Day 19 Foligno: From now on towards Rome

Saying goodbye to Assisi is also saying goodbye to the sisters in the monastery and to Sylwia, the young Polish woman with whom I shared my journey and room for 5 days.

I leave the city in heavy rain, but that doesn't scare me anymore. Nevertheless, after half an hour (and with soaking wet shoes) I decide to stop for a rest: first to the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli and then to a bar.

I don't need to describe what a bar looks like, but I do need to describe what the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli looks like.

Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels

Unfortunately, I can't take any photos of the basilica (which is in the valley outside the city walls of Assisi). The rain prevented it from being taken outside, and the monument protection regulations prevented it from being taken inside.

In short: it is one of the largest churches in the world (as the hiking guide says). It is also worth mentioning that there is a chapel inside the church, the Portincula Chapel. It is the chapel that Francis renovated first. And a new church was built around it. Francis saw his calling in renewing the church. So he first laid his hands on this building and founded the Franciscan order here.

The restoration work is also interesting to observe. Half of the basilica is currently a construction site.

Umbra Valley

The hike today is nothing like the last two weeks. It goes through beautiful olive groves, but the unpleasant noise from the motorway spreads over the edge of the mountain. Do those of you sitting down there behind the steering wheel have any idea what acoustic damage you are causing?

A highlight on the route is the pretty town of Spello. It seems to have found its role for art and pleasure quite successfully. In any case, it is very lively here. There are plenty of inviting corners with many culinary demonstrations. Not exactly cheap but very appealing.

The neighboring town of Foligno is like Cinderella in comparison. The old town is only inviting along the main traffic axis and around the monastery and cathedral. When I turn left and right into the narrow streets, I am struck by the state of the houses and the neglect. People are used to morbidity in the south and still find it charming (or perhaps because of it). But I have never experienced Italy like this before.

Foligno certainly has something to show for its history: once an Umbrian, later Roman settlement and an important trading town. Raphael's painting "Madonna of Foligno" hung in the cathedral of San Feliciano until 1816. Today, only a copy can be seen here. The original can be found in the Vatican.

And how are things going otherwise?

Since there isn't much to report from the outside today, it's time to take a look at the inside.

The hike up to this point was more difficult than I had imagined. My back pain was sometimes unbearable. And on steep stretches I often had serious problems breathing. Sometimes I hardly knew how I was going to finish the walk.

So much for the bad news. And the good news? I never considered quitting. Strange, isn't it?

My body recovered faster every evening than I thought. And over time I developed tricks. The backpack comes down once an hour. The various adjustment options are used. And frequent breaks and a breathing technique that is adapted to the step help to combat the shortness of breath. And it helps to think of a melody in the rhythm of the steps. A pilgrim told me that praying the rosary also helps. That may be true, I'll stick to singing.

The sum of all sensations makes the value of the trip

As strange as it may sound, the discomfort is part of many valuable sensory impressions. In sum, these impressions have brought about something in me that started after about the 6th day: I am completely at peace with myself and focused on the moment.

So much for the physical aspect. But there are also the mental aspects. I experience the cultural stations and nature very intensely. And the "St. Francis Way" theme has also opened doors for me, behind which I can now discover more clearly my ideas about the role that faith plays for me.

I used to not know exactly where the Apennines were. Today I not only know that, but also how it feels. And last but not least, there are many extraordinary, personal encounters along the way that I have never experienced on other holidays.

So, I will come home feeling a little different than when I left.