Assisi (Italy)

 

Assisi

(Italy)

Day 1

47 kms, August 1, 2013

The Traveler is has no doubt that he wants to continue his Eurohike on down the Italian boot. This country has so much to offer. And up ahead it looks to only get better: from here on south it's all going to be mountains. He leaves behind the vast, wealthy region of Emilia Romagna and enters the more modest regions of Marche and Umbria.

But which route should I take? The Traveler wonders. The coast? There are clearly more towns that way. But he suspects that a lot of them will be generic beach towns--not really the best place to experience authentic Italian culture.

He notices that Assisi is down the road, and remembers reading about ancient piligrimages made this way. He decides to look it up and... lo and behold, there are marked pilgrimage routes for people to hike from where he is all the way through Marche and Umbria to Assisi!

The Traveler immediately knows that this is the route he must take. He will now be The Pilgrim... headed to a Catholic pilgrimage sight despite being neither Catholic nor knowledgeable about St Francis of Assisi. He is just excited about this opportunity to travel differently--and be seen differently by society. Rather than being lonely walker trudging along a car congested road, he will be following a route created for walkers... walkers with a mission. Pilgrims who might actually still be appreciated in this day and age here in Italy.

Let's see how this works out.

The Medieval City of Urbino

Before continuing on his hike, the Traveler hops on a bus to check out a walled city out in the middle of the mountainous countryside: Urbino. He hopes to enjoy the change of scenery in a more relaxed way for a change.

But once on the bus, he promptly falls asleep. When he wakes up and gazes out the window, all he sees is this massive wall and enormous gate--and it takes him a moment to figure out where he is. Yep... this is definitely a medieval walled city! He hops off the bus, eager to explore this well preserved masterpiece.

Through the gate is a steep, straight street climbing high towards the central piazza. Urbino has a feel of grandeur and royalty--which seems unusual for it's somewhat isolated location high up in the hills. Not so much a quaint medieval village of stone walls--it's more a Renaissance brick city with wider alleys--although the steep climbs give it a distinct feel from the plains cities like Ravenna and Ferrara. It hosts an important 500 year old university as well.

The Traveler finally reaches the highest point in the town, a park where you can gaze out to the endless hilly countryside dotted with little hamlets. Yep... there is definitely a different feel to Mountainous Italy vs. Flat Italy. It feels more down to earth... more in touch with life as it used to be. The Traveler is getting more and more excited about exploring this region.

He wanders up and down the alleys... through one gate and down to the next. Pausing to gaze up at the majestic cathedrals and regal structures.

The Traveler wonders: why is there such an impressive city built in this off the beaten track hill country?

The answer is Federico de Montefeltro, a 15th century lord of this city. His is quite a interesting story. During that time, this region was under the Papal States, under the rule of Catholic Rome. Federico was a bastardo son of a lord here in Urbino. But, thanks to the pope's intervention (and his step mother's consent) he was "legitimized" and went on to be a military commander or condottieri. Later his half brother was killed in suspicious circumstances and Federico took over as lord of Montefeltro.

Despite this questionable start, Federico went on to be progressive ruler for his time. Inspired by the culture of the ancient Greeks, he considered all males under his lordship to be equal citizens, and would walk about his city unattended asking folks how things were going. He commissioned important structures--such as the largest library in Italy outside of the Vatican.

It was thanks to Federico--and those who have helped preserve much of it in its original condition--that Urbino is the beautiful city that it is today.

Back to the Hike

There seems to be very little transportation farther inland. There is one bus going to Sant Angelo in Vado, further inland. So the Traveler figures that that's where he will start his pilgrimage hike, even though it's still far from the official pilgrimage route.

Dusk is approaching as he reaches Sant Angelo. The Traveler isn't sure if this is a good place to re-start his hike, but one thing for sure: he's not going to find any more transportation tonight, so he figures he'll just head into town, wander around a bit it and grab some supper, then find somewhere to camp for the night.

At the edge of town are the ruins of an old Roman city--it's fenced off and closed for the day... A reminder that, yes, this was once the very heartland of the Roman Empire. Not far away a community barbecue is underway, a reminder that the culture here is very much alive today. The Traveler wonders if he could come and crash the party a bit later... But first, let's explore the town.

After Urbino, Sant Angelo has a shabby chic feel of a town that, while its buildings aren't in the same state they once were, the town is very much cheerful and alive. In fact, in the center of town another festival is going on! It's a "have supper in town" event. Once a week all the shops stay open late and serve food and the locals come in and have supper all together--quite a refreshing change from the typical small town where everything is closed up in the evening. One eatery is offering an all you can eat buffet for 5 euros--definitely can't pass up that offer! It's all cold dishes--a couple that the Traveler had never tried before, like a oats like grain salad with greens... Nice to have something other than pasta and pizza...

Sitting in at an outdoor table, listening to live music... eating Italian foods he'd never tried before. Not feeling at all out of place at this village community event... It's a heartwarming experience. Much different to his nights up in the plains.

