The Final Frontier...

Bologna to Milan…

Bologna was nice. It was what you’d expect from an Italian college town while everyones on spring break. It was empty. But of course the food was delicious! The region I walked through known as Reggio Emilia claims to produce some of the best dishes in Italy and I tend to agree. Normally I would eat for 5 euros a night but in the towns of Bologna, Modena, Reggio, Parma and Milan I decided I’d definitely have the local dishes.

The hostel in Bologna, the Academia, recommended a restaurant just nearby, down a quiet little side street; I almost missed it because there was not much of a sign. I’m not sure if this has already been mentioned but in Italy restaurants don’t really start opening for dinner till about 8.30 p.m.. Sometimes you can do what i’ve tried doing a lot of times and just show up around an hour before. If the restaurant is privately owned and the staff is just shooting the breeze, they’ll usually make an exception and serve you early. just blaming it on the fact that you don’t know any better.

This restaurant was very cute, with baby blue walls and paintings by local artists up on the walls with somewhat discreet price stickers near them. At first i was all alone, i didn’t arrive quite as early as an hour before. I just asked the waiter to give me recommendations on whatever was regional and in season. I found out later that if you go to a small restaurant like this, that’s pretty much the expected fare.

In Bologna, that consisted of this magnificent fright puffy bread, that you could stuff with whatever you wanted, but i put this sort of dissolved pepper sauce that was read and pesto looking into it, also a bolognese local dish, and then was served four pieces of grilled meat, chicken, pork, lamb and beef. so good.

I next day’s walk was grueling, but fortunately it was extremely flat. This is the part of the walking through italy that can be brutal. Along the main drag of this pilgrimage, in Spain, there are places to stay all along the route, at about 12 to 15k intervals apart from each other. So while i have that to look forward to, the places where I decided to start my pilgrimage from don’t cater to that so i have to walk 20 plus k just to get to the next major place that has a hotel, or hostel that is cheap. If i wasn’t alone then perhaps I would be much braver and maybe try to stay with strangers or try out the Couch Surfing gig. most of the route in this are is beautiful farmland, with some cows and a lot of what looks like its going to be kiwi and of course wine.

The next stop was Modena. To get to the hotel, I had to walk across the town as well to its northern outskirts. Here i stayed at a familiar location, it was a Best Western. Its strange to walk up to an american hotel in Italy, you expect there to be like some kind of reality distortion as you walk through the automatic doors and you are going to end up in some small business hub in the united states along route 66 where you have middle aged men in suites and ties talking about this month’s sales figures and what town’s they are traveling to next. Best Western’s to me exemplify that traveling sales man culture. But of course this is Italy and so you walk in and you get a very different experience.

I was so used to being ripped off and negotiating the price wherever i stayed that i immediately started to bargain and ask if there was something more economic. The desk clerk’s response was quite snarky, “I could give you 10 euros if you like.” The service industry/retail monster in me came out and immediately put the guy in his place, “I’m your customer and i don’t care if I am asking the stupidest question you respond kindly and with a yes or a no.” I was surprised when he apologized and his demeanor changed completely. I think he was worried I’d tell his manager, but this totally won me a discount as well! Don’t put up with it guys! If there’s anything I learned at Apple its that retail employees should be treated better, but also customers need to be treated with respect. Golden Rule kind of stuff.

This was probably the best lower priced hotel I’ve stated at. they had a huge american sized shower, and a spacious bathroom. The room didn’t smell funny and the windows were huge and looked over at the highway and the Apennines beyond. I realized that this was a motoring hotel, there was a highway shop downstairs and loads of bikers and truckers parked there.

It was kind of cool, and familiar since we took so many road trips when i was a kid.

Modena was a one night gig but i wanted something of the local fare so i went down to the hotel restaurant and the waiter there assured me that I would get just that right in the hotel and for a really reasonable price. So i bought in and was quite delighted by what i was served. An exquisite steak that was supposed to be from a local farm, marinated in Modena’s specialty of Balsamic Vinegar. And then, because i enjoyed the meal so much, the chef asked me if he could treat me to a special and local desert. Of course i agreed to and what i got was so yummy, its called Panacotte, a creamy, mix between a flan, cheese cake and ice-cream, i don’t now just delicious! I think food is an important part of experiencing culture, and it really opens people up to you. The staff at the hotel restaurant seemed to be enjoying my reaction to the food immensely.

These next few cities there’s really not much to talk about, see, staying one night in a place is kind of hard because all you can really do is experience a little. next stop was a place called, Reggio nel’Emiglia. This is i guess the epicenter of the Emiglia Reggio. The walk here was especially hard because it was mostly along a narrow shoulder next to a relatively busy highway the whole time. I’d encountered this a few times but I’m pretty sure this was the longest stretch of this i had. I thought it was cool because there were definitely a lot of places to stop in between through this area. So i did, i stopped a lot in fact, to have a water here and there or just to take a break from the heaviness of my back pack. I know i’ve packed to much stuff but I really don’t know what to do with all of it and I’m thinking that i am just going to have to deal with it.

Something really great happened along the way. I was walking and getting tired and my ipod is like heaven, since I’m alone. The song, if you want to sing out, sing out, by cat stevens came on, (the death by chocolate version) and i totally got emotional. I always do with this song because it was featured in the film, Harold and Maude, and this film was introduced to me by my friend Char. In fact we sort of shared a very similar friendship to the two in the movie, sans the interesting plot twist of course, and this film was one of her favorites. Now i usually think of Char when i hear this song, either version of it, and my eyes usually well, but for some reason i felt her really close to me and just began to sing out loud and ball like a baby while doing it. It was really great to feel that way, it was a kind of bitter sweet, joy. I think my love for Char really just came out and it would be nice if she were still around, because i think she’d tell me i was nuts for doing this trip, and she’d worry like a worry bird the whole time i was out here, but she’d be super supportive and very proud of me. That was so comforting. Well without realizing it i came upon a part of the road that some workers were at, and they all saw tears streaming down my face and asked me in Italian, (I’d imagine because of the sympathetic gestures) if i was okay. I smiled at them and gave them the thumbs up and then realized what they were working on. A huge sidewalk for pedestrians so that people wouldn’t have to deal with what i dealt with the whole time. I was so happy and felt like i was hopping lightly across the street to the sidewalk.

I waved at and thanked the workers, and they seemed particularly pleased. Along the way on this sidewalk, i discovered that someone had walked on it when the cement was still fresh and with converse all stars or some other trainers, and it totally reminded me of that footsteps poem as cheesy as it was. It was a reminder to me that all these coincidences where really challenging my ideas of the universe, its workings, reality. All these things. I walked on with a second wind.

Arriving in Reggio was really interesting and I knew that the hostel I was going to stay at was once an old monastery. It seemed like i had to walk almost as long to get to it as i did to get to the outer part of the city. It was also cool here because the city was very medieval with a wall around the center that was still intact. I think many of these places were also once etruscan. I also think that you can definitely sense an ancientness about the place and the people, even though many of them are probably not even descendent from the ancient inhabitants but there’s just something really old about everything and everyone.

