At 2am this morning, a man suddenly entered my dorm room. Who was he? He went to the toilet and left again. I was barely awake so I didn't ask myself many questions. When I woke up this morning, I wondered if I had dreamt this. But no, around 7h30, he was back. He went to the toilet and took off again. I didn't even had the time to ask him something. Very strange! And I had some more unexpected visitors. Ants had discovered my food.
By 8h30, it was time to leave my cosy little house behind the soccer field. Outside, the sun was already burning. I dropped the keys in the mailbox and went to the center of Sarzana. It is easy to fall in love with this city which narrow streets kept a medieval vibe. You enter via the Porta Parma and one straight street takes you through the whole town. The cathedral is worth a visit. Around town, they were setting up an antique market. I saw some really nice things, but there was nothing I wanted to carry to Rome. Just north of the main street, there is the Fortezza Firmafede. An impressive castle that stands strong until today. Leaving the city, a climb was waiting for me. The rewards at the top were beautiful views over the valley and Fortezza di Sarzanello, another castle where you can't get in but a walk around the impressive thick walls is free. Afterwards the path descended again and continued towards the sea. This is a very urban area. The colourful villas gave a very southern feeling. Seagulls showed that the Mediterranean Sea was not far anymore. Most of the morning, I spent on concrete roads with houses to the left and right. The contrast with the mountains couldn't be bigger. Some people leave something outside for pilgrims. At one house, they kept a book in which you could write where you came from and to where you were going. Luckily, the walkway sometimes escaped the hustle and bustle by following irrigation channels. The water was very clear and lots of fish enjoyed the cool water. I was jealous! After 11km, I reached Luni. This may not sound familiar, but for centuries this was a flourishing city. The vikings once attacked it because they mistook it for Rome. Now, there is only an archeological dig left. The entrance gate was closed, the parking was empty and the bar looked like it hadn't been open for a while. I enjoyed my lunch on the empty terrace. Here, I was at only 1,5km from the Mediterranean Sea. People probably prefered the beach to a history class. I still had 18km left. The path went around the site and I have to say, there is not much left from the city. Except for the amphitheater which ruins are still clearly visible. Tonight, there was an outdoor movie night. You could watch Gladiator inside the amfitheater for 1 euro. How cool is that? Sadly, I couldn't wait for that. I continued my way to Avenza. This is a busy city without much to see. The is one tower left of an old fortress that once stood here. The main attraction is when you look to the mountains behind the city where you can see lots of white. That is were Carrara marble is digged out. Big factories ship this white gold to destinations around the world. Here they have different signposts for the via francigena by car, by bike and on foot. It's sometimes confusing. Walking through urban regions has advantages. One is supermarkets. And what did sweaty Dimi buy? Two liters of water, one sport drink and one dark chocolate tablet. I was ready for the final 10km. Instead of going straight to Massa, the Via Francigena climbs into the hills. Why? I wondered as well.The climb was short but intense. Once at the top of Monte Greco, I was happy I did it. The highlight of my day, a stunning view over the valley and the ocean. After more than a month, I had reached the Mediterranean Sea. I could actually be laying on the beach with a cocktail right now, but I prefer my sweaty hiking challenge. In these hills, it is much more quiet. Only a couple of people live here. The rest of the slopes is taken by vineyards. I followed the ridge enjoying the view. The couple of kilometers of flat land between the hills and the sea is completely filled with roads and buildings. With the sun going slowly lower and a sea breeze picking up, I descended into Massa. As soon as I came down, I was surrounded by buildings again. I went straight to my pilgrim hostel for the night: palazzo nizza. Reception was closed. I had to phone. To my own surprise, I managed to handle a basic conversation in Italian. So proud. Once inside, the key to my room lay on the reception desk. It was a 5 bed dorm, but I was the only one as always. I quickly went to the supermarket before enjoying a shower, good food and rest. Tomorrow, I head back inland to Camaiore. Another 25km to walk and the weather stays the same at the moment: extremely hot. My body handles the heat pretty well. Except for some skin irritation, I'm fine. Fingers crossed it stays that way.
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AuthorMy name is Dimitri and I'm turning 40 in 2023. Through the years, I have tried to live my dreams. Everything is possible, the sky is the limit as long as you believe in your dreams and work hard to make them happen. Do what you never did before. Go where you have never been before. It will be scary, but it will also be worth it! Archives
July 2024
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