On the trail of San Francesco: Pace e bene - Peace and Goodness!

Tomorrow morning I'm hitting the road: leaving the bustling city before Pentecost, following in the footsteps of San Francesco, who felt so connected to nature and all beings as it could be healing today….

Il mio cammino comminca oggi - My journey begins today.

The city didn't want to let me go: none of the four tobacconists sold tickets... sold out, no internet, machine broken…

But at the Campo di Marte station, I finally succeeded at the ticket machine and the high-speed train will take me from the city to Arezzo. Ciao Firenze and Arrivederci!

Then by a private train to Bibbiena... but somehow my feet were eager to start walking and I just set out on foot instead of taking the bus up to the La Verna mountain. Following various signs and markings, countless meters of uphill and downhill paths, paths so narrow that I sometimes got tangled up with my backpack, lizards, porcupine bristles… and not a soul in sight except for me. The complete opposite of the tourist-filled Florence. Refreshing! Blue butterflies, hornets, doves, cuckoo calls…

Somewhere finally a settlement: but unfortunately the wrong one - instead of La Verna, it was Croce di Sarna. In the woods, the mobile network and power supply failed with my "sunnybag".

An elderly Italian man went with me to the signpost towards Chitignano and encouraged me on my way!

And I get to practice letting go again. I won't make it to La Verna today. My legs are tired and I only managed the last long ascent to Chitignano with the help of my walking sticks. Oh well, there were gifts along the way: cool water from a spring in the woods and wild, spicy fennel herb - unexpected sustenance.

Second pilgrimage stamp. I declined the offer of the priest to sleep on the floor in the office and am now staying at a small Albergho at a pilgrim's price.

A small Perroni and Gnocchi ai quattro formaggi give me new energy!

Today on Sunday I set off to the Sanctuary of La Verna, Francesco's monastery where he spent the last two years of his life.

Today I was grateful for the paved road that I followed for most of my way. After the wild forest paths yesterday, it was pleasant and reassuring, with little traffic on Sunday and it led me safely towards my destination. I was accompanied by the scent of elderberries and robinia trees and many blooming beauties on the roadside.

Only the last section was an ancient cart path between stone walls, steeply uphill, getting closer and closer to the monastery on the cliff edge.

Fulfilling, finally walking through the old gate! And then I took my time for the rest of Sunday to absorb all the special places and the frescoes that depict Francesco's life stages in the cloister….very touching also his robe and his walking stick, which are kept as relics in the basilica.

What luck: I got a pilgrim's room in the monastery, with dinner and breakfast.

And then early in the morning: Pilgrim's blessing in the basilica, breakfast, and off on the Cammino: first to the Beech Chapel above the monastery and then long paths through beech forests, up and down, to Croce di Calla, to Passo delle Pratelle, and along the pass summit for a long time.

Then, in the sun, I enjoyed an orange sitting on a tree trunk.

Heart pounding when crossing a meadow with a warning about bulls.

And still no one in sight, even though the E1 trail runs parallel… at some point I met Heidi, but our paces didn't match.

A long descent that makes my knees feel it.

I am welcomed by a bright red poppy field.

Looking for accommodation: I was supposed to be allowed to sleep in an old church building, but Paolo, who manages the keys, is on vacation and the spare key was nowhere to be found. Too bad! So now it's Hotel Santo Stefano.

Most importantly, a shower - I smell strongly after a day of hiking through passes, mud, and meadows.

Tomorrow there's a steep stage with 700 meters of ascent. I want to take an Italian saying to heart:

“Qui va piano

va sano e

va lontano.”

(Whoever walks slowly, walks healthily and far.)