And then it's time to head off into the darkness, and find a quiet spot in a field to sleep under the stars.

Joining the Assisi Pilgrims

After staying mainly in hostels over the last 2 weeks, it's an exciting feeling to be sleeping under the open sky--especially with wild open countryside ahead of him and an uncertainty as to what tomorrow holds.

In the morning the Traveler decides to just follow the road west for a while, and see what happens. After an hour or so down a valley of pastures surrounded by forests, he reaches the town of Mercatello, where he promptly sits down in the park for what he thinks will be an uneventful Parkbench Session.

European towns, while beautiful, can be pretty predictable after a while. It's been a long while since the Traveler saw people doing something really different from the norm. And that's why, what happens next will be absolutely unforgettable.

He hears guitars and singing. A wedding procession? No... doesn't sound like it. It's a jubilant singalong sort of thing, with a large crowd all joining in together.

Then suddenly he sees them. Coming around a bend, a couple of nuns in full religious garb... walking briskly along, singing and playing guitars! And they are not alone. Behind them are more people--maybe 40 or 50. Carrying banners and singing along. Most are dressed in typical summer clothes, but there are also a number of Fransiscan monks in their trademark brown robes with a rope belt.

The Traveler is ecstatic. After months and months of playing Traveling a playing a guitar all alone throughout Europe... he's now suddenly encountering kindred spirits. And they are taking it to the next level. They are not just hiking and playing music... they are hiking while they play music!

He immediately packs up his guitar and joins in the parade, wherever it is they are going. Nobody looks at him strange. Nobody looks at him like, "who's this odd guy wandering around with a guitar and a backpack?" Nope. He fits right in in this crowd. He has finally found a group of people doing the same thing that he is doing.

The fact that he's not a Catholic doesn't really seem to matter right now. Could it be that, on a deeper level, we aren't so different? he wondres.

He follows the crowd as they sing and march jubilantly through town, and directly to a chapel where they all go inside. A couple of them greet him and he tells them that he's walking to Assisi. Nobody finds that the slightest bit strange.

"Another pilgrim!" one monk exclaims to the others. Yep, it feels good to fit in for a change.

Inside the chapel, the Traveler gets a better look at his fellow pilgrims. Most of them young, modern Italians. Their wearing shorts and sleeveless t-shirts--supposedly innappropriate for entering a place of worship... perhaps pilgrims get a free pass? he wonders. He notices a several couples who he strongly suspects are not married and he wonders... if they engage in "sin" while on a pilgrimage, is the pilgrimage void?

A middle aged man next to him greets him and explains a bit what's going on. "We started in San Leo (where the Traveler was 2 days ago) and we are going to hike for a few more days, and then take the bus to Assisi"

"So what is your reason for going on this pilgrimage?" the Traveler asks.

"No really specific reason. This is just a spiritual journey for me."

The Traveler is fascinated by this. This is a far cry from the Catholic pilgrimages he will encouter later in the Americas, where people walk or crawl on their knees as a personal sacrifice hoping to win the favor of Deity or Saint--a sort of quid pro quo. Usually done requesting healing of a sick relative--or fulfilling an oath after a sick relative has gotten well. Here in Italy, it doesn't seem people are doing this to try to impress God or Mother Mary. They are doing it because they want to. It has meaning for them. You kill two birds with one stone: connect with your religious roots... and also enjoy a fun hiking trip with a lot of cool people.

To the Traveler it makes perfect sense. He already is enjoying the infectuous enthusiasm of this group. He later learns that many pilgrims aren't even Catholics--some don't even believe in God. But this is still something they enjoy being a part of.

The the service starts. Two nuns go to the front with their guitars and lead the whole group in an energetic singalong--reminding the Traveler of a Pentacostal worship services in Mexico. The tunes are very modern and catchy, and everybody seems to really be feeling it. This is definitely not the Catholicism the Traveler has gotten been used to seeing here in Italy.

The comes the "sermon" which is a bit more strange--almost creepy. In the front of the chapel is a window with bars on it, looking like a prison cell. On the other side is a cloister where nuns continue to spend time in isolation. One of these comes up to the window and preaches a sermon. Seeing a woman behind bars like that does feel like a throwback to darker days in the history of Catholicism.

And then, the service is over, everybody gives each other a handshake accompanied by what sounds like "Apache convoy! Apache convoy!" Sounds like an odd way to greet each other...

Finally the Traveler figures it out: they're saying pace con voi: "Peace be with you", which admittedly does not sound very peaceful.

Next they head out down the street to the Fransiscan church/museum for another service. Along the way the Traveler talks to one of the monks, a fellow from South Sudan

"I hope to go back to my country to be a priest there" he exclaims. Quite a contrast to the thousands of Africans (including many from war torn South Sudan) risking their lives to come TO Italy in hopes of living a better life.

They enter an ancient chapel with a wooden roof and medieval paintings on the walls slowly being re-exposed. Once again the jubilant songs, then one of the monks gives an explanation of the history of this building and "the meaning of the cross". A bit boring--although the Traveler pleased with himself for being able to understand his Italian quite well.

