Articolo disponibile anche in: Italian

Sixteen days have gone by since the pilgrims, Chiara Parti and Marco Frosali, left Piazza Matteotti in Tavarnelle on foot for Santiago de Compostela.

They have already traveled 350 kilometers, crossing three regions: Tuscany, Emilia Romagna and Liguria. They will then enter Lombardy and proceed towards Piedmont.

They are happy and curious for discovery along their route. After the fatigue of the first days, their muscles have become accustomed to the new rhythm and their pain has disappeared.

They have already surpassed the worst, tough inclines and asphalt, and have arrived at breathtaking landscapes in the hills and on the plains.

The couple is still far from their holy goal, strong and full of enthusiasm. They are continually refreshed by the enchantment of the surrounding panorama, the hospitalit of the people they meet, and the pride of getting closer to their goal (even at a snail’s pace).

While they await to be ferried to the opposite shore, the two young travelers rest along the shade trees of the Po river. They talk to us by phone about their fantastic experience…between surprises and meeting people. Chiara and Marco  begin their tale.

“We passed Altopascio and slept in Lucca, continuing towards Massa. After a difficult section on a paved road, we saw beautiful places and were offered a glass of wine”.

“Continuing”, they explain,”we reached Pietrasanta and Sarzana, our only stops in Liguria. We noted how Ligurians are more taciturn than Tuscans. We then reentered our region for a bit, and crossing the Cisa Pass, we arrived in Emilia”.

“Happy about the terrain we have covered, we crossed the towns of the Tusco-Emilian Appennines. In the province of Parma, we met a young man and had a beer with him. He is a producer of organic parmigian cheese and gave us some”.

With Piacenza behind us, the course of the Po River separates us from the Lombardy shore. Continuing for Pavia, Robbio and Vercelli, in less than a week we will be in Torino: “We slept in many parishes and town hostels”, they continue. “Comparing prices, 6 days in Emilia Romagna cost as much as 10 in Tuscany. To avoid the heat, we prefer to go to bed at 9:30pm and leave very early”.

“Aside from the walking per se’”, the pilgrims conclude, “the best emotions are the gifts we receive from the people we meet, even a simple espresso. We also enjoy the possibility of visiting the places where we sleep before dinner”.

We wish Chiara and Marco a good voyage, say goodbye, and make plans to get in touch for future info. In the meantime, you can check the site http://www.chiocciolafelix.com/.

Noemi Bartalesi