Author Archives: Edward and Paula

Celle di San Vito would have been interesting because it speaks an Angevin French and street signs are in Archaic French but our accommodations were unacceptable so, as the sun was setting, we persuaded our host in Troia, our next stop, to host us for one more night and to come fetch us before nightfall. Continue reading “Pope to Puglia Day 20 Celle di San Vito to Troia – 0 km”

We are over the Apennines!   The white road led us through fields of effervescent green spring wheat until we crested the last hill where the Tavoliere plain, the breadbasket of Italy, opened before us like a sumptuous banquet stretching to the yet unseen sea.  We are in Puglia, which as a kid I knew asContinue reading “Pope to Puglia Day 19 Casalbore to Celle di San Vito – 24 km”

For a variety of reasons that have nothing to do with the sweet 18 birthday party celebration right under our window that continued until the early morning hours, we decided to hitch a ride with our luggage half way to Casalbore, so we walked only 10 km today, accompanied by the sounds of the VillageContinue reading “Pope to Puglia Day 18 Benevento to Casalbore – 21 km”

On the way out of Vitulano, we crossed paths with a group of “Herb Tourists” hiking the mountainside for wild herbs with medicinal qualities.  Herb Tourism.   The troop leader is the cousin of the owner of the B&B where we spent the night and the uncle of the guy transferring our luggage.  When I toldContinue reading “Pope to Puglia Day 17 Vitulano to Benevento – 20 km”

“Ah, America.  Mi piacerebbe tanto andare in America” said the barista at the Roxy Café where we had our morning cappuccino in Faicchio.  I asked her why, she answered “E un sogno!”  I could not disillusion her.  I could not tell her how fine life is in Italy, how beautiful the country, how welcoming theContinue reading “Pope to Puglia Day 15 and 16 Faicchio to Telese Terme – 19 km Telese Terme to Vitulano – 23 km”

The Via Francigena continues to inspire and humble.  Each day presents like a new episode of Survivor.  No trespassing events to report this week.   Our daily rituals simplify our comings and goings, introducing the illusion of predictability.   Mornings start at 7 am usually without the aid of an alarm.  Having showered the evening beforeContinue reading “Paula’s Weekly Summary Week 2 The Union is Strong”

We swept down to the valley from the Irpinian hills toward the Matese and Vitulano mountains and the Apennines.  We found rich farmland, olive groves, some vineyards and heard the grinding sound of tractors tilling the soil and the buzz of weed whackers clearing aggressive weeds.  A valley teaming with life. Alife is an ancientContinue reading “Pope to Puglia Day 13 and 14 Teano to Alife – 24 km Alife to Faicchio – 19 km”

Walking along the Appia Antica we pass a 1st century Roman bridge which other than being overgrown with greenery seems to be in fine working condition.  We pass ruins from various eras that testify to the long and tumultuous history of this area, invaded by everyone who had pretensions of Roman empire building: Lombards, Byzantines,Continue reading “Pope to Puglia Teano to Pietramelara – 21km”

Walked by an old and unmarked church carved into a rock but of unknown origin or date.   The iconography was unidentifiable.   We paused for a while to imagine what it could have been concluding that it was most likely a church destroyed during WW2, but who knows it could have been an Etruscan temple infectedContinue reading “Pope to Puglia Day 11 Sessa Arunca to Teano – 19km”

The heat is setting in earlier than ever, up in the 80s today, just in time for the first 30km trek of this walk.  We started walking by the Garigliano River, and then made our way up the Aurunci mountains to Sessa Aurunca.  This area was the site of some of the most ferocious fightingContinue reading “Pope to Puglia Day 10 Minturno to Sessa Aurunca 30km”