I had a bunkmate, which i was extremely surprised about who was a fashion designer from Milan, but because of the economy he had to come to Reggio to make his living. He was going to be staying in the hostel for a whole month.

Since i got there early i was able to explore the city and really check out the local vibe, but alas, i didn’t really have food here beyond some inexpensive pasta to carb load for the next day.

From Reggio to Parma was a little bit prettier but still along this highway. When i got into Parma i found out that Hotel Verdi was only another kilometer from my entry point. What i do every night before going to the next town is check hostel world and other hostel websites. Sometimes, actually a lot of times, the website price doesn’t match the price when you get to the hostel or hotel, now in Italy you can pretty much negotiate down, and sometimes you even come out winning, but sometimes they don’t budge and say you had to have booked online. The only problem with that is, most times you cannot book online except like 3 days in advance, but i don’t know if i’ll make it to a certain place usually until about the day before.

Hotel Verdi was the same situation, I was really happy though because the manager totally gave me the online price, but she was not very happy about it.

Parma was really cool. I stayed there two days because everyone convinced me not to walk to Piacenza. I would speak to a lot of people, Italians in smaller towns and cities are definitely curious about the stranger. When people found out I was walking and where i was going next i got the same reply about 4 times, go directly to Milan.

There’s a park really close to Hotel Verdi, which is very beautiful, its like the Central Park of the city and unlike Rome and some of the Cities near it, the Park here was absolutely safe to go into. It was bustling with people playing sports, riding bicycle and hanging out at the cafe that was in the middle. I thought the vibe in Parma was different from the rest of Italy and this turned out to be true.

One thing that was peculiar; anyone who spoke english, spoke with a cockney accent. Its was kind of like genetics, trying to trace everyone’s lineage back to eve. Well here as far as learning English was concerned, Eve was definitely from East London. People in Parma are a bit no nonsense and really nice.

Of course, being in Parma I had to go and try the local cuisine and so i asked my “cockney” signora at the hotel, “Where’s the best place to get Prosciutto di Parma.” She totally rolled her eyes which made me realize that this must be the number one question she gets. Then she whipped out a map and a marker and began drawing a line from the Hotel to a restaurant close to the center of town. That’s where you go, its a lovely little restaurant and tell them the people at Hotel Verdi recommended you go there and you might get a free something.

I totally did, got some free house wine, which here is Prosecco. I ordered that same fried, puffy bread, a beautifully made steak that looked like the heart of the cow at first, and of course, yummy, fresh, Parma Ham, which melted in your mouth as soon as you ate it.

The Prosecco just kept coming at no charge so i found myself quite tipsy. Its funny, one thing I always wondered when I’d eat out with friends and stuff, when i saw someone sitting at a table alone, was, why are they alone. I always thought of eating at a restaurant as a very social thing and if i had to eat alone, i would go through a drive-thru or just eat at home. Now i was that guy, and I had a story and people were looking at me wondering why i was alone.

I stumbled back to the hotel, slept really well and the next day was spent organizing for Milan and doing laundry and stuff. At the laundromat i met some guys who had walked part of the camino a few years ago in spain, they were pretty excited and were telling me their stories. Its funny, i expected there to be a lot less knowledge in Italy about the pilgrimage then there actually has been.

The next day I took a bus to just north of Piacenza and walked into the great city of Milan. That was pretty awesome. Someone I’ve known on flickr for years, Christian, had suggested a hotel that was really close to the train station and so I went there and it was actually quite cheap and cozy. I did have to negotiate the price again but it I got excited that this would be the last time I had to do so. Now, the hotel only had room for me for a few days, and i wanted to stay for a whole week. There was a huge trade show for furniture in town that week, and I was told that this was bigger than fashion week.

Christian came to the hotel after work and we hit it off immediately. He took me to dinner at a place called the black cat which was very delicious. The owners were mountain people so they spoke a completely different version of Italian and stared at us very indifferently. Until I spilled the wine on the uneven table, then the hostess/waitress started glaring at me every time i looked at her, she met my gaze with a fiery sort of disdain. Christian and I were amused to no end by this.

People in Milan like to stare a lot. I went to a restaurant that was practically next to my hotel, which was fabulous and cheap, they served food, sandwiches and even pastries. and of course really good coffee. I was having a sandwich and this kid who was sitting a few tables down doing his homework was periodically just staring at me. Whenever i would look back, he’d quickly resume reading his book or writing, and i quickly realized that it may be the hat i was wearing. Its this really cute number with tassels from Barney’s New York that my friends Nancy and Alan bought while we were there for Nancy’s birthday. It couldn’t have been my dark complexion, because he was dark too, infect he looked indian to me.

I found out later on that he was the son of the owner or his brother, i couldn’t really figure out which it was because the owner was a bit difficult to understand. One other day when i went in to have a coffee, the owner, Buhdi, came up to me. We’d already become really friendly at this point because i’d been into his cafe a few times already at this point. He said, “The boy, my boy, he want say something to you.” I’d found out that Buhdi was from Sri Lanka and his wife was from Ecuador. He also had a smaller child, I still wasn’t one hundred percent sure that the boy staring at me was his son, but anyhow the kids looked a alike and they were just gorgeous.

“Okay, sure.”

He summoned the kid from below and he just stood there staring at me. “My wife, she teach the boys spanish and italian but they not know english yet.”

“That’s fine, you can be our translator.”

“Yes, of course!” Then he said something in italian to the boy and he looked up from his father to me and spoke to me directly in italian. Buhdi translated.
“He say, he believe that you and him same soul. you are same should, he come first you come next, you believe this?”

I kind of just looked back at Buhdi puzzled, to which he responded, “My wife she teach the boys everything religious all the religions, buddha, mohammed, abraham, jesu christ, all religious.”

“I understand but how does he know we are the same soul?”

Buhdi asked him, “He say, he just see, like if looking in the mirror.”

“Well, that’s pretty cool” I said, “I’m honoured to share the same soul with you.”

The kid seemed to smile, and then i thought well let me make joke, “Tell him that I would like to hear how I am doing from time to time with school and stuff.” They didn’t get it.

Anyhow that was a really strange and cool experience, and after that the kid didn’t stare at me anymore, now he smiled when he saw me. It was cool that he had this sense of spirituality at such a young age. I wondered if this is the kind of kid that they look for when they find the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. While my rational logical mind wants to think that he’s just making it up, there’s definitely another part of me that wonders what in fact is going on. I mean with the way energy works and stuff, and I’m not going to get into a long theory here about what i think the soul may be scientifically, but there is so much we don’t yet understand and I believe that science is the key to explaining these mystical concepts and bridging the gap between science and spiritual/religious beliefs.

