Нашр шудааст: 18.04.2024
It might be boring for my readers: in my descriptions there is nothing but forest, and a lot of it. We are in the Casentino National Park. According to the guide, it is the largest contiguous forest area in Europe. I am impressed by the diversity and beauty. And I am shocked by the damage that storms have caused here. What is also clear: you should not stay here when there is a strong wind.
After the huge stands of fir trees, there are now many kilometers of pure beech forest. I find this particularly attractive. The treetops let the sun's rays pass through, creating a beautiful play of light on the ground. The bright spring green of the leaves gives the forest a light appearance.
It is the first day that I can describe as pleasant. (The others were rather exciting.) There are several reasons for this: It is the first day without back pain. Perhaps there is a psychological explanation for this: Experienced pilgrims I met yesterday told me that the back pain would soon be gone. They also gave me the tip not to pay attention to the kilometers or the time, but to dedicate the path to reflection. So today I walked alone again, took lots of breaks, repeatedly enjoyed the peace of the forest and ended the hike in Badia Pradaglia after 4 hours. (The tours of the past few days were 19 to 25 kilometers and 6-8 hours.)
Thank God I finished my tour early today. I had barely moved into my hotel room when there was a heavy rain shower and a sharp drop in temperature. It is so cold that I didn't even leave my bed to make a snack. Turning up the heating doesn't help. Speaking of beds: I look into the room of an otherwise stately hotel that had its best years about 40 years ago. The hotel owners: a married couple around 80 years old.