And next? It's confession time. The monks set up chairs all around the garden and the pilgrims go to them one on one for confession. It does look like a more contemporary twist on an old Sacrament--more of a "just unburden your heart to me, brother" kind of therapy thing than a dark, ominous confession session. Still, the Traveler figures he'll just skip out on this part.

He heads out to walk the town alone, debating on his next move. Part of him wants to continue on with his new "tribe", observing all their rituals and activities along the way. It's been years since the last time he felt he was "part of a group", and he would really like to have that feeling again for an extended period of time.

But another part of him is reluctant. It's clearly going to be a slow going, with lots of time spent in church services along the way. Plus, they are going to be Traveling by bus for most of the way and the Traveler knows he has to make the trip on foot.

Finally he makes his decision: he will continue on on his own. Hopefully these won't be the only encounter he will have will pilgrims on his way.

Following the Mountain Ridge

It suddenly feels kind of lonely to be walking across the countryside all by himself. but the Traveler does feel a whole new sense of confidence knowing that out there, there are others like him, walking ridiculously long distances, carrying guitars and seeking for answers to life's questions.

The countryside is starting to feel more and more isolated. Finally he does reach one more tiny little village, Borgio Pace squeezed along the shore of a stream where he can pause to strum and reflect for a bit. Nearby is a plaque telling of how the locals struggled heroically against the Nazis, who destroyed the surrounding countryside, trying to block communication between the regions of Marche and Umbria.

There's also a map which says that, in the mountains overlooking the valley there's a hiking trail that runs parallel to the road. it doesn't show if the trail takes you all the way to Sansepulcro where the "official" Assisi pilgrimage trail runs through, but the Traveler figures he'll take his chances. He would really like to take a break from road hiking and do some trail hiking. he backtracks a little way to where the trail breaks off.

It's a grueling climb up the mountainside. An hour later of climbing and he realizes he still hasn't made any progress west. Looks like his trip to Assisi is going to take a lot longer going this route. Along the way he comes across strange sights: abandoned farm houses. vineyards and orchards that have been left to go wild. What is going on in these mountains? It will take me a couple more days to find out--and will be an important discovery in his Journey.

Finally he reaches the ridge where he gets a good view of his surroundings. To the north is the deep narrow valley of Borgo Pace. To the South: forest and mountains for as far as the eye can see. Occasionally there are impressive cliffs and deep cuts in the mountainside, but mostly forests.

Hours go by without a single sign of human presence. Quite a different experience hiking along a ridge versus hiking in a valley. There are pros and cons. Pro: some amazing views. Con: no water to be found along the way.

Finally, when it seems he's been walking for hours with no clear way of calculating how much progress he's made, there a downhill stretch... and a dirt road going over the pass leading to a couple of houses that are still in use. It is definitely a welcome sight to see civilization again.

Then, it's back into the forest again, where the Traveler has to stop to rest periodically as he's getting pretty worn out by this hot, mountainous hike. Finally, with evening approaching, the weather finally starts to cool. And then, there it is: far below is the fertile, flat Valle Del Tevere, where the regions of Marche, Umbria and Tuscany all meet. Cities. Farmland. He has crossed the mountain range and am approaching civilization once again.

Not so fast though. The trail comes to an end, and now there are multiple logging paths winding through the mountains. It's a bit of a guessing game figuring out which one will take him towards the valley and which one will just take him to a dead end. When he reaches a dead end, he foolishly try to just blaze a trail down to a narrow gorge. The lower you go, the thicker the brush until it becomes all but impassable. So he climbs up the slopes once again... find another trail... then another... until finally he reaches a road which leads him past houses... and signs of human activity.

Heaving a sigh of relief, he finds a quiet place to camp out and calls it a day.

Day 2: Lessons from the Battle of Anghiari

8 kms, August 2, 2013

The next morning starts out with a cool, peaceful walk down a winding road following a deep valley, with a few scattered country homes along the way. It feels like it's been much longer than just a day that the Traveler has been away from civilization. And then, abruptly the mountains end and the fertile flat fields of Valle del Tevere begin. He finally reach one of the neighborhoods, of San Giustino, a laid back simple looking town, and pauses in the plaza for a music session and to get his bearings.

Not far from here he can connect with an Assisi pilgrimage route, and continue walking south to this symbolic site. But he doesn't want to rush it. He gets the feeling that there's a lot to discover right here in this valley.

He reaches a wide open space, and gazes to the west. There is a road, straight as an arrow accross the valley and on up the slope to the beautiful castle city of Anghiari. It's out of his way, but the Traveler knows he has to go check it out.

The Traveler hikes across this stretch of flatness with lush farmland around. Here, in the heart of mountainous Italy, you can see that farming has brought prosperity to this valley for many centuries.