Milan has a lot to see, I definitely recommend seeing the Duomo, the main cathedral as well as going to the Galeria Vitorio Emanuelle and rotating 3 times into the mosaic Bull’s crotch. Its supposed to give you good fortune.

Christian and his friends invited me out to a gay club and that was a lot of fun! It was not only packed with people, but there was this elaborate sort of stage production occurring which featured this sort of monarchy of the club and their court. The music was really great too, of course they were playing a lot of hits but it just made you want to dance even more. We got into a sort of VIP section which was upstairs and were able to watch the fun below. There’s a club back home called LIV which has a similar vibe, except this was about 3 or 4 times larger. The club was located in an old storage facility, in like a warehouse district. It was really great.

Christian was a bit surprised that despite the fact that my only wardrobe was my funny tassel hat, i call it dante’s cap, and my pilgrim walking outfit, i was garnering a lot of attention and it helped also that i was going around with my SLR camera taking pictures of all the excitement. Plus i think when it comes to dancing and music, i can’t really help myself, after one or two drinks the inhibitions are gone and i just become a total kid again, wanting only to really have fun and play.
The next day, April 15th, I remember that it was tax day back home, one of the most magical days ever. We had decided we’d go to Venice, so we woke up early, drove to the metro, went to the train station and took a train to Venice. The train ride was quite pleasant and when we got to Venice it was every bit as magical as I thought it would be.

The whole city is a marvel. We only had a few precious hours to spend there but i can totally see myself coming back here and spending a lot more time some day. Basically you can’t go wrong, wherever you point your camera there’s a beautiful scene. Christian wanted to just get lost for about an hour or two so we did, and we got to see some of the back streets and hidden canals that the tourists rarely see. Also it wasn’t as insanely packed as it would be in May or the summer, and while it was a bit chilly the weather was sunny and pleasant. Actually that was a joke because the forecast had predicted rain and it was quite the opposite.

Favourite thing in Venice was this young man who was tending a shop. I called him Venus as a boy, after the Bjork song, i think his ancient beauty complimented the beauty of the city completely.

As we left we were both a little quiet, mostly i think from being exhausted, but also i think from just not wanting to say goodbye to Venice. Christian and I shot a ton of photographs and exchanged some interesting methodology and we definitely observed the other as he shot the same scenes.

I spent another few days in Milan, in the suburbs at Christians place. It was super pleasant. One of the days i took him to the four seasons to have a martini. My friend Nancy had recommended it and she was right. Christian was delighted and so grateful. I really am glad that I met him. The next day I was off to Visit my friend Tim and his wife Sara in Copenhagen, Denmark. An adventure getting there would await me, but my last night in Milan was just pleasant and Cozy and hence my travels through Italy would end on the most appreciated note of friendship.

Rome to Florence by foot…

…Well mostly. Lets see, where did we leave off, ah yes, i was going to leave Rome the next day. Well I did. Got up super early, I was really afraid that i would wake up my hostel mates but fortunately I only woke up the one guy from Northern Italy and he was all thumbs up and wished me good luck. I ran into Andrew Nelson who was also up early to catch a flight back to San Francisco, and after all that flying he was going to go on a trip to the wine country in California with his wife. I did not envy him but apparantly she was going to drive and that did not seem too bad. Andrew was really awesome, such a positive individual and so supportive of what i was about to do. If you are reading this, thank you! It meant a lot and still does.

The morning was gorgeous, not a cloud in the sky really. I walked over to St. Peter’s Basilica full gear on and waited patiently in the very small queue to get in. When you have a huge backpack on your back they make you check it in at a special area, which I didn’t mind doing. The piazza was so peaceful and quiet, I couldn’t believe it and at the same time it reminded me of working early mornings at the Barnacle State Historic Site in Coconut Grove. The mornings there were so beautiful before all the hustle and bustle began in the grove. It was sort of the same feeling. I went inside and saught out the Sacristia, got the stamp I needed for my pilgrim’s passport, (you are supposed to get them from the town churches along the route or the officiail hostels) touched the foot of the bronze statue of St. Peter for good luck and was almost on my way.

I had to drop a few postcards off at the Vatican post office and the Swiss Guard informed me that would not be possible till 8.30 a.m. So i decided to go and have some breakfast. Italians don’t seem to do the egg and toast or pancakes thing like we do back home. Ham and cheese sandwiches, or a pastry and a coffee. I decided to have two since I was going to walk so much.

Its pretty amazing to me how people still manage to communicate even if we don’t understand one another completely. At the Cafe, there was a cute Italian woman, with a scarf wrapped around her head and ten layers of light cardigan sweaters with a big fluffy down jacket on top of all that and those cute black shoes that have a buckle, kind of like children’s sandals and unmatched woolen socks. She begins to talk to me very quickly in Italian and I could tell by her hand gestures and facial expressions, (a testament to the expressiveness of Italian) that she was quite confused about me with all my gear and what not. I tried my best in broken Italian to explain what i was doing and she immediately got it! Mind you it went something like, “Io sono Pelligrino di Pie, Roma a Parrigie, Parrigie a Santiago de Compostela”

I encounter so much kindness when I tell people what I am doing. Even when I explain that I am not doing it for any particularly religious or spiritual enlightenment, they all suggest to me that I will be surprised by the outcome and that however I define it there will be something of enlightenment gained from the experience. So far I am inclined to agree. When the lady finished her piece of bread and coffee she touched my face and said some kind of blessing in Italian and she looked teary eyed. That was pretty touching, I couldn’t help but think of my mother who was either asleep or watching her religious programs on television because she couldn’t sleep. Its weird, I do miss my mother and father but i don’t feel like they are far away or that I won’t ever see them again. Especially with Skype and Facebook and all the marvels of communication that are available to us.

To the Vatican Post office, bought mum something I know she would like, and that was it. I set off! I came across a cool fountain that had 3 different endorsements on it, so I loaded up my containers and set off.

I went the wrong way for about 3 K and when i realized this I was quite a bit upset at myself. I took a moment to sit and get my bearings, (it was pretty, I was on the hill that Vatican City slopes up on, must’ve been somewhere round the back of it) back tracked and got on the right road, the road that leads north out of Rome.

Mostly it was apartment buildings, not as pretty as the center of course and it looked like this was where all the folks that are in the service and retail industry seemed to live. There are definitely quarters here and people don’t seem to live far from where they work.

The trek became an uphill one very quickly and not just a little hill. This was one of the big hills, (not any of the famous 7) and I quickly realized that training on the flat ground of Miami was not enough preparation for this. I managed though, and seeing pretty things helps. For example i came upon something delightful. On the map its called a ramp, basically so you don’t have to walk in a gigantic snake pattern along the road, so i expected one of these very modern looking ramps like the ones that cross over highways back home. To my surprise it was a set of stairs that looked like they’d been there for hundreds of years, and then another one following them to the top of the hill. the second set was even more mysterious and my thoughts raced with ideas of Tolkien and Numenorian ruins. Sorry i can’t post photographs here yet, but there are some photos of these stairs on facebook in the first album, SPQR.

