Author Archives: Edward and Paula

Our accommodation this evening is a small B&B run by the accommodating Manuela. We start the climb over the Appenines, the mountain range that bisects the Italian Peninsula form the Ligurian sea to its southern tip. This first leg takes us only to 1650 ft but as we leave the flat plain behind we canContinue reading “P2 Stage 10 Fidenza to Fornovo di Taro 33.8 km”

Today’s walk was easier from a distance perspective but demanding because of the heat under the relentless sun. Tree cover is rare over the endless corn, wheat and alfalfa fields. The only respite came as we visited the Cistercian monastery at Chiaravalle della Colomba, an impressive structure that still houses 12 monks. Italy celebrates JuneContinue reading “P2 Stage 9 – Fiorenzuola to Fidenza 22 km”

The sequins are all gone except for a few hiding between the couch cushions or under a rug pad. Those memories linger but the sack cloth walks on. As we stepped back. onto the Via Francigena a voice in my head screamed: “Oh, we are doing this again?” It was particularly weird because this question,Continue reading “From Sequins to Sackcloth Weekly Summary: Week 1”

The stretch of the Via Francigena from Piacenza to Fiorenzuola runs along a heavily trafficked truck route with no shoulder on the side of the road. It isn’t really walkable without endangering life and limb. I imagine Segeric, who in 990 CE traveled from Canterbury to Rome to collect his Pallium, did not encounter suchContinue reading “P2 Stage 8 Piacenza to Fiorenzuola – 32KM”

In order to get back on the Via Francigena we walked the Camino di San Colombo, the 6th century Irish monk we talked about yesterday. The path took us along the river Ambro, a beautiful walk under the trees, to its juncture with the Po river, that broad expanse of grey flowing south east atopContinue reading “P2 Stage 7 – San Colombano Al Ambro to Piacenza 32 km”

We left Pavia reluctantly If we were starting our life again settling in Pavia would be an attractive option Centrally located near world class urban areas but an island of civilization and culture As we walk each day presents new opportunities to appreciate the world, we just don’t know what we will meet Today turnedContinue reading “P2 Stage 6 – Pavia to San Colombano al Lambro 32 km”

A bucolic walk along the Ticino, a river that flows from the alps to join the Po river just south of Pavia and eventually makes its way to the Adriatic . Just a few kilometers outside of Pavia we were greeted by a riverside trattoria where we enjoyed several fish dishes before crossing the TicinoContinue reading “P2 Stage 5 Gruppolo Cairoli to Pavia – 25km”

We were treated to a Moroccan wedding last night complete with ululating and boyterous cheers The music was Arabic at times, with oud and derbeke, Italian techno at others but at 4:00 am the wedding party broke out with a clamorous rendition of Ciao Bella Ciao It reminded us of our wedding , next weekContinue reading “P2 – Stage 4 Mortara to Groppolo Cairoli 29 km”

Vercelli is a prosperous, charming, well laid-out town with broad pedestrian boulevards and upscale shops as befits the rice capital of the world. Rice brings it into contact with the globe. We had a pleasant meal, rice Vercellina, and a good night’s sleep. On our way to Mortara we were met by a local farmerContinue reading “Phase 2 – Stage 3 Vercelli to Mortara – 32 km”

A grueling day across the swampy flats of Lombardi. After exhausting Egret jokes (why does the egret cross the road? because he has no regrets; and Paula’s: why did the egret cross the road? She was following an e-male chain) we settled into the zen state punctuated by the rhythmic crunch of stepping along theContinue reading “Phase 2 Stage 2 – Santhia to Vercelli – 27 km”