There's a historical marker which tells of the "Battle of Anghiari" which was fought here in 1440. It was a battle between the Duchy of Milan versus the "Italian League" which included Venice, Florence and the Papal States. This battle was immortalized in Da Vinci's famous lost painting "The Battle of Anghiari" showing a dramatic, ferocious battle of men on horseback.

But, it turns out, this was not a "ferocious" battle, by any standards. It might go down in history as the safest battle, with only one casualty--and that was just because a guy fell off his horse and was accidentally trampled on!

So why such a low body count? Well, the knights in this battle were wearing heavy protective armour--but that's clearly not the only reason. Historians from that era decried the "sad shape of warfare" at that time, when knights were paid to fight, and apparently paid by the hour. So they had incentive to drag the battle out as long as they could, but not much incentive to kill the "enemies" who they considered comrades. They fought as more of a game, and when they were tired out, they simply surrendered and their lives would be spared.

Clearly not the traditional idea of knights valiantly sacrificing their lives in battle.

But while some may see that as quite pathetic warriorship... the Traveler can't help but imagine what the world would be like today if this concept of "play-fighting" had caught on. I mean doesn't this make more sense than the standard "Fight to the death?" If your commander (who, as is usually the case in war, is only looking out for how this will benefit the wealthy and powerful) tells you to go and kill your fellow man, who deep down you know is just a regular guy as yourself who wants to go home to his wife and kids... why not just use common sense? You know, just pretend to fight for a while... make it a sport of sorts... they one side just voluntarily surrenders, everyone gets paid and goes home? Why not just skip all the injuring and killing each other?

Could it be possible that the logic and intellect of the common man was more developed in 1440 than is today?!

But no... this concept didn't catch on. Commanders became more adept at brainwashing their soldiers--and society in general--into thinking that killing and dying for your state or nation is the most glorious of all acts. And war went back to being an expression of man's most cruel savagery, rather than an elaborate jousting match.

What a missed opportunity, humanity...

The Traveler continues on, and finally reaches the other side as the road continues straight up the steep slopes with ever more amazing view behind him. Here the Traveler reaches the castle... and on to another hill above it to soak in the amazing view of the castle... and the vast Tevere Valley beyond.

He soaks in the view for a bit, and then dives back into the castle/city once again. Anghiari is as magical on the inside as on the outside, with squeeze-through alleys twisting up, down, between and under medieval homes that have stood the test of time, bursting with plants and flowers on the outside as a reminder that it's not just about the ancient past... it's about making your castle town beautiful year by year. Then the alley reaches an opening and the vast valley stretches out below, with mountains on the other side, with this castle gazing down as a protective angel.

The Traveler reaches a cozy little plaza where a concert is being set up... this truly is a perfect litte town. Right outside the walls, with people laundry blowing in the wind from the windows behind him... the valley in front.. Here he finds a bench where he can do his own concert immortalizing this moment, as the sun sets behind.

From this point you can see three of Italy's regions. Across, on the mountains the Traveler came from yesterday is Marche... directly to the south is Umbria. And where he sits now is the renowned region of Tuscany.

The Traveler wonders, were these borders determined back in that famous Battle of Anghiari when no one died fighting?

To the Traveler, it makes little difference which former kingdom this valley belongs to. It's all Italy, right? But for someone from this area, who feels that sense of regional identity, pride--and holds to the grudges of centuries past, it actually might make a big difference.

Finally he heads on back down... catches a bus back across the valley, and calls it a day.

Day 3: The Forgotten Republic

44.9 kms, August 3, 2013

Next morning, the Traveler starts out with a peaceful early morning stroll through the walled city of Sansepulcro, which is the last Tuscany town before he reenters Umbria region. Obviously he hasn't explored Tuscany much at all. No rush. This continous hike will take him back north again, and they he can explore the Tuscany thoroughly

Unlike Anghiari, Sansepulcro is laid out in a grid like fashion, walking up and down the straight alleyways it has a very planned feel to it. Some of these alleys are now being turned into a weekly street market, with Italian and Moroccan vendors setting up their canopies.

There are interesting little nuggets hidden in these alleyways. In one little piazza, is a plaque with the number of people who voted in favor of a republic versus a monarchy back when Italy was united into one country: 5536 to 1442... Perhaps another important "tipping point" in this country's history.

The Traveler continues on down the road, through modern Sansepolcro and along the straight road to Citta del Castello. Here he comes across an interesting sign: "Benvenuti a la Repubblica di Cospaia, 1441-1826 "

The "Republic of Cospaia?" There was a republic here for 400 years and I didn't know about it?! The Traveler is surprised.

Well, sort of. It turns out there was an error when drawing the boundary line between the Papal states and the Republic of Firenze, and this little hamlet took advantage of that and declared independence--and stayed that way for 400 years!

Seems that some people have it easy... while others had to fight with blood and tears for their independence, Cospaians got theirs due to a paperwork error...

Nowadays their status isn't quite as glamorous... Cospaia doesn't even have the status of "town" any more... it's merely a frazione of Sansepolcro.