The views of Rome were spectacular from this vantage point, you could clearly see the Monument to Vittorio Emmanuelle and of course the collosal, St. Peter’s Basillica, and if you stood and gazed for a while slowly everything else started to become clearer. I didn’t stay too long, and continued onward.

Again, up the hill and next to a relatively busy road. Unfortunately with few exceptions that’s the way these routes are today. The old Pilgrim routes have become busy roads and in some cases even Highways. There was no waymarking on this road, in fact I wouldn’t see that for a while but all the guide books I’d read said that this was the best way to travel on foot. Guidebooks aren’t always correct and when I saw that many of them were published or updated back in the 80’s I have to admit that there was some concern.

When I got to the top of the hill I took a respite at a restaurant called, “The View.” People in Italy are really kind hearted and can’t stand saying that they are closed. This has happened to me a few times since. I knew the restaurant was closed because they were preparing for the dinner service which wouldn’t be till about 7.3o p.m. and it was now only about 1.oo p.m.. But they politely ushered me in and served me fresh plate of Pasta Pomodoro and a glass of Wine, which I tried to explain that I didn’t want because i was walking and would dehydrate but it wasn’t understood. And they wouldn’t accept a tip, the manager said he didn’t want to rob me. So lunch was very pleasant and gave me the energy to continue.

Incidentally the water fountain just outside the restaurant was the last one that I saw which said SPQR, the next one had something different written on it.

Well, my first stop was supposed to be in a town called Torrione Cerquetta but I guess there was poor signage because I’d somehow passed it. By almost 6km too. Signage is very bad in some of these places and while I have a compass, I do not have GPS in any useful sort of way. So i went into the local tourist info place and the man there listened to what I said I was doing and told me that i should go to Viterbo because that’s where the pilgrim trails are still intact. The local church told me the same thing. So I hopped on a train and went to Viterbo. I wasn’t going to fight it, and to get to Campagnano di Roma meant going back 6k and making that right turn where I should have, and at this point it was almost 4p.m. so I decided Viterbo it was.

Going up to Viterbo was a lot like California’s countryside, almost the same kind of landscapes with signs of earthquakes and such. The scenery got prettier as we went along and I saw from the train the remains of old Roman Aqueducts. I kind of wish I was able to walk along side them but alas, next time.

Interestingly the train was filled with students, and many of the teenage girls and boys were giggling at me and asking me where I was from. When I told them I am from Miami, immediately this was impressive, “Oh, Mia-mee! Iss that in California?” It was cute, they were trying to emulate my american accent with exaggerated vowels. It was amusing to say the least.The kids aren’t the only ones impressed when you say you are from Miami, many of the adults impressed and the men will usually make pantomime breasts, (for some reason lots of people do think it is in California) and say something like, “Its gooood.”

The train passed by a lake with a castle perched on top of a hill overlooking it and that was pretty cool, I imagine that it was Bracciano but I can’t be sure as none of this was on my original course. Not long after the train arrives in Viterbo. Now, I have paid for every bus ticket and train ticket on my journey but one thing that is really evident is that it doesn’t matter because no one seems to check, on the flip side, I cannot imagine an Italian not paying for their ticket.

Viterbo. A pretty how kind of town by Italian standards. Immediately I noticed the air was crisp and clean. First place you go when you get off the train is the same place you go to buy your ticket, The Bar. Bar’s and Tabacci shops seem to be the anything you want places in towns. And the Bars are open all the time. Its also sometimes better to go to one then a tourist info place. There were no tourists here that weren’t Italian and I found out later that this is a popular destination for Italians that want to get away for a weekend and see the countryside.

The old city which was once and Etruscan settlement is walled in and pretty magnificent. The idea that you had to build a wall around your city to protect it from invaders is pretty strange to us in our days of rockets and air assaults but there is this feeling when you approach the gates of the city that you are entering a fortress. It didn’t help me feel safer but that was part of the excitement, there was a huge market taking place on the main street that extended all the way to the center of the city and then some! I mean huge, and other than the modern tents and materials you would have sworn you were back in the middle ages with stuff being shoved infront of your face with requests for bids on it. Brilliant! It was exciting and frightening, I was super conscious of people bumping into me and actually caught someone trying to go in my pocket!

Well, I saw a sign that said, “Internet Point” which is basically a small bare bones cyber cafe that charges too much, you can usually negotiate the rate, which i did. While I was on the internet checking my e-mail and figuring out where in Viterbo I would be staying this little boy walks in with a gelato in his hand and proclaims really loud as was translated to me, “Is he a man from the mountains?” The owner of the “Internet Point” was amused and embarrassed and made it a point to let me know that he didn’t know who this kid was. He had to have been about 6 or so and I really should have thought to take his photograph. I told him to tell the boy that, yes I was from the mountains. The kid turned around and gasped and said something like, “I knew it!” Then asked which one. I had to think about it, I wanted to be somewhat realistic here, so i told him from the Himalayas! He then ran outside and started to tell his mother, and I could hear her say something to the effect of “Don’t tell stories Guido!”

Hotel Tuscia, (pronounced Tushia) was the cheapest deal in town at 35 euros a night. When I got there I was told it was 45 and I had to haggle them down to 40. Even though I showed them the internet rate, the response was something about the tourist season beginning. I felt like saying, yeah, you saw Tourist written all over my forehead so you thought, lets get the most we can from him! Once the money was settled they were actually quite wonderful to me. I was shown my room and given access to the computer and informed that Breakfast would be included.

Up until now I have been sleeping in group dorms, the typical Hostel environment and so this was the first time on my trip I was staying in my own room. The window was huge but there was a large metal shutter on it, the man showing me to my room said that it wouldn’t come off until summer time and that there was only a view of the Alley anyways. I found it a bit confining, I kind of like sunlight coming into my room but this was also the only single available so I had no choice and since there was a fair going on the hotel was fully booked.

I saw everything you have to see in Viterbo in about 3 hours. The next day I went and did my laundry, purchased a multi-tool and uploaded my photos thus far onto facebook. I am glad I purchased a bunch of SD cards, I am treating them as though they are rolls of film, of course these are much more practical and convenient. I can’t imagine people who say, I have about 3,ooo slides from my Europe trip; how on earth did the manage!

There was a boy at Hotel Tuscia that kept looming around me whenever I was on the internet or reading my Kindle. For those of you who want to know I am finishing “Eat, Pray, Love.” I said hello to him a few times but he would pretend as though he didn’t hear me and when I would leave, he would get up and walk away. I thought maybe he was waiting for the computer so I offered it to him a few times and he gestured that he didn’t need it. He was very odd, albeit very attractive so somehow this made me tolerate it.

