One day I decided to go for a walk...

MY FINAL DAY IN ROME MAY 15 – THE LAST LATE POST FROM ITALY

The Way of St. Francis

May 15, 2026

Rome

Miles walked

I’m sitting in a little church. Definitely not one of the big basilicas that dot the streets of Rome. This one is more modest and there are less than 20 people visiting it. Some come to visit or like the young man in front of me, to pray.

The smell of incense lingers in the air. I know what I’m about to say is as controversial as singing contemporary music; I wish that worship had the “smells and bells” that used to be part of worship. It was a means to enter into a sacred space through the olfactory senses. Or as I’ve often heard about the Cathedral of Santiago, it covers the smell of the pilgrims who’ve walked so far.

It occurs to me that this sanctuary is about the size of many mid-sized churches at home. At full capacity it probably seats about 150 worshippers. It’s just the sanctuary and a few offices and storage. The sides of the sanctuary have small carve outs on either side dedicated to this saint or another.

There are no Sunday school classes. No rooms for the ladies’ quilting circle or an AA meeting. This is a place of prayer and worship and reflection. I wonder when did churches become a sort of catch all community center? Is it in the growth and expansion of our United States of America when settlements were far apart and the church served as a place to gather, not just for worship, but also to connect with far away neighbors? I don’t have an answer.

As for the place I’m in right now physically and spiritually, I feel a real sense of peace and a connection to the sacred. I pray you do too.

A protest near my hotel. Soon the Italians may catch up to the French and win the trifecta of complaining, protesting, and going on strike.

Don’t ask. I have no idea how one would get one’s car out.

No matter what is going on around me in Rome there is still an Aperol Spritz to look forward to. 🥰

Buon Cammino

May 13

The Way of St. Francis

May 13, 2026

Monterotondo to Monte Sacro

Miles walked 1.71

I found this unpublished post from Italy today. It’s tardy, sorry 😣

While Monterotondo was a beautiful city with lots of shops, restaurants, and a charming cathedral, Monte Sacro, which is an actual outskirt of Rome, seems more industrial. My hotel looks nice from the outside, but the rest of the street…not so much.

Today would have been an absolutely miserable day to walk. It’s raining. Not a drizzle, not a deluge, just raining 🌧️ substantially.

This is the worst of the street and still most of the businesses are covered in graffiti. Even stores that look like they carry nice merchandise have graffiti covering every bare inch.

I did go out for a cappuccino earlier and there is a restaurant close that I will try for dinner tonight. However for now I’m sequestered in my hotel room just staying dry.

Buon (damp) Cammino

CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS

The Way of St. Francis

May 12, 2026

Monte Libretti to Monterotondo

Miles walked 3.78

It’s another day that I’m taking a taxi. Since deciding that I cannot finish this Camino I am still seeing the beauty and grandeur of this country and learning about myself. Today is about cleanliness.

Since I arrived way too early at my hotel I asked if there was a laundromat near by. Why yes! Only .3 miles away. So I changed my clothes (because I spilled yogurt and oil on my pants yesterday) and gathered my laundry.

If you’ve travelled to Europe you might have noticed the water is very hard which means the shampoo doesn’t get sudsy. Well I found a barber shop around the corner and the young man gave me the best shampooing I’ve had in three weeks.

Then let’s talk about the showers I’ve encountered along the way. Mostly they are square with folding doors that meet at the corner. They’re general not bigger than 2.5 by 2.5 feet and some as small as 2 by 2. Don’t even think about bending over to shave your legs! But my shower today felt huge.

Then a stop for lunch.

Cacio Pepe and a half carafe of wine. Cacio Pepe is pasta with cheese and pepper. The cheese was so strong that I could smell it without sticking my nose in the plate. Rounded off with an espresso and it was a perfect lunch outdoors in the square.

A view of the church from my lunch spot.

The old gate leading up to the square with the church.

