Jerusalem way - Page 5

Como - Fiorenzuola d'Arda

I went to Italy with mixed feelings. I had already visited this country several times, especially Rome, but this time I was to have more direct contact with the country and its people. What will that look like? First it went in cloudy weather road-heavy further to Chiasso, the border crossing, afterwards more relaxed along the promenade of Lake Como. On the outskirts of Como, it went uphill for a few kilometers along noisy main roads again, at some point I turned off into quieter suburbs. Arrived in Cantù, it took forever until I found a room in an inn. In addition, the language barrier showed up, I was annoyed that I still hadn't learned any Italian. After walking alone in nature for a long time, I found everything more chaotic, hectic and noisy. The people here, however, I immediately perceived as open-hearted and friendly.

Because the next morning I had breakfast at the gas station, the gas station attendant asked me where to go and gave me a few candy bars. But the route today was terrible, mostly through suburbs, towns and along the roads, after 15 km I had to sit back in a cafe. The horrible suburbs of Milan followed, for kilometers it went along a dead straight feeder road, then on the ring road to the hostel. It was already early evening when I took the metro to the beautiful cathedral, here I could finally feel the first Italian flair. The same in the evening, the hostel was close to the San Siro stadium and it was city derby AC Milan against Inter Milan. A neat soundscape, Super 🙂.

The way the next day to Pavia was not much better, over 40 km of dead straight roads and bike paths, endless. But I got first contact with people. Luigi stopped me at his house and we talked in English. He filled my water bottles and gave me his baseball cap. Arrived in Pavia, I also found after a long search my first pilgrim hostel in Italy. And I met pilgrims !!! How I was looking forward to it. There were still more such go-getting people like me 🙂. I had finally landed on the Via Francigena, the pilgrimage route to Rome. My path met here with the path starting in Canterbury. For the route I had saved from the Internet a good hostel directory, so I could let my tent rest for a while. After the stroll over the beautiful Ponte Coperto in the equally beautiful city center, there was today for the first time pilgrim menu. The hostels usually tell one appropriate localities.

The next day I met pilgrims on the way, later even German ones, Sigrid and Marianne. It was a pleasure for me finally a few days to walk together with someone, to talk, to laugh 🙂. Until Piazenca we ran together, at least we met in the evenings in the accommodations. Today it was first back across the Ticino, then out of Pavia. In sunny weather we walked mostly along fields. There was a lot to talk about, some cafes were visited, so we realized in Belgioioso that time is running out. I then went ahead to ensure the accommodation. The church in Santa Cristina e Bissone was still open and they gave me the key. Here I saw Alain and Gabrielle for the first time in the evening, we should see each other until Rome and become good friends. A cozy pilgrimage evening concluded the 1st day on the Via Francigena.

The way to Orio Litta was also through fields and meadows, passing through small towns like Miradolo Therme and across the Fiume Lambro. Arrived there, we first besieged the beds of the beautiful hostel. This gave trouble later, 3 Belgians had pre-ordered certain beds here. They came later and insisted on it. I did not understand how this could happen in a pilgrim hostel and discussed for a while. But more camp beds were set up for us, peace returned. Later, in the bar, the Belgians gave a round of drinks and everything was forgotten. The hospitalero even drove us in the evening to a trattoria far outside. And afterwards he called the ferryman to take us across the Po the next day. 575 km to Rome was written on the round mosaic near the hostel.

In the morning we walked down to the Po. A man came towards us, a shy white animal on a leash. Was it a dog? Later, at the Po shore, the Belgians also thought it was a wolf. Anyway, the ferryman came soon and we crossed the wide river. Wonderful. He still took us to his house, where we were to immortalize ourselves in pilgrimage books. A cult Francigena fan, on his house hung a bronze plaque with the distances to all the pilgrimage destinations. Mostly along side roads we walked on, through small villages, later we still crossed the partially silted river Trebbia. In Piacenza we took in the first a bar in the suburbs, to eat and to make the accommodation clear. This was then also near here.

Only the following day I could examine the city center with the cathedral and other churches worth seeing. I ran today again alone further to Fiorenzuola d'Arda. Behind Piacenza it went for a long time straight along the road, before the route continued more quietly on dirt roads. Arrived in the destination, I first looked for the Parrocchia of the church to deposit my luggage. Then I went shopping and to the cafe. When I returned to the accommodation in the evening, Sigrid and Marianne were standing there. One had only one bed left, they didn't know what to do. I gave them my bed and lay down in the kitchen with my sleeping bag.