Weekly Summary My Big Fat Via Francigena

Another wonderful week which started with water elements, a raging river complete with a water fall. I was surprised by the method provided for crossing this river: so, there were 2 parallel ropes anchored in the river about 3 ft apart, submerged under the water was a line of stones. The idea is hold the rope and trust your footing. Off Edward goes as if dancing a Samba. My turn – why are these ropes so slack? *#&! A big inelegant wobble but a dry finish. The Camino always provides.

The week also included meanderings from the top of the world. There were some equally intense climbs and descents, they are not called “hill top towns” for nothing. At one point on a particularly steep climb I noticed a biker directly next to me, we shared the same thought bubble: “Why are you next to me? I am on foot and your are on a bike.” We exchanged grimaces, words were out of the question. To borrow a phase: the hill was the hammer we were the nails.

Walking up various narrow gulches we resemble drivers taking sobriety tests, one foot in front of the other, the space too narrow for a normal step. Our walking communication takes on a version of 3 stages. The day starts with a general discussion of events and observations. Then as the Kms add up, we turn to light banter, that’s when only one person gets the joke. Finally with elevation gains, stone silence. Cue the earpods, our walking aids. We listened to 3 books: Bloodlands, by Tim Snyder, The Wager by David Grann and My Father’s House by Joseph O’Connor, and various podcasts. But music works best for me. There isn’t a hill that Bill Withers can’t get me over, and when I need an encouraging playlist I turn to “Sad Songs of the 70’s” or “Bella Ciao.”

Our adventure required a total of 108 Hotels/B&B/ and other accommodations. The principle criteria for selection is proximity to the path. As you can imagine this allows for great variability. For the most part our accommodations have been perfectly adequate, a couple exceptional when we needed to indulge. Most hotels are 2 or 3 stars. Some have AC, sometimes it works, many have hair dryers and elevators. Some bathrooms are so space efficient that the shower stall allows you to shampoo and rinse your hair simultaneously and a well placed sink encourages the use of the toilet side saddle.

Our usual routine when arriving at our hotel is to put our clothes through a bidet wash cycle and then discreetly hang them to dry out the window or on the ledge. Trust me at 2 or 3 stars no one cares and our laundry is not alone. A problem occurs when at nicer hotels Edward insists on hanging clothes out the window and I have to coax him out of his preferred practice. It isn’t easy.

However at the end of the day, even before locating our destination for the night we find a bar, sit down slowly and order a beverage. We then exchange our congratulations, admiration, respect and sometimes mutual confusion. We recall the day briefly but immediately review the chart complete with kms, elevation gain, availability of water and food for the next day ahead. There is a kind of amnesia that settles over us, how else can you explain the nonchalance in our discussion of our day ahead of 32 kms.

Two stories from the field:

• while dining a woman can over to our table to inquire if we were walking the Via Francigena to which she offered words of support: “Coraggio!” It made a difference. *
• the other day we entered a charming town were outside an Enoteca a blackboard read: “Life is too short to drink bad wine.” This reminded me of our dear friend Rob who would recite the same mantra as he poured full bottles of “bad wine” down the drain with a smirk.

Our final week coming up. Rome July 1. Thank you for your encouragement and support. It makes a difference.