Today was my 8th and last rest day in Montefiascone. Pretty incredible that my next day of not walking will be in Rome surrounded by friends and family. I'm excited. But there are 6 more days to walk, so today I had to take it easy. I slept until 9h30 which was amazing. Before I fell asleep yesterday, I could hear somebody snoring through the walls. I don't know if he was loud or the walls thin.
My reservation included breakfast, so I could just go down and food was waiting for me. The lady of the house really did a great job. She offered home made jams and cakes together with all you can want for breakfast. I think I stayed at the table for an hour. The room was packed with decorations such as christmas cribs.The cleaning lady was from Romania and came for a little chat. What she liked most about Italy? The food. Afterwards, I went back to my room. Today, I didn't even have to do laundry. I had already done it in Acquapendente, because there is no self service laundry here. So I had all the time to enjoy my room. The bathroom looked brand new and had a rain shower. At home, I can use this daily. On a pilgrimage, you appreciate these luxuries 100 times more. The double bed was not so comfortable, but I had discovered that one side was better than the other. The room had a tv which I don't use, but no other decoration. And sadly, no view through the window either. In the beginning of the afternoon, I slept for 2 more hours. Now my aventure is coming close to its end, my fundraising will almost be closed as well. I feel so honoured and happy that I could raise more money than I expected. I said it before and I will keep saying it: thank you to everybody who did a donation. It feels amazing that I will not only be able to realise my own dream, but also the dream of a child with a life threatening illness. Waw waw waw! Thanks to all of you out there, one big dream team! Make a Wish Belgium will keep in touch with more news after the fundraising has been closed. But today, it is still possible to help, even if it is only with 1 euro. Even a small amount can make a big difference. For all information, check the link https://www.inactievoormakeawish.be/fund.../dimitri-lanssens I can do a lot of things, but some things, I really can't do. For example, laying in bed for a whole day. I just love to discover places where I have never been before. So around 16h, I closed the door of La Bertina and I headed for the center. Even in the middle of town, the Via Cassia has no sidewalks and is dangerous to walk along. A sign pointed towards the 'coast' of Montefiascone. The lake is here already 5km away. Just too far to walk for me today. My first stop: the San Flaviano church. In 1896, a series of frescoes was discovered here under some paint. It also houses the grave of Defuk. The famous Est! Est! Est! wine exists thanks to this man. This servant of a bishop was asked to look for good white wine. He wrote Est (there is) above the door when he found some. In one establishment in Montefiascone, he excitedly wrote Est! Est! Est! It became the name of the local wine. But when I arrived, I couldn't visit the church. There was a funeral taking place. Rest in peace Enrico. I headed for the main street. Montefiascone is built on a hill, so no flat walking here. The cathedral has one of the largest domes in Italy and is worth a visit. The central square Piazza Vittore Emanuele is actually not much more than a roundabout for cars with a fountain in the middle. The big attraction is Rocca dei Papi. The fortified papal summer residence sits at the highest point of the village and has epic views over the lake and its surroundings. The access to the park is free. Be careful: no bikes and no picnic. Only walk and watch. If you would like to visit the ruins of the old fortifications, you have to pay. I was confused. The opening times said that it was closed. But it was open. And then there was a sign saying: the museum is not open outside the opening times. Euh? But for 5 euro, I received an audiophone and I could walk in. One tower of the four is still standing. It is called torre del pellegrino. Climb it and you are higher than the whole city of Montefiascone. On one side, you can see the lake with its two islands. On the other side, the cathedral and at the horizon even the city of Viterbo, my destination for tomorrow. There was almost nobody around. Everybody probably thought it was closed. The museum on a famous Italian architect didn't fascinate me that much. On my way back, I found that the tourist office is only open in the morning. So my pilgrim stamp will be for tomorrow. For the first time on my whole walk, I entered a pharmacy to buy some more ibuprofen. My tibia was pretty ok today, but it might become painful again during the last stages. I want to be prepared. After buying food in the supermarket, I went to watch the sunset over the lake. I had never heard of the Bolsena lake before, but it's stunning. Around 19h30, the sun disappeared and I went back to my room for a quiet evening. Tomorrow, I have 18 kilometers to walk to Viterbo. No big difficulties, the sun will be out, another beautiful day ahead on the Via Francigena.
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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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