bath and then tour Viterbo’s old city.  

Bullicane Thermal Bath is located about 4 km west of Viterbo — free and open to the public.  It’s been around since well before the 1300s and is believed to be Dante’s inspiration for the Inferno in the Divine Comedy.  It’s true the sulphurous fumes would not be out of place in hell, but today, neither would the location — lunar terrain adjacent to a military base with security fencing.  The walk was not pretty either.  What started out as a sidewalk along a busy street ended up as a thin bramble-lined shoulder of an on-ramp to the Rome highway.  I guess we should have paid the 10 euros and gone to the fancy spa.  In spite of all this, the water was warm and how many of us can say that we’ve waded through the sludgy inspiration for hell!?

Viterbo’s old city is a different story.  In the 12th and 13th centuries, the walled city was the official residence of the Popes.  Towers, portico, churches and bridges are scattered through the city built on a prominent hill connected by cobblestone streets.  Overlooking it all is the imposing, yet starkly simple, Duomo di Viterbo.   This was Laurel’s favourite church so far.  In its day, Viterbo was the benchmark for beauty and luxury.  Today, it is still beautiful, but would best be described as a “fixer-upper” with “good bones.”  We enjoyed exploring the streets and when we arrived back home had clocked 15 km on our rest day.  If you start your day in hell, there is no rest for the wicked.

Salad and wine in the garden was a nice end to the day.

As we prepared for bed the heavens lit up and exploded with thunder telling us “enough with the hell references!”