A strange thing happened that night which I am unsure is attributed to him but I have to wonder. I went to bed around 9 p.m. and was startled awake around midnight by a knock at my door. Not knowing what to do, and certainly not wanting to answer I just waited in case it was the result of a realistic seeming dream. Again, three little knocks. I said, “Pronto!” Nothing. Again, three little knocks and so this time I called the front desk no one answered but I pretended to be speaking to someone and I think I heard footsteps shuffle away.

The next day when I was on the computer checking for hostels along my route, the boy came down stairs and when he caught sight of me he turned around looking embarrassed and walked away. That was the first weird hotel experience I had.

The handy guy at the hotel had gotten wind of what I was doing and approached me with a photocopy of an old map and guide book that had an interesting route from Viterbo to Montefiascone which although longer than the direct route featured some interesting views of the old Roman hot springs and the remains of the old Roman road. The map was clear enough, so I decided that I would do that and I was really appreciative of his gesture!

This Bed and Breakfast was also the first time that I encountered first bathroom that had no separation. The sink, toilet and shower were all in one room and when you took a shower the water basically got everywhere. What’s worse is the drain is slow, so literally your whole bathroom floor is wet beyond the little slanted area where the shower head is located. There is a curtain but i don’t see the point, it doesn’t help.

I woke up really early the next day and began my walk to Montefiascone. At first this was mostly just a regular street through Viterbo but the directions then call for a left turn after the cemetery on to an unpaved road. You can imagine when I saw this path what was going through my mind… I braved it, there was another guy walking some of it and he tried to tell me stuff but I hardly understood, even still he kept informing me of the sights that were ahead.

This road turned out to be difficult and long but really great! I encountered my first way-marking for the Santiago route as well as the Via Francengenia which goes in the opposite direction to Rome. I really wish there could have been someone to share this experience with, its still fresh in my mind. Walking through an old country road seeing yellow arrows pointing the way and dodging a thunderstorm by hiding underneath some farmer’s utility shed for an hour. And then the climb, uphill with almost 50 lbs of weight on top of me. By far one of the most challenging ordeals of my life, but it was worth it to see the remnants of the old Roman roads, I can’t imagine how these were constructed. Even in ruin they are beautiful and a marvel to look at. The solid pieces of stone fit almost perfectly together where the road is still relatively complete. And I understand that there are two layers, a foundation and the top layer; most impressive!

I got to Montefiascone just around sunset and again, climbed uphill. I had to stop every mile or so just to kind or catch my breath. I must say that the iPod has been invaluable, listening to music while doing these hikes lets you forget about the fact that you are doing the hike.

When I got to my hotel, (there were apparently no hostels in Montefiascone either. I had some difficulty. Hotel Urbano V was recommended by the receptionist at the previous hotel. She even called ahead and confirmed the rate for me which was supposed to be 40 Euros a night. Of course, no one had heard of this and the rate was 90 Euros. I asked the receptionist if she wouldn’t mind calling Hotel Tuscia to verify but she was refusing to. This was a bit infuriating so I asked her if I could speak to the manager. We settled on 45 euros.

I can’t help but get the feeling that some people see a tourist and assume we are just going to agree with everything. Its been my luck to always encounter discrepancies from what’s listed online and the price when you walk in. Now i know this is not the experience for everyone, Hostelworld and other booking sites guarantee you a rate but you also pay a booking fee etc. again, traveling alone it Italy can be quite expensive I can’t wait till I meet Eddie in Paris!

The Hotel was very nice. Montefiascone was another town where I didn’t encounter many tourists that weren’t Italian. This was evident at dinner, because i was in the town center and no one spoke English. That was fun though, At the end of a delicious dinner, which all my Italian meals have been, the waiter asked me to write a dedication in his book. Tourists from outside Italy were so rare here I guess it was something cool. I was right, he only had about 5 pages in there, England, California, New York. I was the first from Miami. I drew a map of the Eastern United states and a big x where Miami is supposed to be and I noticed the look of surprise on his face and I could only suppose thats because, like so many others, he thought Miami was in California.

Viterbo was a nice little town. It felt like I was in a fairy-tale or Return of the King. There were some vantage points that felt like I was on the set of the film. Especially the large dome of the town’s central basilica, which i think was at the highest point on the hill. Now Montefiascone is a Hill by wikipedia standards but i bet its only a few hundred feet short of being considered a small mountain. Its really high up from the top most point of the city.

So, I slept another night and was off to my next stop. Bolsena right on Lake Bolsena. This was going to be a rather short hike, only 16k. And all down hill from what I could gather. What i didn’t realize though was, the last 8 or 9k of it was on a two lane highway. About 3 or 4 k into it, a little dog decided to follow me. I didn’t beckon him, i didn’t do anything to invite him along but he just did. He nearly walked the whole way with me and here I fell twice trying to save the dog, who I named Luca, from being hit by a car. Yes I know its stupid, because falling i could have seriously injured myself, but i was really not thinking. I don’t think you would do much differently when you see this tiny adorable little beast running into the path of a car that’s racing toward it at 90k an hour. If the hike wasn’t raising my heart rate, the dog certainly was.

The scrape, which i fell on twice, wasn’t so bad. Its still a little bruised and sore but its healed nicely and i can walk without limping now. I should have had a walking stick, but I didn’t think I’d need one for some stupid reason. After that I made it a point to ask around wherever i stopped for one. I didn’t have luck until Florence.

Fortunately about 3k before reaching Bolsena, he was rescued by a pair of Italian tow truck drivers and I showed them where Luca belonged and the promised me they would take him back there. I believe they did. He was so cute, he actually jumped out of the truck once and came back to me so they had to tie the little guy up. Gotta admit, I did shed a few tears upon realizing he was gone.

Bolsena was creepy. Its really old and quiet. When i got to the hostel, which was supposed to be for pilgrims, again there was that discrepancy on price, online price 20 euros, when you get there and there seems to be no other choice 35. This was the first time i was asked to pay up front for a stay, so since I was spending two nights, i did. No windows in my room made the creepiness even more evident not to mention the strange whistling sound the wind made as it went through the pensione.

The Signora saw that my pants were ripped and offered to give me some first aid. This was the first time I’d seen what happened as a result of the falls. I have to admit it looked really bad because all the blood had dried up around it and such. After she cleaned it with some Hydrogen Peroxide and gave me a bandage to wrap around it I felt much better. I forgot to buy Neosporine back home so I added it to my list of things to get in Italy.

The next hour i searched for a walking stick, no luck. I stopped in a Pizza shop, the only one open and met a really social couple and their baby who recognized that i was american and asked what the heck I was doing in Bolsena of all places. We had a lot of fun talking about the Pilgrimage I was on, my reasons, we discussed art a little and then they were off. When I got up after my meal to pay the attendant she informed me that the couple had paid for my meal. I was so touched!