Saw a young girls wearing the same shoes as me. Does that make me Italian chic? Probably not but I do like these shoes.

And rounding off the day with an Aperol Spritz and a dish of olives.

I had so much to eat today that I skipped dinner.

Buon Cammino

20 YEARS AGO

July 15, 2026

So you can tell I’ve been off on my posts from Italy. They are actually all written but not posted yet. I needed to recover emotionally and physically from the walk. Plus I had a reverse shoulder replacement 6 weeks ago that recuperating from.

However something happened 20 years ago yesterday that I had to write a short post about.

Yesterday was Bastille Day in France and 20 years ago I was in Paris with my middle daughter. My cousin got us tickets to watch the military parade down the Champs Elysees and in the evening we were at a champagne reception on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower watching the fireworks set to Mozart’s The Magic Flute.

It was indeed magical to celebrate Independence Day in my other familial country.

And for the World Cup I say…

ALLEZ LES BLEUS!

May 11 – YESTERDAY WAS THE LAST DAY OF MY WALKING CAMINO

The Way of St. Francis

May 11, 2026

From Nerola to Monte Libretti

Miles walked

Today is the first day of the rest of my other camino. I am settled in my B&B. I already walked in the neighborhood and found a bar (yes, I said “bar”) where I had a cappuccino and a croissant.

Without the worry of how I am going to complete this journey, (may I say “this alternative journey?) I feel much better. Maybe knowing where one needs to go can be an important part of the journey.

However I’m still experiencing camino moments. On my way back from breakfast I stopped in a little market to pick up some snacks. At the register a woman was trying to pay with a 5 euro note and some kind of paper. The cashier told her sadly, no. So I stepped up and said I’ll pay for it. I don’t usually like to talk about things that I do like this. I tell you this because I experienced grace toward me. The woman looked at me and said, “Grazie!” And I realized that I had been thanking people this whole journey for all the grace given to me and this was the first time I could say, “Prego” (you’re welcome).

If I had been walking I would have missed this moment.

Buon Cammino

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

The Way of St. Francis

May 10, 2026

Toffia to Nerola

Miles walked 11.64

Today is a watershed day. I’ll explain at the end.

My morning did not start out well. My little apartment had a washing machine (yay!) so I was able to do laundry. This is a real treat when one has been washing things out in the sink for several days. La signora even brought out a drying rack for me (another treat). So I washed and hung my clothes out. Before bed I brought in the dry stuff and left the damp stuff out.

Last night it rained 🌧️ 😢 and my clothes were sopping wet. I dried them the best I could and debated whether to walk today. It’s Sunday so no busses.

Well I decided to suck it up and rub some dirt on it. I set off…in the wrong direction.

I added two miles onto my day before I got back on track. Nonetheless I felt good, ready to conquer this day.

I had a three mile constant up hill. It was tough and yet I made it. Then came a good stretch of flat, great for recovery. Of course since it rained I came across a stretch of deep mud. In the mud I could see the prints of horse hooves. And you know where there are horse hooves there is horse 💩. I made it through to a large meadow studded with rocks.

And then came the descent.

Here I started a 2.7 mile descent. I know the path looks easy, but it is actually covered in loose rocks that are easy to slide on when the path gets a little steeper. The bigger stones just make your feet feel like they gone twelve rounds in the ring and lost.

At the bottom I looked up and saw a city on the hill and thought, “Surely not!” That turned out to be wrong. This was a much steeper climb (although shorter) along a series of trafficked switchbacks. About 1 km from my hotel, a time when I would normally be energized to be so close, I was completely wiped out.

The whole day was beyond challenging and even the amazing vistas were not enough to sustain me.

When I got to my room I made a decision. This was my watershed moment. It’s time to stop. I know that physically I can walk a 200 mile journey and 200 miles through the Appenine Mountains is not in my capacity. I have given this my all and now it’s time to be done.

