Testamonia at Saint Peter’s Basilica: Rome—July 23

 

It was 37oC at St. Peter’s Square when we lined up in the full sun.  Thankfully it only took 15 minutes to get into the shade of the colonnade and to clear security.

The Pope was busy (on a flight to Canada) so the process of getting our testimonia was a bit anticlimactic.  The coat check attendant at St. Peter’s Basilica was responsible for stamping our credentials and verifying our pilgrimage, but was not interested in looking through our passports.

Rather, the attendant presented us with blank documents and allowed us to fill them out under his watchful eyes.  He indicated that we were only the third and fourth walking pilgrims to receive their testimonia that day.  My Latin is a little rusty, but the illustrations of Saint Peter and Saint Paul look unimpressed. Saint Peter: “Sure, but back in the day we did it in sandals!”  Saint Paul: “ Yes, and we didn’t need Pocket Earth to find Rome!!”  

Afterwards we took one last walk through the largest church in the world.

Side Jog: Perugia — July 21 - 22, 2022

Having successfully finished our Via Francigena walking route, we stayed a restful two days in Lucca and then, with our batteries recharged, we proceeded by train in the direction of Rome.  We got off in Siena to pick up again on our search for more of the contrade; after three days happily museum-touring and meandering the hilly cobblestone streets, we jumped on a train again.  This time, we took a side jog to Perugia, the hilltop capital of Umbria.  A block away from our accommodation, we entered a passageway through the huge medieval fortress wall that rings part of the historic city centre — stone steps led us to a well lit underground labyrinth of hallways, vaulted rooms, and nooks and crannies that we explored.  Upon riding an escalator up from there, we exited into the sunshine at a viewpoint with wide vistas out across the scenic hills and countryside of Umbria.  Assisi would be visible on a less hazy day.  Our evening consisted of a stroll along the pedestrian old city piazzas and connecting streets and supper on an outdoor patio.  Tomorrow — Rome!

Left photo:  walking on the outside of the fortress wall

Right photo:  the stone steps inside the wall (looking back down at the entrance)

Three photos above:  exploring inside the fortress wall

Left photo:  exiting at the top of the fortress wall

Right photo:  Umbrian vista from the top of the wall

Two photos above:  and more scenes from up there

Two photos above:  historic city of Perugia

Three photos above:  street scenes in Perugia

Top photo:  sunset as seen from Perugia’s hilltop position

Bottom photo:  early morning view the next day

Stage 46: Valpromaro to Lucca — July 16, 2022

21 kms — 34o C and sunny — We met no new pilgrims today, on their way to Rome. 

(By Jim)

The volunteers at Ostello Valpromaro got up early to make us breakfast and wished us well as we headed down the trail at 6:30.  The two young American pilgrims were soon lost in the distance ahead and Laurel and I settled in for our final day of walking the VF.

The trail was typical Tuscany:  hills, vistas, trees and farms.  After our final descent, the path followed canals and then a river all the way into Lucca.  We were pensive and when we did talk we mostly asked each other reflective questions like:  What was our favourite …stage? …city? …hostel? …meal? …passport stamp? …etc. …or how did the VF compare to the Camino in Spain?

For a while we both commented that we wanted this stage to last as long as possible.  Then the sun brought us to our senses as we sweated and gritted our teeth for the last 4 km.  When the fortified walls of Lucca came into view we perked up and strode through Porta San Donato like conquering heroes!  Okay, that’s what it felt like!  We actually collapsed on a marble park bench beside a water tap, just inside the walls, and gave each other a high five.  We made it to “here” and “here” was finally the end!

Our VF was unconventional for sure:  we began backwards, reversed, and finished in the middle at Lucca.  It was also challenging, beautiful, and amazing and, today, as we walked into Lucca for the second time, it has come to its conclusion. 

Our VF By the Numbers:

Total walking days: 46

Total distance between Great Saint Bernard Pass and Rome:  1,021 km

Total ascent:  22,657 m (22.7km)

Total descent:  25,152 m (25.2 km)

Number of pilgrims met:  429

Average daily temperature:  33o C

Blisters:  5 (Jim—2; Laurel—3)

Pairs of shoes:  3 (Jim—1; Laurel—2)

Walking poles:  5 (Jim—1; Laurel—4)

Number of photos taken:  4,959

Memories:  ♾️

Camila and Maria, the Ostello volunteers seeing us off in the morning.