Back the the Pensione, I decided it was a good idea to take a nap and let the healing progress. I had some of the scariest and weirdest dreams I’d ever had! I also kept hearing squeaking sounds and scratching sounds and I am certain that compounded it. I got up brushed my teeth and when I re-entered my room there was a rather prodigious and unafraid mouse sitting on top of my bed trying to figure out if I had any food. I marched straight to the Signora’s room and told her daughter what had happened, (she spoke English and translated) “This is not possible, we have a cat in the Pensione for these things.” Oh, the cat that was asleep all the time and looked like it was stuffed.

I told her that i was going to look for another place to stay and that I’d like a refund. She closed the door and moments later came back and said that was impossible. No amount of pressing the matter could change this, probably because I noticed they were out in the market earlier, no doubt spending the money I already forked over.

I was pretty upset but I just went upstairs and repacked my stuff, and left. There was no sense in causing a commotion in a place where the Police would probably not side with me.

I really had no idea where to go so I went for the lake, for some reason I felt getting away from the ancient center and heading toward the touristy lake would help. It did. Not only is lake Bolsena beautiful but its really huge! Not like, you can’t see the other end of it but the other end is at least 2 or 3 kilometers away. Hotel Columbus looked closed, and Hotel Royal was open. I could only imagine it was going to be expensive but at this point I didn’t really care.

When i got in, the wonderful receptionist patiently listened to my whole story and afterwards said, we don’t have any single rooms available, but I do feel bad wait one moment. She got on the phone, spoke to the owner, and after delighted me with the news that she would give me a double room for the price that the Pensione was charging me, and that I didn’t have to pay till the end of my stay!

35 euros for a double in a fancy hotel is remarkable! I was so happy that I hugged her!

I spent two nights there, and mostly i read and tended to my scrape. Also I discovered going downhill that I had new muscles and they were really sore. It was nice to have a window, a bathroom with a shower compartment and the sound of the lake ushering one into sleep.

After resting properly I felt strong enough to walk again. So early in, 4 a.m. on 29 March 2010, I set off. I was hoping to beat the traffic as I knew I’d be traveling on highways and also to beat the bus to Aquapendente because It was the only way to Sienna. I accomplished both. The walk was beautiful watching the landscape come aglow as the sun rose was a magnificent experience. I wish I could have taken pictures but it was so wet I was afraid to. Maybe that’s not very photojournalistic of me but I don’t have a major Newspaper to replace my equipment should it fail on me.

Walking through these parts was pretty easy, most of it was level, with a few hills that were tough but manageable compared to what I’d done before. From Aquapendente to Siena my info was kind of dodgy as to weather or not there were accommodations for tourists/hikers so I decided not to risk it nor was I ready to camp out in the fields on my own, so I hopped on a bus and headed for Siena.

I wish I could have walked through some of these vistas. Tuscany is magnificent!!! I can see why so many people are clamoring to purchase real estate here. I was informed by that couple that the majority of Tuscany is filled with English, German and Romanian people who fell in love and decided they needed to live here. I can understand why.

Siena was pretty but after walking for about 2 miles all around the center there were no hostels available. Holy week. Apparently this was a sight where people came to spend Easter. So per everyone’s advice I hopped on a bus and went to Florence. There is bus service to florence every hour. Siena looked neat though, it was very pretty and atop a hill as well. Also the people there were ubber attractive for those of us who look at that stuff.

Okay, Florence, Firenze! Wow!!! When you get to the train/bus station its not that impressive. I mean you can see Il Duomo jutting out in the background but its dingy and kinda unimpressive. I walked to a hostel that I’d made a reservation for but I was a day early and they had no availability, in fact they wanted to know if I was going to stay there at all since I got to Florence early and was looking for other accommodations. I told them to give my rooms away, next place I tried offered me a bed in the kitchen and said that I could have it for 15 Euro a night. I asked if i could use their internet.

I was planning on visiting the Hotel degli Orafi (hotel of the goldsmiths) and ask if I could see the room which it was famous for or at least have a drink in the terrace bar. This hotel used to be known as the Pensione Bertolini, the very same one that was featured in the film, “A Room with a View” which in middleschool set off a wonderful era in my life of falling in love with all things Victorian/Edwardian. My best friend Yisu and I would pretend we were the brother and sister characters in the movie to the extend that we even referred to one another as Lucy and Freddy.

I even went through a period in my life where I attempted to dress as close to Edwardian fashion as possible, even rode my bike through miami like this, donning a boater hat a tippling stick and wingtip shoes.

Seeing the hostel situation and seeing that there was a relatively inexpensive single room available at the Hotel degli Orafi plus a 20% last minute booking discount, I decided that I should splurge a little and just do it.

I walked as quickly as I could to the Arno and followed it all the way up to the hotel. When I walked in I was greeted very enthusiastically and also very cordially despite having the appearance of a man from the mountains. When I told them what I was up to and why I wanted to stay there, the girl helping me got pretty excited and asked me if I would agree with a room on the Arno side, it can be noisy she said with a smile. She knew what my reaction was going to be, I nearly fainted! So there I was moments later putting my luggage down and gazing at this window, wondering if there was a view from up here on the 3rd floor. When I drew the curtains back and opened the window letting in the sounds and smells and atmosphere I was pretty moved. It was as though I’d stepped into the film and the book and into a waking dream! And the view!!! It was the view! the same as in the film, just one floor down maybe but the same! I just took it all in for a few minutes, then I immediately got on the phone to call the people closest to me who would know what i was going through right now starting with Yisu. No luck on all accounts except one and he was pretty amused about what I was telling him.

I showered up and shaved, wish I’d thought about this a bit better and brought along a waistcoat and a proper suite, but it was okay, queued up the score for the film on my iPod and went out into the city to walk the way Lucy did. I must say that people looking at me must’ve thought i was the happiest fool in the world because when I walked up the Arno past the Uffizi Gallery to Santa Croche I had joyful tears running down my face and i must admit i did laugh out loud a couple of times.

The next three days were simply magical. When i got back to the hotel, The girl at the desk, said, “Oh my your face is clean, its like a different person” I thanked her for the compliment. They’d given me a complimentary drink at the Terrace bar, something they do for all guests even those that got a specially good discounted rate like me, and so I decided that now was the time to take advantage of it. Up at the bar I was greeted by Andrada, a wonderful lady from Romania who said that I could have a prosecco and some little appetizers. When I sat down there were two older ladies sitting at a table looking at the view of Il Duomo and commenting on it. They were just like the Misses Allens from the book! I just introduced myself and started telling them about the stuff I’d seen so far etc. They said, you have to go to IL Duomo today and climb to the top, It’ll be closed tomorrow! So that’s what I did. Incidentally that’s where I got my next Stamp in the Pilgrims book.

That was pretty awesome! looking at the whole of Florence and beyond from the top of Il Duomo was magnificent!

The next three days were magical. I really wish It could have lasted forever but I’m glad it hasn’t. I have a new idea that I may be able to fulfill one day. When I’m writing my 3rd or 4rth book I should like to write it from the Hotel, from, the room with a view. Maybe get my publisher to pay for a 6 month stay there.

