Tag: Italy
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The Way of St. Francis: Why is Trevi dry?
Standing with our backs to Rome’s Trevi Fountain six years ago, we tossed coins into the water, wishing for our return to Rome. Our dream has come true, but when we returned to the fountain Monday, it was closed. Why? Three days a week, the Trevi Fountain goes dry and the coins are vacuumed and…
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The Way of St. Francis: A View Through Two Countries
Were it not for the line of curiosity seekers, we might never have found the peephole we were looking for. It’s there, just to the right of the white hat brim, looking very much like a round keyhole. It is, in fact, known as The Aventine Keyhole and is part of the property owned by…
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The Way of St. Francis: Reflections from our journey
We were rewarded with our testimonium Friday at the Vatican. Our bodies are happy we reached the end of the Way of St. Francis. Our minds are swirling as we reflect. The numbers from our trek: 23 days walking, 258 miles (415 km) afoot, 79,923 feet of elevation. Toughest trek yet: What made it more…
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The Way of St. Francis: The End is Near
Reg blazed another trail through the tall grass and thistle today, our last day of walking through the countryside. Tomorrow we’ll aim our boots towards Saint Peter’s Square, Vatican City, a ten mile walk that will officially complete our journey.
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The Way of St. Francis: Surprises lead our way
A castle tower caught our eye today, but this sculpture made us wonder why it was standing in this trailside field. Intermittent showers followed us Tuesday on the Way of St. Francis from Montelibretti to Monterotondo, a busy city of 41,000 that makes us feel like we leaped forward hundreds of years. It is how…
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The Way of St. Francis: A deserted pilgrimage
The red line has led us through trials and celebrations, more medieval villages than we can count, and memorable meetings with gracious Italians brimming with enthusiasm. We have met friendly and fascinating fellow trekkers, but many days we have not seen even one. We have yet to meet another American walker. We have not talked…
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The Way of St. Francis: Are We There Yet?
The dawn of a new day found us three days out from our last rest day in Rieti, with just three more days to walk until we reach Rome, our final destination. Our feet are tired, our hips are sore and barking dogs are getting on our nerves. But we’re still doing it…uphill and down,…
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The Way of St. Francis: Trattoria Favorita is a Favorite
B & B Piazza Cavour in Rieti has been a perfect place to rest our packs as we ready ourselves for the last 6 days to Rome. Our corner balcony (one down from the top) overlooked the piazza and was just a short walk across the river to the Historic City Center. We discovered a…
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