And I’m ok. I know I did my best. It wasn’t what I hoped for and I know that there may still be another camino in my future. Just not this one.

It’s been a Buon Cammino!

A cathedral in Toffia. I would not have seen this beautiful sight if I had not gotten lost so it was worth it.

RELAX, YOU’RE IN ITALY

The Way of St. Francis

May 9, 2026

Poggio Moiano to Toffia

Miles walked 11.56

I’m sitting outside and the sun is setting. I’m on my second Aperol spritz and feeling something between content and homesickness. To my left are 5 young men. One them is clearly the father of a little girl. Who reminds me a lot of my granddaughter. And she has a new black lab puppy.

To my right are 5 younger men. At least one of them is old enough to drink. They’re playing cards and having a good time.

Farther on there’s a lady and her man/husband. She’s holding a brown poodle who barks at the puppy.

Kids are riding around on their bicycles while parents help them balance.

And my hostess and her husband are there enjoying a drink and some quality time. They look happy.

This is Italy. It feels like family. There’s music playing, everyone is drinking and eating. They all look happy.

I wish I could wrap this all up and take it back home. I wish you all could experience this atmosphere.

I think after a big day walking I want to tell you to stop and enjoy life. That little girl I mentioned, I showed her a picture of my granddaughter and she gave me a hug. Best part of my day.

A wild boar and her two piglets. I could hear dad rustling and snorting in the bushes beside me.

I guess this is the well marked sign that takes me from the Way of St. Francis on to the Farfa variant.

The arch in the town center of Toffia

Welcome to Toffia. Actually Toffia is another mile down the road.

My first look at my room for tonight. There are flashing Christmas lights all over. I thought for a moment I was walking into a high end bordello. It was actually a very nice place to stay

And my well earned Aperol spritz while I sit amidst all this family happiness

Buon Cammino

A GOOD DAY WALKING DESPITE GETTING LOST

The Way of St. Francis

May 8, 2026

Monteleone to Poggio Moiano

Miles walked 8.42

I tried to keep my days on the shorter side because walking through this part of Italy is mountainous. So the walks are shorter but the effort is greater. Yesterday would have been a great day to walk, but I miscalculated and had created a 15 mile day 😮😬🤪

Nonetheless today the walk was amazing. Partly sunny and low 60’s made for a comfortable walk. Plenty of ups and downs but not so rigorous.

Cross

4 miles later I’m in Poggio Moiano. I stopped in town and had second breakfast and then headed to my hotel. The place I’m staying requires remaining on the Way of St. Francis for about 5 km and turning off at the sign for the hotel. Only…I couldn’t find my way back to the path. Apparently Signore Google doesn’t know the difference between Via Di Francesco and Via Di Francesco Parrochia.

I finally found a path…you can tell where this is going (pun intended) because if it was the correct path I would have written “the path”. Yes I invested almost two miles one way on a slippery downhill dirt path only to find this…

Yup that’s a locked gate with barbed wire around it and if you look closely there’s no path on the other side.

I had to turn around.

When I got back to town the sky was getting dark.

So I called the hotel to ask about a taxi. The young man at the desk said he’d come get me. Where was I?

In front of the police station just chillin’ like a villain 😎.

And that was my excitement for today. By the way once I realized where the path was and given that it didn’t start raining for 90 minutes I probably could have walked the 5 km necessary to get there.

Buon Cammino

DO I WATCH TOO MUCH TRUE CRIME?

The Way of St. Francis

May 7, 2026

Reiti to Monteleone

Miles walked 3.64

Sometimes I really believe that I watch too much true crime. Let me tell you how the day unfolded and you can let me know what you think.

My B&B for tonight messaged to say that they had a plumbing problem and were unable to accommodate me. They added that their “colleague” would gladly pick me up in Monteleone and drive me to her place. I’m not sure how to feel about this.