The next day I walked around and stood in line for an hour to see the David. I was actually impressed by him! He’s magnificent. You can’t take pictures but I snuck one in. There were some unfinished works there by Michaelangelo and you could see how impressive his style of sculpting was. He literally just chipped away at a solid block without sketches or marks or anything.

On my last day I went to the Uffizi Gallery and spent almost 3 hours in line, but about 5 inside the Gallery. Its small but some of the works inside are so remarkable. I found myself moved by many of the portraits as though they were people who I knew and were dead. A strange feeling to say the least. When I saw the birth of Venus it kind of snuck up on me because there were so many people around it. Now one thing I found out when I went to see the david was there are no photographs allowed, but i snuck a rather poor one in for my friend Jenn who has always reminded me of this version of Venus and hence I renamed her, the birth of Jenn.

I was pretty sad to have to leave Florence but I’d seen and done a lot in the 3 days I was there, not to mention fulfilling a long time dream. On that subject. If you ever get to do that, even if its something as mundane as staying in a hotel that you loved because it was the centerpiece of a book or a film, you get this joy and happiness thats like no other, its almost like what I imagine riding the crest of a wave is like for a surfer. The happiness seems to just flow out of you in the most magnificent and pure way. And it doesn’t go away either, I don’t think anything could have spoiled it for me and I can still recall it with just a thought, its like you know what it feels like or looks like so now you can just visit it anytime you want. I like that. I friend of mine warned about revisiting things that made you this happy once. I hope to remedy that by not having any expectations the next time I stay there and by recognizing that every moment is unique and I’ll always have the first to recall.

So that is it, Next I hopped on a train and came to Bologna, which is where I am writing this from. Had to take the train because in the mountains that separate Firenze from Bologna, there is a trail but its like a level 8 or nine and has no hotels, I’m like a level 2 hiker at this point.

Bologna is a nice mix of old and Modern, the University here was established in 1088 and I guess that’s the oldest in Europe. I like it here but I’m most excited that from here to Milan I get to walk again. I feel a cheat for not walking even though I really had no choice. I hope you all didn’t mind reading this insanely long post but it was all I could do to catch you up with my journey. For those of you who found this arduous to read, I apologize, I will try to make my future posts better, for those of you who liked reading it, thank you for your time.

Love you All and looking forward to hearing from you.

Sohail

SPQR

I have a great deal to write about this first entry. So, I’ll start with, today, one week ago. British Airways was kind enough to inform me, via e-mail and then via telephone call that i would not be guaranteed a flight on my original date of departure (20 March) and that the next possible flight out might be sometime in April but they couldn’t assure me of that either. I had two options, they could cancel my booking, give me a full refund or I could leave 2 days earlier on 18 March.

So the rest of the week was one big whirlwind of people to see, and things i had to make sure were set for this journey and so by Thursday i was on a 747 (first time) headed to Heathrow to catch another airplane to Rome.

My parents, sister and my friend Bonnie saw me off. Rina, (my sister) gave me some money with the express intention that i eat at Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant at Terminal 5, ”Plane Food”. So after i exchanged my American Dollars for Euro’s that’s where I went.

Didn’t have time to sit, so i ordered the takeaway items. They gave me a really cool little picnic thermal bag that i decided to keep so that i can carry sandwiches and what not in for the trek.

When I arrived in Rome, i realized that I left a group of documents at home which had directions to the hostel I was supposed to stay at and some e-mails from people living in Rome with suggestions of things to do etc…

The first thing I learned is, we are really spoiled in America when it comes to wifi internet access. Its practically everywhere, not to mention that with the iPhone i usually had internet everywhere. So here I was at the international airport without internet, the tourist office is telling me that i have to go into a bar in the city and use the web there, and that wasn’t even guaranteed and they couldn’t tell me the names of any hostels at the moment because their computer systems were down.

All i had on my phone was the address to the Apple Store, so i went outside and showed that to a cab driver. I was about to learn a really important lesson about Romans…

A not about Lazio International Airport. One of the neatest approach and landings I’ve ever seen. There is virtually no fence or anything separating the airport from the most picturesque and beautiful fields behind it. Really a great way to see the natural beauty that awaits me.

Roman people do not want to let you know that they have no clue how to get someplace. This is consistent with every Roman and possibly with every Italian, although i haven’t left Rome yet, so i don’t know…

I show the cabbie the address and he says he knows where he’s going, the meter starts running, he stops 9 times to ask for directions and finally when we arrive, my bill is 90 euros!!! I start talking to him about all the times he stopped for directions and the circles we went in and all he can say is he doesn’t understand and suggests that he’ll call the police if i don’t pay.

The Apple Store was pleasant, it was somehow very consistent with the ones we have back home, except also very different. I won’t bore you all with the details, but my Apple friends should ask me about it when I get back. Finally I had my bearings, and so I had no choice but to call another cab. This time the guy knew where he was going. He kind of looked like Zeus, but old and little. He really made an effort to talk to me the whole time and this was good because the Italian that I learned in highschool started to come back to me in little bits here and there and before I knew it, I was actually beginning to speak to him and he could understand me!

The trip from the store to the center of Rome, to the hostel, (well not quite, he dropped me off about 3 blocks from it but i couldn’t be upset at him because I really liked him for trying to be friendly) Hostel Mama Mia!

I met this girl named Leah in Boston when i went up to visit my friend Monie, and her friend Eugene suggested that i stay here, and here’s where I met his friend Cristina.

From the start her smile voice, her warm and friendly manner just made me feel like everything was going to be alright. She’s from Romania and has only been in Rome for about 4 or 5 months. Cristina is the first friend I’ve made here and I couldn’t be luckier. My mother and sister would be very happy to know how well she took care of me.

So, my first hostel experience… Not what I hoped for, but better than expected. I never did the whole college dorm roomate thing, but i’m pretty social so sharing a room with 8 other people isn’t too troubling. It was clean, and though there were shared bathrooms, there were two of them. one a bath, very pink and large, and then a shower, very compact and modern. If I’d payed extra to go in a single room, i would have had my own shower and bathroom but I’ve got to stretch my money so no luxury for me.

4 nights at 80 euro’s without a pre-booking was not bad i thought, (until later) but it was worth it for the company and again, meeting Cristina. Staying in the room with me were some very interesting characters. A wonderful couple, Judit and Kyle who’d been traveling all over the world together for about 6 months, (or about to be 6) a guy and girl from Iowa, a girl i instantly connected with named, Jessie, a guy from Russia who was very quiet, and a man from Sardina who was not shy about being naked.

The first night we went out and had a Pizza that wasn’t unfamiliar. It actually reminded me of Pizza i had in Elementary school at the snack shop, run by an Italian couple. I was quite happy to be invited by my hostelmates and got to know a bit about them.