Tuscan hills.

Tuscan views.

Lucca never looked so good.  We found a shady bench to rehydrate and celebrate our journey’s end.

Rehydrated and composed, we posed for a selfie.

Stage 45: Pietrasanta to Valpromaro — July 15, 2022

21 kms — 32o C and humid/sunny — We met 2 new pilgrims today, on their way to Rome. 

(By Laurel)

Our second-last stage ….

Despite my lack of energy today, and a couple of medium hills to talk myself into surmounting, as well as a final few kms along a busy highway into Valpromaro, Jim and I had a good walk.  The VF route in this section turns away from the sea and steers the pilgrim inland, through green hills traversed mostly on shaded trails.  Our stage-end for today is Valpromaro, a small village of about 130 people and picturesquely composed of only one street with snuggly-placed stone houses lining both sides.

Our last night staying at a hostel ….

As Valpromaro is such a small place, I was somewhat apprehensive about spending the night here.  For example, I wondered if we’d have difficulty finding something to eat at supper time.  Well, I certainly needn’t have worried!  The hostel is run by volunteers and they took wonderful care of us!  Camilla and her co-hospitaleros welcomed us into their homey ostello and cooked a homemade supper, which we ate as a group on the back patio of the hostel.  Along with ourselves, there were two other pilgrims staying there — Evan and Ezra, young university students from Portland, Oregon.  Stefano is a local gardener who had donated zucchini and potatoes to the hostel, and which were on our menu; he also joined our supper group.  So we all enjoyed a great communal meal and lovely conversation together!  One for the memory album!  Jim and I had a restful sleep with a cool breeze, the peal of hourly church bells, and the sound of croaking frogs wafting into our bedroom.  We both agree that Valpromaro is the very best VF hostel!

It was just the perfect place for our last night on the Via Francigena! 

Top left photo:  leaving Pietrasanta (big picture frame)

Top photo:  a last view of the sea

Bottom photo:  entering a path through a thicket of bamboo

Three photos above:  welcome signs at the Valpromaro Hostel

Top photo:  hostel entrance (Valpromaro)

Bottom photo:  laundry area at the back of the hostel

Photo below:  just finished eating our yummy communal supper

Stage 44: Massa to Pietrasanta— July 14, 2022

19 kms — 33o C and humid/sunny — We saw 5 new pilgrims today, on their way to Rome. 

(By Jim)

Today was a day made for my sister Betty.  A day filled with beautiful views but no goat paths or sheer cliffs and most of all a day filled with art!

We left the hostel at the same time as “Old Diego,” a pilgrim we have crossed paths with for the past week.  His name is actually Vincenzo, but that’s another story.  Old Diego walks and talks fast and soon we were alone on the urban trail heading up.  After an hour we transitioned to a small asphalt road that wended its way through the trees to the top of our biggest climb for the day affording us spectacular views of the Mediterranean Sea and urban sprawl that embraces it.

It was on this slope that I started to notice art installations along the way.  Pictures, sculptures and mosaics appeared with a much higher frequency than any other stage along the VF.  The closer we approached to Pietrasanta, the greater the frequency.  By the time we arrived at Ostello San Francesco, we were in the midst of an open air museum of art.  Streets, parks and piazzas all had impressive sculptures in marble, bronze or plaster.  They drew our attention away from the architectural art we have consistently admired in the medieval churches.  One church, however, did catch our eye.  Although the Church of Misericordia was built in the 13th century, it was its very unusual 21st century frescos depicting heaven and hell that drew our attention.

The hostel was in an old Franciscan Monastery and run by volunteers.  After a relaxing day of wandering through the exhibits, we dined alfresco at a small cafeteria and returned to our cloistered accommodation.  We missed you today Sis!

An early start with “Old Diego” and some urban hills.

The VF gave us good views of the Mediterranean Sea.

Art along the VF on the trail to Pietrasanta.

The Church of San Francesco and cloistered Ostello.

Sculptures were everywhere in Pietrasanta.

Top: Gates of Heaven and Gates of Hell, by Colombian artist Fernando  Botero (1993).  Located in the Church of Misericordia.  Note that Mother Theresa made it to Heaven, but Hitler didn’t.