The Traveler continues on, past what looks like tobacco fields, with folks out there hard at work. The Traveler wonders though... with 4 large towns in a small area, are there really enough jobs for everyone? He reaches Citta di Castello, which has a regal air, with large churches and a well preserved historical core. Here he sees Moroccan immigrants, suggesting that this region not only provides jobs, but is bringing in new workers as well.

Do they work in the fields? the Traveler wonders. Hopefully he will be able to find someone to give him some answers.

Citta di Castello itself is another gridlike planned city, with some beautiful walled in gardens and decorative paintings on the exterior walls. Here the Traveler stops in the tourism office to ask for a map to follow the pilgrimage route to Assisi. Sure enough, they have a detailed map showing the entire route from here to Assisi. Looks like he will be avoiding busy roads for a long time now and won't have to worry about dead ends or taking a wrong turn.

The down side? It looks like this route is going to meander all over the place. It will actually take him longer than if he just tries to figure it out on his own.

"No... I'm following the map this time" the Traveler tells himself. "I want to see myself as--and be seen by others as a pilgrim for a change.

So he loads up on supplies, and mentally prepares himself for the long hike ahead.

A Natural Water Park

All is quiet as the Traveler follows this winding mountain road, slowly leaving civilization behind. It's very hot, and it looks like he won't be passing through any towns for the rest of the day. Kind of a lonely feeling... In contrast, when hiking in the Alps, he was passing through 4-7 towns every day. Something is different about these mountains...

But my loneliness doesn't last long. Less than 2 hours of hiking, and he comes across a very welcome sight: Far below is a river with a series of pools and mini-waterfalls--packed with people! This is where the folks of Citta di Castello come to escape the heat. It's like a natural water park--except that it's free! There's no way he's passing this up.

He quickly changes into my shorts. The only question is, where do I leave my stuff? he puts it next to an older man sunbathing and gives him the universal gesture of "can you watch my things for me please?" The man doesn't seem to get it. The Traveler figures out afterwards that, since folks are so trustworthy here, it just doesn't make sense that you would need someone to "watch your stuff" for you...

he plunges into the cold, refreshing water... down a waterfall and into another pool... then down another waterfall... Most of the folks are Italian--but there are some Africans and Latin Americans as well. A wonderful, unforgettable moment and the highlight of this day.

Finally, very much refreshed, his continues on his way.

The Abandoned Villages

Armed with a trail map of the region takes the guesswork out of this hike--or so you would think. It looks like there's a side trail that will be a shortcut from the long, windy road. So a bit further up ahead the Traveler takes a dirt path that takes him down to the bottom of the valley, following a stream.

Then the trail starts to fade... fade... until he finds himself scrambling through the brush. he realizes he's at a dead end, so he backs up and follows what looks like a trail that climbs the steep side up the valley... dead end again.

Looks like this might not have been a good idea. he backtracks one more time... this time he crosses the stream where the trail disappears and then reappears. The Traveler breaths a sigh of relief--although he's still pretty uneasy about whether or not he can trust these trails marked on the map.

For the next hour or so it still feels like he's scrambling through the brush on a poorly maintained trail. There are more Ys in the trail, with not markings telling which is the right way. He makes another wrong turn... Finally the path turns into a dirt road as it climbs high up the the hillside... then... ah... a house! He has reconnected with civilization.

The Traveler wonders what life must be like up here in these mountains. He passes a farm with some dairy cattle, then another--but mostly the countryside is wild. He notices a number of abandoned houses along the way, as well as orchards that have been allowed to go wild. This is very different from his hike through the Alpine valleys, where every square foot of usable land is being used, and only the steep mountainsides are wild.

What is going on here? Why did people abandon their farms here? It doesn't seem natural. The Traveler was under the impression that Italians always stay connected with their ancestral land. Again, he hopes to find answers to his questions.

He ponders this as he reconnects with the Assisi route, which follows a paved road. This route is well marked--and there are even signs of places where he can find lodging up ahead. Of course, he could just camp out--but he certainly wouldn't mind finding some accomodation where he can rest his weary legs and get a hot shower. So when he reaches a solitary church with a sign "accomodation for pilgrims", he decides to check it out. He walks up to it and ring the bell. An older fellow peers out the window and then comes and opens the door for him. Yes, there is accomodation... and the price? "Donation" the old man tells the Traveler.

Works for me. He is ready to enjoy his first "pilgrim accommodation".

Actually, these aren't monks running this place. This is a regular family that is the caretaker of historic site. They are having supper and invite the Traveler to join them. It's a heartwarming feeling after walking all day in solitude. They don't get a lot of pilgrims during the hot summer months, and they seem quite happy to have him and give him the full tour of the place.

This place is called Pieve di Saddi, and once upon a time was a full size village. Now, there are only 2 homes that are still inhabited. This village existed since Roman times and of special religious significance. First there was a pagan temple here. Then, according to tradition, a Roman centurion converted to Christianity and was martyred and buried here in a crypt/chapel at the lower level of this building. Later he was canonized as Saint Crescentino. Visiting this chapel with its early medieval feel is an opportunity to ponder on that monumental time in history when the Roman Empire switched from being polytheistic with freedom to practice multiple faiths to Christian...

