Pope to Puglia

Posted byEdward and PaulaPosted inUncategorized

Day 1

Rome to Castel Gandolfo: 26 km

We departed Rome from Piazza Navona.  We walked around the Pantheon, passed the Roman Forum, around the Colosseum, the Arch of Titus, the Baths of Caracalla, through the gate of Saint Sebastian and onto the Appia Antica which we followed for 18 km over the grooved basalt stones and passed the remains of Roman villas, tombs and aqueducts.  A quick review of Roman antiquity

Castel Gandolfo , the site of the Pope’s summer residence, sits 1200 ft above the Roman plain on one side and Lago Albano on the other.  It is a well ordered and carefully curated town built around the castle of its eminent summer resident.  Quiet now.

Many have asked: why walk?  We are told about the many physical and mental benefits of walking.  It’s good for your heart, lungs, circulation, and bones. It’s a cure for depression, improves concentration and calms your nerves.  It seems the architecture of our bodies evolved to favor walking.  We are born to walk.  But none of this really matters because we walk as we do because we like it. We have no goal in mind, other than to reach the next stop.  We are not competing for distance, duration, or speed.  We are stubbornly committed to the principles of slow walking, empty the mind, be grateful for each step. 

Wonderful weather, getting in the groove.

22 thoughts on “Pope to Puglia”

  1. Wonderful to have you both with me daily as I follow your walk. Sending all good wishes for a glorious journey – through history, differing terrains and beautiful vistas. Take care of yourselves. I love your spirit and love you. Susie 🩷🩷🩷

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  2. Wonderful to have you with me daily as I join you virtually on your glorious journey through history, differing terrains and beautiful vistas. Take care of yourselves. I love your spirit and you. Susie ❤️❤️❤️

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  3. There you go, again! We will be with you all the way, in thought.

    I won’t show Anna Paola your considerations on the benefits of walking, as she insists I should get off my couch…

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  12. Paula and Edward, I am so impressed with what you’re doing and agree that there could be nothing better for the body and soul than walking and contemplating and doing what you’re doing. Enjoy enjoy enjoy and know that you are bringing so much joy to all of us who are following you. With lots of love in the hopes of seeing you at some point, somewhere. Lisa

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  13. Well, Tom and I walked yesterday too. We walked from his house to the new 2-Amy’s twin on Mt. Pleasant St and were told the wait would be 1.5 hours. We walked to Reveler’s Hour, where the wait would be an hour; we walked to the new rendition of the Italian place you loved (formerly on 18th, then on Columbia), and it was closed and gone forever; we crossed the street to the newly opened Turkish place in the old Mintwood space, and the wait would be…maybe only 15 minutes! But by then, we were hungry, so we threw the dice and walked to Tail Up Goat, where we found ready seats at the bar. Man, it’s rough out there! Roy

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  14. You’re starting out with a bang. Pzza Navona, Appia Antica and the Castello. I lived there for 3 years. It became a police state when Lui was in residence. Pope John Paul II preferred the mountains . The citizens of Castel Gandolfo, all 8,000 of them, complained and il papa resumed regular stays. Glad you’re back in groove. Nice walks ahead of you. Leo

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  20. I am totally envious of your new caper. All of it: the concept, the places you walk through (starting with the Piazza Navona), the exploration of the bottom of the boot. Enjoy! Frank

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  21. Day one

    Paula Edward

    Departed Roma today

    One foot in front of the other

    Step step

    cinquain syllables:

    2

    4

    6

    8

    2

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