Bottom: Pietrasanta Duomo

Pietrasanta art.

Pietrasanta art.

Pietrasanta art.

Pietrasanta art.

Stage 43: Avenza to Massa — July 13, 2022

12 kms — 31o C and humid/sunny — We saw no new pilgrims today, on their way to Rome. 

(By Laurel)

It was a good day — a short hike with only one big hill to go up and over, at the top of which we enjoyed wide views of the Mediterranean, blue to the horizon.  The biggest challenge was the muggy air causing copious sweat; whether walking or sitting still, I was constantly mopping my brow and splashing with cool water at every communal tap we came upon.

In Massa for the afternoon and evening, we siested at the pleasant Ostello Palazzo Nizza and ate more seafood.  Gotta get it where it’s fresh!  The hostel is situated on Piazza Mercurio, an attractive square lined with cafes and fruit-laden orange trees.

I can hardly believe it, but we are nearing the end of our through-hike!  In just a few days, we’ll be walking into Lucca again, this time from the Northward direction.  We’ve deliberately shortened our last few stages, since Sarzana, because it ensures we arrive at our daily destination earlier in the day and thereby avoid walking in the heat of mid-day.  Also, though, could it be that we are subconsciously wanting to put off finishing, to slightly extend this experience?

On our way out of Avenza on the VF, we passed by large slabs and blocks of Carrara marble ready for market.

Bottom right photo, above:  bits of marble mixed in with other building materials in a wall along an alley.

Top photo:  walking toward vineyards on the steep hillside

Bottom photo:  more vineyards, with an urban coast, and the Mediterranean behind

Top photo:  view from hostel in Massa; a bit of the sea visible

Bottom photos:  hostel lounge and our bedroom

Stage 42: Sarzana to Avenza — July 12, 2022

21 kms — 33o C and cloudy then sunny — We saw no new pilgrims today, on their way to Rome. 

(By Jim)

Today’s trek was a planned 18 km so we decided to avail ourselves of the free breakfast included with our accommodation and get a later start.  It was 7:45 before we got our backpacks on and were pointed in the right direction, but the path out of Sarzana was slow as we stopped to take many pictures. 

Except for two small hills, the trail was mostly flat or slightly downhill so we managed a good clip.  Cloudy skies protected us until 10:30 after which SPF 60 was generously applied.  Wooded hills and pastureland were again our backdrops today but we have not grown tired of their vistas.  There is still much diversity in the sameness of the landscape that we lose ourselves in the beautiful green details.

Walking into Avenza was along a hot urban thoroughfare that quickly sapped our energy and joy.  We stopped for an early lunch at the first open restaurant with a shade umbrella.  As cars whizzed by we enjoyed an unexpectedly delicious meal of seafood ravioli and testeroli with pesto, a Ligurian crepe-like pasta.  Recharged, we pushed on into the heart of Avenza and Ostello Antonio Mazzi, arriving at 1:30.  To our dismay, the hostel did not open until 4:00 so I settled down for riposo in the shade of the Church of San Pietro while Laurel set up shop on the terrace of a pizzeria, that was closed for the day.

Unlike the prized Carrara marble quarried in the mountains nearby, Avenza is a gritty unpolished town.  However, its statues, plaques, flourishes, even the sidewalks and path rubble all proclaim the calcium mineral that has been mined here for over one thousand years.

Leaving Sarnana was not straightforward as there were so many pictures to take.

The path was mostly flat:  meadow, canals, and roads.

Church of San Pietro and Ostello Antonio Mazzi in Avenza.

Avenza processes and ships Carrara marble world-wide.  The town is full of marble statues—even the sidewalks are made of marble!

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Stage 42: Filetto to Aulla (and on to Sarzana by train) — July 11, 2022

19 kms — 31o C and sunny — We saw no new pilgrims today, on their way to Rome. 

(By Laurel)

Our walk today was really nice and, thank goodness, rather easy compared to the past few days.  The trail traversed a hill or two, but ones that we could “take in stride.”  There was steady shade provided by wooded tracts, interspersed now and then with short sunny sections.  The countryside was quiet and peaceful; we heard birds singing rather than traffic rumbling (until near Aulla, that is, where modern urban sprawl took over).