The Traveler continues the tour. Up in the loft there is another sacred prayer room, where another saint spent extensive time in prayer until he died. Now there is an open Bible at the spot where he knelt in prayer.

This is clearly a very signficant little spot--seemingly forgotten by the world. Nobody comes to worship here any more. Fortunately this family is here to care for it.

But what the Traveler finds most striking is... how is it possible that this area has been populated for thousands of years, with villages and centers of worship--and now is all but abandoned?

His host explains, "people here used to be farmers and herdsmen. But life in the mountains here was difficult and with new factories and farm jobs down in the valley of Citta di Castello, most of them moved down there"

"But why didn't they keep their homes here?" the Traveler asks. He remembers Greece, Kosovo and other places where people go from the countryside to the city looking for jobs and an easier life--but they always remain attached to their native village--leaving family members behind to cultivate the land and building a retirement home to spend their final years in their native village.

"No, they've pretty much forgotten about their villages of origin. Some of the fields have turned into forests again. Some of the land titles have been lost and no one knows who the land belongs to. However, now due to mechanization and outsourcing a lot of the jobs in the valley are being lost"

Suddenly it strikes the Traveler that what he is seeing here is a parable of modern civilization. People abandoning their roots and a hard but sustainable way of life, living off the land in search of an easier life in the city. Then, eventually urban civilization falls apart, always at the whim of the global economy. But by this time people have lost their rural skills and the idea of moving back to the mountains and living off the land feels like an impossible task.

He remembers walking through the fertile Valle del Tevere, with monuments to the wars that have been fought for control over that fertile region. Life in the valley might be easier--but it will not be stable in the long run. There will always be wars and jostling for control. Life in the mountains might be difficult, but secure in the long run. No one is going to try to drive you away and take your land from you.

Of course... the Traveler loves seeing land that is left wild and untouched by humans. And he also think poor farmers in the mountains of Umbria have just as much of a right to pursue a better life elsewhere if they so choose. What he finds troubling here is entire communities losing touch with their roots and homeland. It just seems that somewhere down the road their descendants are going to regret this decision.

Or maybe it's not as irreversible as it looks. When things really get dire in the urban world, people will come back, clear their fields and live off the land once again.

This is, after all, the core of the human experience. Living off of the land. Humans have been doing this for the last 10,000 years. This is probably what they'll be doing for the next 10,000 years. This whole massive urbanization is probably just going to be a short lived experiment, looking at the big picture.

The son comes home--he's an ambulance driver in the city and commutes every day. They all head outside to enjoy the stars and the Traveler pulls out my guitar to play a couple of songs for them. A wonderful experience of connecting with this family.

They talk a bit more about life in the city--particularly about immigration. "Immigrants from Latin America seems to adapt well." they tell the Traveler. "Moroccans, however, tend to isolate themselves. The women usually don't work. This means that with only one salary they will almost always be in need of some sort of government aid, which is a drain on the economy. And they don't seem to want their kids to be very immersed in Italian culture--worried that they'll lose their Muslim roots"

Italians overall seem more open towards immigrants than some other European countries. However, it seems like the clash of cultures is starting to take its toll. And now with the jobs drying up, the Traveler doubts that the attitude towards immigrants is going to get better in the days ahead.

Day 4: The Painting Contest

36 kms, August 4, 2013

Refreshed by a wonderful nights sleep at this 2,000 year old historic site, and after enjoying a nice Italian breakfast, the Traveler bids his wonderful hosts farewell and feels ready to take on the Assisi pilgrimage. After his misadventures yesterday, he's not going to look for any shortcuts today--he's sticking to the official route.

So he follows the winding country road until it snakes down the hillside to a small valley with the cozy walled town of Pietralunga in the middle. After 24 hours of not seeing a single town, it is a welcome sight.

But as he climbs up towards the gate and into its ancient narrow alleys, he finds something that feels straight out of a story book tale: everywhere there are painters. Along the alleys... up the stairways... in the piazza... hidden in the nooks and corners of the town... The entire place is bursting with art, beauty, and creativity. Some are painting the scenery that's in front of them, others are just painting whatever is inspiring them at the moment.

It's very heartwarming--particularly after hours and hours of walking through a countryside that seems forgotten and abandoned--here he finds a true hub of art and creativity. He asks a young painter what this is about. "This is an annual event and painters come from all over to join in. At the end of the day, a panel will choose the best painting and that person will get a prize" the Traveler is told.

He finds a spot in the piazza, with a tower on one side and a nice view of the valley on the other. Here he can pull out his guitar and let his audio artwork blend in with ambience.

Pietralunga was definitely worth the wait. Also, there's a store where he can stock up on supplies. As it's going to be at least a full day's hike to reach the next town.

Then it's time to hit the road again. He picks up the Assisi trail again and gazes back as Pietralunga gets farther and farther... It was a magical little moment of his Journey, and hard to say goodbye so quickly. But he knows he must keep up the pace.

