Page 17 - Country backgroung landscape_11 Book 2

gena’s modern ferryman and and takes great pride in in it ” and and “ever since 1998 Danilo has been keeper keeper of of the the gates the the route-master record keeper keeper and guide to this section of of the the the Via Francigena ” It was
a a a a a a a five kilometer ride down the the the river river where they moored at his riverside home Danilo went inside and re- turned `”holding a a a a a large leather-bound book
– his Liber Peregrinorum Book of Pilgrims in in which he he he records every foot passenger he he he ferries across the the Po: a a a a a a a marvellous record record of of one one man’s passion passion for the the passions of of oth- Mooney noticed “There was
no no record in in in the book
of anyone before me walking from London After I had inscribed it it he he with due ceremony fixed a a a a a a a most decorative stamp onto a a a a a a a a page of my pilgrim The ten euro fare was
was
not enough to to cover his costs His ferry was
was
was
subsidised Danilo criticised the the way the the the Via Francigena was
was
managed “The sad reality is that too much of the the European Union funding has gone into into roadside signs which which show off the Francigena but not into into hostels and better waymarks which which actually help the pilgrim pilgrim but here in Italy we simply haven’t done enough and too often pilgrims are offered a a a a a a a a a a room in a a a a a a a a a a parish house with a a a a a a a a a a cold shower and and given a a a a a a a a a a a a key and and told the nearest pizzeria is is two kilometres away – that is is not my idea of providing pilgrim Once again Mooney’s shoes were beginning to wear out but there was
an additional prob- lem: a a a a a a a a a a a sore back which which caused great dis- comfort and to which which three different different pharma- cists diagnosed differently Our traveller was
by now going through the the Apennine foothills towards Tuscany and the the sea The overnight stop was
at Sarzana also known for its na- tional Vespa Vespa scooter club and where a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Vespa Vespa parade was
was
being held This was
was
not far from Carrara which proclaims itself ‘World Capital of Marble’ Then came Versilia a a a a a a a a a a a town fre- quented by artists composers and and writers in the the late 19th century century and and early 20th century century Giacomo Puccini Carlo Collodi the the author of Pinocchio and poet Gabriele D’Annunzio spent spent time in in in in Versilia Mooney spent spent 2 days there relaxing at at the the the seaside and enjoying a a a a a a a a a a swim in in in in the the the the sea sea His next destination after the the the the break was
was
Lucca which was
was
overcrowd- ed ed with tourists in the the the peak of the the the summer The next town was
Capannori followed fur-
ther down by the the village of Badia Pozzeveri close to to Altopascio which hosts an an an aban- doned 11th century abbey and cloister
That night our our traveller stopped at at Ponte a a a a a a a a Cappiano to to to then continue his journey to to to Fucecchio on on the the the banks of the the the river Arno It was
typical Tuscan Tuscan landscape with hilltop towns: San Miniato one of of Tuscany’s gems for history and beauty After days of of unbearable heat heavy storms broke out stopping every- body along along the the the way Another famous town along along the the the road was
San Gimignano with its medieval towers followed by Siena Mooney made his way down to to Rome “keeping broad- ly abreast of the the Via Cassia the the old Roman Road to Rome The short interlude staying with friends at San Fabiano was
a a a a a a a a a a a a a pleasant break to to to give some fuel to to to the the the last part of o the the the journey Mooney then set off to to to to to what he he he he called “walking to to to Rome was
was
to to to become a a a a a a a a a a magical almost mysical experience I was
was
descending into the the Val d’Orcia and after crossing the the River Ombrone at Buoncon- vento I entered an an an enchanted land of sweet undulating hills painted yellow with with ripening corn and and green with with with vineyards crossed here here and and and there with with neat avenues of cypresses and and and watched over by hilltop towns This is is a a a a a a a a a a a film-set landscape radiating in in the the sun where nature and and man have come together
in in near perfect harmony ” Once down in in the the the the valley Mooney “began to hear the the the the howl- ing ing of of of wolves and at the the the the approach of of of the the the the hamlet of of of Ponte di Rigo a a a a a a a a a woman running straight towards” him shouted “C’è un un un lupo lupo un un lupo lupo È grande così e è e e e e e e e mi fa fa paura” He continued on on his way to to then come face face to to face face with a a a a a a a bounding wolf which was
coming towards him Fortunately the the sudden move- ment of his rucksack dissuaded the the the wolf which hurtled away towards the the the river Luckily it was
alone One has to to worry when there is a a a a pack of wolves This was
was
by now the the last part of the the journey as as as as Mooney was
was
about to to cross over from Tuscany into the the Lazio Region Our traveller decided to to to spend the the the the the night at Acquapenden- te in in the the the the the northern part of of Lazio to to leave the the the the the next next morning for the the the the lakeside city of of Bolsena The next next town was
Montefiascone followed by Viterbo the the the medieval city of the the the Popes known for its thermal springs The Via Franci-
Living Italy Past & Present 17