Stage 6: Bolsena to Montefiascone 19 km

 

 

 

 

Meeting pilgrims

I was complaining by email about the loneliness of the pilgrimage to Paloma and Fr. Ray. I began to meet more pilgrims. 

 

I met Lorenzo (Switzerland) in Radicofani. He is biking to Brindisi. He is retired and looking forward to his second grandchild.

 

I made eye contact with Andrea (Czech Republic) who informed me that she walked the Camino to Santiago from her hometown. Her mother, now deceased, told her that pilgrims should walk starting from their home. She is a wife and mother who works at a bakery ensuring that they follow sanitary protocols. 

Radek (Poland) who started his pilgrimage from Canterbury. He has been on the road since June. I told him that I started in Siena four days ago (like Andrea). He smiled. I told him that I am like the Camino pilgrims who started in Saria (which is at least 100 km from Santiago).

 

Lastly I met Jonathan (France) who was eating soup when I came in. He started in Canterbury and had a face kissed by the sun. He let me know that he was walking double the recommended stages. He was treating his feet in the morning while I ate breakfast. 

 

I met Giovanni (Italy) who helped with translation in Acquapendente in the Hostel. I later found out he is from Rome and started in Siena and would end his pilgrimage in Bolsena. He is a freelancer who works when he wants to or when work lands on his lap. While he lives in Rome, he says that Romans are loud and undependable. All authentic Romans have left Rome he says. And he has a special place in his heart for the Jews in Trastevere. 

 

I met Julian (Giulio) who gave me a ride to Porceno as I was walking to Radicofani. He saw me on the side of the road–bedraggled and tired–and asked me in Italian if I wanted a ride to Porceno. I was surprised I said yes. I found out he was raised in England of Italian roots. His mother (88 yo) and sister now lived near Rome. He used to work in restaurants but now owned a farmhouse with olive orchards. He is planning on selling it, buying a flat in Porceno and traveling to his heart’s content. I invited him for a drink and lunch. Nice encounter. 

 

I met Roberto and Angela (Italian) in Montefiascone. They saw me in the main square and asked me to take their photo. We shared the hostel in Acquapendente. They will end their pilgrimage in Viterbo because he has to work.  He asked where I was from. “Estati Uniti” He didn't understand. So I said “America” They spoke in Italian and I spoke in Spanish and we fundamentally understood each other. 

I met Gloria and Franco (Italy) who started their pilgrimage in Orvieto. They were in Bolsena yesterday and today saw me painting at Rocca de Papi. He is 69; she is 65. They are both retired, enjoying their grandchildren: Giacomo and Barbara. Franco was a Civil Service Tribunal (judge).

 

And then there is Pavel (Czech Republic) who is a university student studying to be a secondary teacher of English. He started in Orvieto. He is high energy and handsome. He carries a large plastic bottle to fill with water. He said he prefers the old order of the Mass.

 

Gil (France) an older man who started his pilgrimage from Lyon. I don’ speak French and he does not speak English so it is hard to have conversations but we make small communication gestures. He collected hazelnuts upon arriving in Vetralla.

 

Martin & Matthias ((Czech Republic) are father and son who are walking the Via Francigena with Diana (Netherlands) who is a nurse practitioner. I am told that Martin has some serous blisters on the soles of his feet so he takes the bus to a town midpoint on the stage and then walks to the next town with his son. I got to meet up with him at the waterfalls at Mazzano Romano, but I wanted to see the waterfalls and missed the opportunity to chat.

 

Filippo (Italy) a young man with whom I have shared hostels in Viterbo and Vetralla who has been on the walk since St. Bernard (the last town in Switzerland before you enter Italy. He says his English is not good. It is better than my Italian. He got up early in Vetralla and was in the reception room downstairs looking out the door to the weather. “Is it raining?” I asked. “Yes!” annoyed. 

And there is Fabio (Bergano, Italy) who I met on the road. His app was indicating one way, while mine was indicating another (a variant) Andrea told me to follow his way so I did. We later met up again and chatted. He and I will be arriving in Rome the same day–September 2. He will have been on the road for 32 days. He spoke in Italian. I spoke in Spanish. We understood each other. Later I found out Filippo and Fabio had met.  

 

Finally I met a bunch of young youths who followed me into the cloister of a church in Acquapendente. Edourado followed me in and then a few young girls. They had the gumption to make conversation with me.