He veers off the paved road and up a trail that climbs higher... higher up the mountain. With civilization behind and the unknown ahead--except for the blistering sun, suddenly he has a lot less energy. He sits in the shade for a while... until he sees a couple other pilgrims pass: a middle age man and a couple of teenage boys.

Suddenly he feels motivated again. "if they can do it, I can..." He gets up and continues on his way. Several times they pass each other throughout the day. Even though they never have a conversation, it is comforting to realize there are other people doing exactly what he's doing.

It is a long long day. The path winds over, around, up, down the mountains... east, west, north, south, until he completely loses all sense of direction. At least it's well marked. There are an occasional country home or solitary monastary, but overall, this region still feels very empty. And with the heat, he has to stop and rest frequently. Luckily he finds a cool stream to bathe in and refresh himself a bit.

Finally, after it seems he's been been wandering through these mountains forever, he goes around a bend... and lo and behold... a new valley civilization--with a wide area of flat farmland... multiple little villages--even a busy highway running through the middle. Frankly, it's a relief to be back in civilization.

This is the valley surrounding the medieval city of Gubbio. For some reason these towns are not officially towns, just frazioni of Gubbio proper, which is still a few miles ahead. Gubbio in fact has 30 frazioni--I guess it makes it more efficient from an administrative point of view. But that means no more "new towns" that the Traveler can count today.

So as light fades, he decides to call it a day and camp out in the fields. Tomorrow will be a new day.

Day 5: The Medieval City

16 hrs, 37 kms, August 5, 2013

The Traveler wakes in the the morning facing a mountainside--with a jewel of a medieval walled city rising up its steep slopes. He truly does feel like a traveling minstrel today.

But before he reaches the city, he must pass through another era: the ruins of a large Roman arena... a reminder that Gubbio was a great city in several periods of Italy's history.

Then he reaches the gates of this great city--a city he didn't even know about a couple of days ago. Layer upon layer the city rises above me, centered a round a large tower/palace in the center. With its gray stone, it does have a more medieval feel than Urbino, which was mainly brick--at least that's the Traveler's opinion. Inside locals go about their daily business, as the market is opening up, much as it probably has for thousands of years.

The only thing that detracts from this city's timelessness is that pretty much all the streets have cars parked in them. I guess they did have to make some compromises, just to make the city more livable in the 21st century. But a few car-less alleys would be nice...

It gives it a different feel to have the piazza be halfway up the mountainside rather than at the bottom, right under the shadow of the grand tower. It gives the sense that this city was planned during turbulent times, when having a good defensive position was paramount. The Traveler takes a few moments to gaze out to the city and valley below, and imagine this piazza full of knights in full garb, ready to head out to war...

He continues on up the steep slope.

Above the city there is an olive orchard, then a couple of fortressess and a long wall--and a couple of health conscious locals out for a morning run up the mountain. He could keep climbing higher and higher, but decides to head back down to wander back and forth through the beautiful alleyways a bit more.

Down in the valley he's reminded that this is, after all an Assisi pilgrimage. Here there is an Assisi chapel, with plaques telling about the events that took place in Saint Francis' life while he was living here--like the legend of the wolf, when he tamed a wolf that was wrecking havoc in the region, promising that the townsfolk would feed it if it stopped harming people and animals. Inside the dark chapel, a lone, elderly Fransiscan monk sits in silence, not moving... A rather mysterious, slightly disturbing sight.

The Traveler is starting to feel a bit of a connection with this fellow, Saint Francis. Beneath the trappings of legend, myth and religious tradition, he gets the sense that he was a real thinker--a maverick who saw things in a different way--a sort of Buddha of Europe. His emphasis on disconnecting from materialism, living a simple life and connecting with nature also seems more in tune with concepts of Hinduism and Eastern thought. The Traveler is also intrigued to find out about his attempts to reach out to the Islamic world, during a period when most Europeans only thought about fighting against Muslims. It seems his attempts that had some success, as later under Islamic rule it was the Fransiscans who were given custody of the holy sites in Jerusalem.

Saint Francis managed to break away from the status quo of Catholicism of that day--yet stay under its umbrella so as to not end up being burned at the stake (as happened to many other mavericks of that era). And although what we know about his life is reported through the narrow lens of centuries of Catholic dogma, beneath it all there's a story of a very unique man whose words reach across the generations and across religions.

Up until now, thinking of Saint Francis brought up images of the enthusiastic but rather creepy cult-like atmosphere of the Fransiscan festival in Reggio Emilio. A bunch of guys dressed in robes, living in a close quarter commune, swearing that they're never EVER going to have sex for the rest of their lives... yeah... that doesn't sound healthy.

But now the Traveler is starting to see Saint Francis as a man with a message that can be useful to many people. Even non-Catholics as himself. This "pilgrimage" he is on is starting to make more and more sense.

Walking from town to town, playing songs about seeking meaning in life...sleeping under the stars... connecting with nature and with my fellow man... Maybe there is a little bit of Francis in me... the Traveler muses.