We had left Filetto very early in the morning, at about 5:15 a.m., and had kept up a consistent pace.  As a result, we strode into Aulla at about 10:30.  The hostel wouldn’t open until 4:00 in the afternoon — we didn’t know how we could hang around for FIVE and a half hours … we didn’t see a nice leafy park or a charming old town centre (sadly, it had been destroyed by bombing in the Second World War).  And did I mention that it was hot and sunny?  We considered getting a room at a hotel or BnB but could not find any vacancies, even with the assistance of the friendly young lady at the tourist information office.  After consulting our guide book which said that we’d fall in love with Sarzana, and determining that the rail employees were no longer on strike, we decided to take a noon-hour train further down the VF.  The Via Francigena App listed a guesthouse in Sarzana called “La Foresteria di Palazzo Picedi Benettini,” so we booked a room there for the night.  It was a charming and cool place to stay, as it turns out to be located in a building dating back to the 1300s and has been, in its past, a bishop’s palace and a residence of the wife of Napoleon.  Though showing some wear in places, it still retains much elegance.  

Fish is common on restaurant menus, since Sarzana is very close to the sea; we ate a delicious lunch of seafood dishes, including fish soup and octopus salad.  Yes, our guidebook was spot-on — we are taken with Sarzana!

Top photo:  leaving our little apartment in Filetto early in the morning; we had our own terrace

Second photo:  view of Apennine Mountain peaks from our terrace

Bottom photo:  the church square in Filetto, steps from our apt., still asleep in the morning as we walked through

Two photos above:  on our trail this morning

A cool green section that we hiked through 

Another view of Apennine peaks, along our way today

Top left photo:  outside doors to the guesthouse — they are huge doors!

Bottom left photo:  in part of the entrance hallway

Right photo:  on our way up the stairs to the guesthouse — marble statues adorning the landings

Top photo:  our bedroom

Bottom left photo:  a terrace for guests to relax on

Bottom right photo:  a seafood feast in Sarzana

Stage 41: Pontremoli to Filetto — July 10, 2022

19 kms — 30o C and sunny — We saw no new pilgrims today, on their way to Rome. 

(By Jim)

Yesterday’s walk had taken its toll so when we awoke at Ostello Santa Lorenzo, we decided to hit the snooze button, spend the morning touring Pontremoli, and use the train to help us get closer to our destination.

Pontremoli was a wonder to explore — bridges, churches, piazzas, and a castle overlooking it all.  We started out by tracking down Caffe Degli Svizzeli to try a local pastry called “Amor” (marscapone and nuts between two crisp wafers).  The Duomo was next, where a local woman explained to us that the cloak adorning the statue of Mary was a 400 year old garment.  Later we meandered the narrow shaded streets until we were under the castle where an elevator saved us the thousand-odd steps of walking to the top.  From the castle we got a bird’s-eye view of Pontremoli.

Back in the city center, we found a small family-run Osteria to have lunch.  They let us in early and offered us a special meal that they have been serving visitors since 1948:  fish, spinach pie, and fried pumpkin flowers, washed down with a glass of local wine.  The husband and wife were both interested in our assessments of the meal and we didn’t disappoint them.

While drinking an espresso, I purchased two train tickets to Villafranca, the closest train station to our prepaid accommodation in Filetto.  On our way to the train station, Laurel commented that although Ostello Santa Lorenzo was beside the railway tracks she had never heard a train all night.  When we arrived at the train station all was explained as we learned that the Tren-Italia employees were on a one-day strike.  A bartender in the railway bar called us a taxi and 15 minutes later the driver dropped us off in Villafranca. Soon we were walking in the blazing sun towards the VF.  Our destination was Filetto, a small, walled medieval village.  When we entered through the stone gate the town was all set up for an antique flea market with stalls lining the Main Street and filling the church square.

Our accommodation was a small apartment overlooking the town sports field where a father-son soccer tournament kept us entertained until the church bells struck 7:00 p.m.

The bridges of Pontremoli.

Three things Pontremoli is famous for: Birthplace of Pinocchio author, Carlo Collodi, Bianca Orio (a drink with a secret recipe) and Amora (a pastry to fall in love with).  Note: it turns out that Carlo Collodi was not born here.  It turns out that the locals are just pretty good liars!

Pontremoli Duomo has a 400 year old cloak.

Pontremoli Castle and view.