My original booking was through booking.com so one would believe it’s credentialed. But what about this “colleague”? There was no mention that this is another B&B, not even the name of the place. But I felt stuck. Monteleone isn’t exactly a big burg and I had no where else to go.

A woman picked me up in the town center and drove me to her place. She speaks absolutely no English, French, or Spanish and she’s talking like I understand. When she sees my blank face she smiles and says, “ok”.

The house is clearly her private home. She never asks for my passport. Every hotel, B&B, hostel, everyplace asks for your passport so they can let the police know who’s staying there…just in case one is a world renowned art thief. So no, nobody knows I’m here.

When I take a shower for some reason I can’t help thinking of the movie Psycho.

When I come down to dinner the table is set for three people. Usually one sits alone, but I guess I’ll be dining family style. Probably with people who don’t speak English.

So it’s me, the signora, and Serge…the guy who owns the B&B I was supposed to stay at. He says he speaks Spanish, but in truth I think my Spanish is better and that’s not saying much. He’s a little odd and he and the signora spend a lot of time talking. I can’t help but wonder if they’re discussing how best to dispose of my body. It was just weird.

Finally I escape back to my room and before I go to bed I locked the door and shoved my suitcase in front of it. Ridiculous, right?

The whole thing was just a little creepy. I was very glad to leave and begin walking to Poggio Moiano.

Added on May 8…I received a text from Serge asking me for a “helpful review”. I think not.

Today I took the bus to Monteleone. Only 2.2 euros.

Much of only Rieti is under big construction and renovation. I wonder who pays for all this.

I thought Italians were fashionable but I think this guy missed the mark

Not a great picture but you can see the fortified wall around the old part of Rieti

Buon Cammino

RAIN, BUT THE PIZZA 🍕 WAS GOOD

The Way of St. Francis

May 6, 2026

Poggio Bustone to Rieti

Miles walked 4.7 miles

Today I’m in Rieti. It’s cold and is supposed to rain later on so I decided to again get a ride. The signora offered to take me in to town today. She didn’t mention a price so I thought I would offer a gratuity of 20 euros and she promptly said 60 euros. My mistake I guess.

And one more thing before I’m done with Poggio Bustone. Google Translate is a little off the mark sometimes. Signora spoke into my phone and this is google’s translation…

I’m pretty sure this isn’t what she said.

I’m in the town now and have managed to get myself a cappuccino and a croissant. I’m in the old part of the city so I hope the path is nearby.

The church is right behind my hotel so I’m going to head over and see if I might be able to get a stamp. Getting one seems to be tricky. Again I compare this to the Camino de Santiago where every bar, hotel, and restaurant has a stamp. In the churches the stamp is usually on a table in the back of the sanctuary and one has to do a self-stamp. Here one needs to find the priest who keeps the stamp locked away in a desk drawer. I’m surprised they don’t keep it in the Holy of Holies along with the Eucharist. And most of the time the priest is nowhere to be found. Today I got lucky and found the priest. However he wasn’t very friendly, but he did stamp my passport.

Rieti is a beautiful town with an old section above (of course) the new section. My hotel is in the old part.

Despite the rain today I’ve been able to get out and walk around the town. I was in search of postcards to send to the grandchildren. I think that kids like to get mail. Maybe that’s old fashioned thinking. There’s a magazine stand in the middle of the square and the lady directed me to the post office. Go figger. But lo and behold there I was able to buy postcards. So in the afternoon over a Martini Rosso Spritz I wrote.

Lunch in town was marginal. I haven’t had pizza in a while so I found a pizzeria. Unfortunately during the day they don’t use the ovens so the pizza, while tasty, isn’t hot and crispy.

I made up for the marginal pizza with a gelato.

Not to be deterred I went to another pizza place for dinner and there I had a great meal.

Fresh mozzarella, basil, and half a carafe of Montefalcone wine which is becoming my favorite.

Despite the damp and the rain it was a very good day.

Buon Cammino