Jessie and i took a side trip after to a little groceries store to get some toothpaste and tic tacs. I immediately noticed that there doesn’t seem to be a supermarket in the city, I was also very pleased to find out that there is no starbucks. not one. and people still ask if there are any. the coffee here is exquisite!!!

Those who are used to starbucks, its like drinking dirty river water compared to the coffee and variations of that you can get at even the smallest cafe in Rome.

That night i fell asleep and i guess i was so jet lagged that i snored really loudly. I knew this was going to happen and apologized in advance because i felt bad. I’ve been told my snoring is awful, and that i might have sleep apnea… 

Saturday I met Eugene. We met at the Colosseum, i walked there from the hostel and it was the first historic, ancient thing i saw. I can’t really describe the feeling other than to say it felt awesome. There was this building that has stood for for over 2000 years, and i could actually touch it! How many stories are in those stones? I can’t really think of one stadium or amphitheater in use today that might inspire such awe.

After meeting up with Eugene, also instantly connected with, we just started walking and he would explain what everything was, and its significance. This was absolutely marvelous! I’m very fortunate to have this happened, but he didn’t just do this one day, Eugene took me on walks Sunday and we did a short one plus a farewell dinner on monday!

Saturday we saw:

The Colosseum
Cosmo e Damiani
Imperial Forum
Capitoline
The old Forum
Capilene Museum
Theater of Marcellus
Octavian’s Gate

Then we had lunch in the old Ghetto. My first Roman meal and Kosher at that! It was delicious!!! I had fried artichoke, and the most delicious meatballs ever!!! And the table wine is very nice here. you can’t go wrong even on the cheap, though i was told this was expensive for rome… that was good to know, because it seemed the same as an average priced meal in the united states, even considering the exchange rate.

we continued:

Palazzo Senatario
Santa Maria Aracoeli
Piazza Venezia
The Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II
walked down the Via de Courso (famous)
Piazza de Coluna
Trevi Fountain
Piazza de Popolo
Santa Maria del Popolo
up some steep steps to the park, and walked to the Spanish Steps

Then we got back on the metro, went to the Hostel, picked up Cristina and went to Trastevere and ate at Hosteria de Ottelo. Delicious but i was still full from lunch so we didn’t have a huge meal, and the desert there was out of hand!

Then we went to a bar and i met a really nice guy there named Fulvio, we had some really strong light ale, that hit the spot, and i kinda expressed how much I loved Rome to anyone who came by. I remember thinking how lovely it was to see the Tiber at night! The Tiber!!! I know, I’m getting excited in the same sort of way that i do when Apple releases a new and magical revolutionary product, but its even more exciting than that! Then we saw the Palazzo Fernese which Eugene says is the most beautiful in the world and we ended by walking by the Pantheon. I’m getting goosebumps just remembering the sight. It just snuck up on us, and there it was.

It was a good night. The next day I slept in, couldn’t help it we got home at 3.am Roman time. When I got up the room was empty except for Jessie, she notified me that everyone was really worried about me and that really touched me, the Iowan’s had left and the chap from Sardinia was gone too. and shortly there after a whole new crew came in. I still had Kyle and Judit.

Because we got a late start, we could only do a little the second day, but Eugene took me to see, San Giovanni in Laterrano, Santa Maria Maggiore, (where i got my first camino stamp) and la Scala Sancta or sacred steps. Then we went to Termini Station to meet up with Cristina and went into the Santa Maria del Angeli which is built atop the old Roman baths.

That night i didn’t get home too late, but i was sensing the cold, so i doubled up on vit c and went to bed, needless to say the next morning i woke up with a sore throat, so i downed another vit c and went back to bed. That did the trick. It was Monday now. Supposedly my last day in Rome. Cristina and I met up with Eugene, was supposed to be at 3.30 p.m. but getting around in Rome is really difficult if you don’t plan ahead. Which we didn’t. And you cannot ask a Roman for directions because they are so proud that they’ll very confidently give you incorrect directions even if they don’t have a clue where you want to go. so we finally got to Eugene after about 5 p.m.. Plus, if that weren’t enough two Bancomat’s, (ATM’s) rejected my card and i thought that money got withdrawn anyways and that my card was blocked, so i was having quite a panic attack. Turns out according to Eugene, this is very common in Italy and that i should just try another ATM.

Incidentally if you ask the ATM to go in English, its a weird sort of approximation with more Italian words than English ones.

It was a very pleasant last day, we went to the Pantheon and saw the inside. Okay, biggest dome in the world, still. Very beautiful and very impressive. It made me a little sad that a building erected to Roman gods, was now a church honoring Christian Saints and God, but at the same time, I was glad this happened because its still around, and you can sense the original purpose and beauty. I suppose we’re getting better at Live and let live though.

After, we walked to the Tiber, across the bridge past the Castel Sant’Angelo to Vatican City and saw St. Peter’s Basilica. WOW. I can see why people would instantly convert to Christianity upon seeing something as grand as this. There were a lot of beautiful sculptures inside the most beautiful being, La Pieta. Its behind glass now to protect it but its still pretty epic.

After that we had a little walk, successfully took money from an ATM and had our last dinner together at a wonderful local restaurant. It was totally out of the way, in an Alley way and extremely inexpensive! Eugene comes here often and the people knew him. The food was delicious.

It was pretty sad to say goodbye but I suspect that this is going to be the case for anyone amazing that I meet. A Pilgrim’s life?

Cristina and I didn’t get back to the Hostel until about 1 a.m.. I fell asleep instantly but my snoring was bothering Brenden, the Australian guy so about 10 times i was startled awake by a piece of cloth hitting my face. I suppose it was my fault for having whatever causes snoring but really, rude.

Well, he checked out around 6 a.m. so i was finally able to sleep. I got up, got dressed and then I walked around for about 2 hours trying to find a Laundromat, again no help from the Roman’s, then i gave up packed in a hurry and left. Cristina made me some food and it was delicious but i felt so bad because i had gotten Pizza while on my quest for clean clothes. So i couldn’t even finish it all. I said my goodbye’s. It was a bit emotional but we both understood that I had to leave and was off. I didn’t actually leave the hostel until about 3 p.m. so i was debating taking the bus to the next stop. I’m glad I didn’t.

I decided I needed a day or two more. One to organize my pack (not in a hurry) and two because I had been sight seeing and eating and drinking so much i needed at least a day to recover. I just walked around until i found an internet point and through google found a hostel called, Pensione, Octaviano a stone’s throw from the Vatican!

This hostel is really cool. So far I’ve met really amazing people, including a law student at Berkley who is my age but looks 20 and some really fun party girls, and one of the Hostel keeper’s named Matt who’s totally going to be an Italian Politician some day. It’s now 11 p.m. and time to go to sleep. Tomorrow I’m waking up early, having breakfast, heading to St. Peter’s Basilica to touch the feet of the statue of St. Peter, good luck for pilgrims and then off to, Torrione Cerquetta. Wish me luck! I miss you all!

Love,

Sohail