Those who have followed Two Women Walking on Facebook and Instagram, will know my journey reached a successful conclusion when I walked into Rome on 9 November.
My previous post left off after arriving in Viterbo on a chilly rainy day. The follow day was dry but unknown to me, high winds had brought down trees over the trail to Vetralla. Just before I arrived at the section of trail affected by the windfall, a pilgrim from Venice, named Marco, caught up with me so we negotiated climbing over and squeezing under the trunks and tangled branches together. He told me about a ”Trail Closed” sign. He was annoyed that it was obscure and only in Italian, assuring me that if the trail needed to be closed, there should have been a barrier placed where it exited town, not just an unofficial looking unilingual sign. After considerable clambering, we continued, he telling me about his life as a grape harvester and his father’s vineyard. We met again a couple of days later, and although he walked much faster than me, he slowed down for an hour or so and we discussed refugees, world hunger, the war in Ukraine - all the usual topics that two pilgrims talk about as they trudge towards Rome.
From Vetralla, I walked to Sutri then on to Campagnano-di Roma - both long days - twenty-six and thirty kms - due to “detours” to avoid the horrendous Via Cassia. This is a busy two lane highway often with narrow or no verges. Pilgrims are warned to avoid it as much as possible. The few places where we are forced onto it usually have narrow walkways separated from vehicles by various sorts of fences. But that doesn’t migrate the racket of the traffic rushing by. Adding an extra eight kilometres to a supposed twenty-two k day - worth the painful feet!
Between Sutri and Campagnano I encountered two sets of big white shepherd dogs. Italy abounds with aggressive dogs that leap and bark at passersby from behind fences. Annoying as their racket is - the fence provides the required element of security. These dogs, however, were not behind a fence. Correction - they were, but they came out to terrorize this small pilgrim armed with her trekking poles and no fear of big dogs. So I told the beasts to “shut the fuck up and to sit the fuck down,” in my biggest voice. They continued snarling and circling but kept their distance until I was out of whatever they considered their territory. I then added to my growing list of things to avoid: Italian drivers, charging boars, big dogs.
The following day I walked to La Storta. Despite closing in on Rome - I could almost smell it - the route had managed to keep to rural tracks and minor roads through scenic rolling farmland and forests. The weather had turned warm and sunny again and I found the tree cover a pleasant reprieve from the baking conditions we experienced on the exposed ridges of Tuscany.
La Storta is a busy - big roads, lots of traffic - town. Here there is no choice but to walk along the Via Cassia. I started to do so, then saw a man waiting for a bus. Yes! I showed him my map - did he know of a bus that went there. I pointed. He did. He even offered to go to a shop to get me a bus ticket. But there was time so I trotted back to a tobacco shop and bought a ticket. How a person would know thats where to buy bus tickets remains a mystery. Back to the bus stop. The man was going on the same bus. Five minutes later he pointed out my stop. Off I hopped. Crossed the road and entered the serene gardens of a massive monastery complex where I enjoyed a fabulous dinner and stayed the night. Now just one more day.
The last day into Rome wasn’t disappointing as I’d been warned that the joy would need to be generated from within. But I’m none-the-less flabbergasted.
Where’s the pride? All cities have their less appealing aspects. All cities seem to be challenged with excessive garbage, graffiti, decay and the like. Pilgrims to Rome are treated to several kilometres of up close experience with Rome’s filthy, decaying, disregarded, disrespected, vandalized underbelly. The cityscape and the two nature reserves the route passes through could do with some TLC.
My son Fly’s flight was delayed by several hours so I spent the afternoon doing a blissful nothing. He messaged that he was on a train from the airport then on the subway so I went to the café/bar next to our B&B (which was next to the Vatican) and ordered a bottle of wine. Despite twenty-four hours of travel Fly arrived full of Simpson energy!
The next morning we walked the last kilometre together and he came with me when I received my certificate of completion. Total kilometres walked - 1507.
We toured around St Peter’s and climbed the 500 some odd stairs to the dome. Fly snapped the requisite photo of pilgrim with certificate and the deed was complete.
So I went and bought new shoes - hideous white runners with weird soles. Soft under foot though.
I will spend weeks, maybe months processing and considering all this walk did and didn’t mean and entail. But for now Fly and I are vacationing! In two days we walked forty-five kilometres around Rome. We’re now staying at an AirB&B in Corniglia - Cinque Terre. In a few days we’ll head to Firenze and then Venice before returning home. For now, our view is spectacular. Our balcony perfect for sitting and sipping wine or beer. No more needs to be said.
What a great wrap up to a challenging journey. I look forward to the “other” stories when you return to the Comox Valley.