The last time I posted a major update, I was in Aullo considering my options for the next day of walking. I'd arrived at the parish hostel by 6:00, but on the way there I had noticed a laundromat. After checking in and greeting my old friend Michael, I showered and changed into my "town clothes" and then walked the 500 metres back to the laundromat ( Read more... )

This will be brief ( Read more... )

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Contrary to my expectations, today saw me slogging through mud and underbrush, walking up and then down steep, slick, leaf-covered rocky paths, and also dodging traffic around hairpin turns. Not at all ideal.‎ The last six kilometres took me three hours, and it was all the more frustrating because I had already caught sight of the suburbs of the ( Read more... )

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Knowing that today's walk would be challenging, last night I told Michael I'd like to leave by 7:30. It's only 31 km from Fornovo di Taro to Berceto, but the last two-thirds of that are very arduous, so I wanted to get an early start ( Read more... )

I've been planning this pilgrimage ‎for four years, and making serious preparations for the last two. I use everything in my pack, if not on a daily basis, then at least weekly. I've even been able to help some of my fellow pilgrims out with one or two things along the way. My pack is too heavy to qualify me as an "ultra-lite" hiker, but when I ( Read more... )

Tuesday evening over dinner, Michael and I had  negotiated a nine o'clock start time. It was half past when we closed the door of the pilgrim's hostel in Piacenza behind us and got underway. Well actually, we walked about 50 m back the way we'd come the evening before so that Michael could have a look at the sports‎ section of the morning paper ( Read more... )

To date, all but two of the pilgrims I've spoken with have been foreigners: Germans, Swiss, and English. (Well, there were six Italian women I met on the street, but our conversation lasted all of a minute.) The thing which I find most peculiar is that these two Italian pilgrims will not walk when it's raining unless circumstances compel them ( Read more... )

I'm sure this tower and adjoining hall weren't originally constructed for such a peaceful purpose as housing Rome-bound pilgrims, but it serves its new function well. http://flic.kr/p/pTZ2Cp

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