Another day in the Wild

Now it's time to bid civilization farewell once more. The pilgrimage route takes him along farm paths across the valley... past the site where Saint Francis cared for the poor and sick, according to tradition... then up the mountainside on the other side where he follows a busy road for a short ways before meandering off into the country.

Once again, it looks like it's going to be another one town day, so the Traveler makes sure to stock up on supplies in Gubbio. The countryside is much the same--still a lot of abandoned houses and even villages. There are some cattle ranches in this area, but it's clear the population has declined over the last decades.

Once the Traveler takes a wrong turn and end up in front of a nicely restored stone house with a swimming pool. There a Swiss family are eating their dinner, and they kindly point out a shortcut that'll get him back to the path. I guess that's another option for putting these old houses to use: as vacation homes for folks who just want to get away from it all.

The Traveler reaches the main path again--but then veers off, on purpose this time to check out what looks like a castle. Sure enough. Perched on the hilltop is a 3 story stone building with a courtyard in the center and an impressive tower. Abandoned, but very sturdy looking... You'd think that SOMEBODY would want to put beautiful a castle like this to use? Any takers?

He continues on down the mountainside, greeted with the view of a beautiful lake/reservoir at the bottom. Finally it's time to find a nice grassy spot to camp out and call it a night.

The Traveler is actually really enjoying this camping experience. Unlike in the Alps when he had to deal with slugs, mosquitos and rain, here the night weather is pleasantly cool, dry, with no bugs at all... Makes up a little for the exhausting heat in the day time.

Day 6: The Final Stretch to Assisi

27.6 kms, August 6, 2013

Today the Traveler should be able to reach Assisi and finish his pilgrimage. He is kind of eager to take a break from hiking. Walking all day in the summer heat with only one town a day per day has been pretty draining, and not really his style. But experiencing this "empty region" of Italy has been an eye opening experience.

Sometimes he feels like he's a bit of a wimp, needing to take long breaks throughout the day. Then later he finds out that this week there was actually a "heat wave" in this region that killed a bunch of people! Wow! I guess I am pretty tough! He congratulates himself.

He gets an early start today, following the perimeter of the reservoir from above... then beyond to another little valley and hilltop town of Valfabbrica. Valfabbrica doesn't have the magic of Pietralunga or Gubbio--just a tiny little historic area. But it is a bit of a "base camp" for pilgrims with an information kiosk and even a hostel. He rests for a bit, stocks up on supplies, then continues on his way.

The next stretch of path takes him through a dense forest with refreshing shade, then higher up the slope... through an open field and across a moutain pass, with the valley of Valfabbrica behind, and Assisi clearly visible perched on a hilltop plateau far ahead.

Almost there. Almost there.

Hours pass and this citadel slowly, slowly gets closer... And then, there it is, rising above the orchards on its slopes, is the great pilgrimage destination: Assisi, with the Sacro Convento--the Fransiscan friary dominating the skyline. The Traveler tries to find a way straight up, but no luck, so he loops around to the other side where he finds himself being passed by a parade of tour buses until he reaches the sign which reads "Assisi" with ecclectic group of twin cities: Bethehem, Santiago de Compostela and San Fransisco (the first two you can understand... but San Fransisco?!) Then finally the official walkway leading up to the city, with people's names written on each brick.

But reaching the top where there's a parking lot/bus station with souvenir shops around the perimeter... this place feels just a bit... artificial... After his encounter with the pilgrims in Mercatello... staying in the ancient temple site with a famiy in Pieve di Saddi... the painters of Pietralunga... the alleyways of Gubbio... all very authentic, unscripted experiences, this feels, I dunno, a little like Disneyland for religious people?

That's OK. The Pilgrimage of Assisi is more about the journey than the destination.

The Traveler trudges down the pedestrian street, feeling a bit smug about himself. I got here on foot, not on a tour bus, folks. he pauses to check out the Basilica di Santa Chiara which has a museum dedicated to both Saint Francis and his contemporary, Saint Claire.

Saint Claire was a follower of Saint Francis who established an order of her own of women who dedicated themselves to prayer. Some of the displays show how she was persecuted by her family for choosing this life. Others tell of claimed miracles of how she stopped invading armies by just showing the cross. Not quite sure what to make of these stories...

The Traveler continues on to the far end of the walled city, then wanders back in to explore some of the lesser visited neighborhoods which feel less touristy and more authentic. Finally he finishes off my tour with a hike up to the castle right at the top of the hill, gazing out across the countryside.

He gazes out to the well developed valley stretching to the south, with multiple cities and large stretches of farmland... then back to the "empty quarter" which he just hiked through. He feels satisfied at having explore that region. But he's ready to experience bustling, urbanized Italy once again.

He hops on a bus, and heads down to Perugia where he'll stay the night.

Riding the bus feels weird. A voice in him tells him "you're cheating! this isn't the right way to explore the world!"

But another voice says "Whew! what a relief...