Awestruck by Venice!

We had a great time in Venice! (We head out today) It was really another world. We our staying on the other side of the canal much like staying in Algiers instead of NO. Our hotel is right on the water and we take a water taxi over. It has worked out well as we get free rides on the water and we can get away from the crowds. We stayed on this side for a more authentic Venetian dinner eating  in perfect weather  outside with great views. The Bolognese lasagna was our favorite, our first plate, which is so weird to me, they serve the pasta first and then your main meal. Scott had a fish he never heard of fresh from the lagoon and though it was served fully intact he enjoyed eating like the people here. It has been a vacation of food!! I've never eaten so much, they serve a huge basket of delicious bread before every meal which I can happily say I've been able to enjoy. Seriously, this is huge for me!

So our minds so powerful, I had been trying to convince myself I don't have a problem with gluten for a couple months now yet my crazy brain kept coming up with evidence to the contrary. It wasn't until I was sitting in the basilica of St Francis receiving my blessing for having walked the pilgrim trail that it dawned on me, (easy to let my mind wander as I had no idea what was being said) I had evidence that I'm not!!! Everything is about what we concentrate on, everything! I can make my reality whatever I want it to be. I realized there were times walking when I allowed my attention to go to my pain and it took away from everything else. I couldn't pay attention to my surroundings and I was wishing my day away. When in contrast, I let my attention go outward, I could enjoy my time walking through all the wonders of a new landscape. I struggled with this some and by the time I reached the statue of St Francis standing over me in Assissi I balled. Full out explosion of emotion, exhaustion, relief (didn't realize I still had the last long hill still ahead of me). It was an experience I can't much explain, but he was telling me I am worthy of his blessing. Shortly after that experience, I was blessed three different times. The last one by Pope Francis who stood above Scott and I as we once again stood in a sea of people inside the borders of the Vatican last Sunday. Again, no idea what he was saying but we could feel his heart going out to us all. This was a true highlight of Rome for me.

Back to Venice.....Scott and I pretty much jumped on to the first open gondola we saw with Matthew as our gondolier. It was the perfect time of night with the sun getting low and temperatures just right so despite having just gotta there the time,we right. He took us through the quiet channels, over 150 channels on the island with over 500 bridges, a bridge engineers dream. He avoided the grand canal which we walked our later for a glass of wine by the largest bridge. This has been a vacation like no other. I really enjoy talking to the people here and learning about their way of life. We spent most of the day yesterday in San Marcos Square, sorry my photos all on my camera, this place was sensational, so much so, it often looked and felt as if we were inside a Disney park. Our time inside the basilica another highlight, which also seems weird to me, never thought id be one to enjoy the churches and learning the stories of religions. This morning we will head to our final destination, Chianti.

Scott and I take a City tour of Rome

Day 13 Valfabricca to Assisi- Our Journey Ends

We made it!! Once again Sandy misled us saying it was an easy mostly flat all till the last steep climb. I'm not sure what road he took. We went up and down several hilltops some through forests some through town, and some through fields. It was another gorgeous day and the rain they called for didn't come till this evening so our rain gear we brought with us today went unused. There were a few uphill climbs where the rain would have been welcome. We found another great lunch stop in a  partially finished house where pilgrims had made a makeshift table and benches from 2 by 4s. The view excellent looking back into the valley where Valfabricca sits. As we got closer to Assisi We could see the buildings perched on top of the city. The basilica a giant. We got to town about 3:30, the path took us directly to the basilica where we got our credenza stamped and received our official document. We walked through the Basilica where St Francis is buried in the lower level. We even attended a short mass where they honored the pilgrims of the day with a special blessing (so I got that going for me). We were hoping to meet up with the Germans and sure enough,  I see Ingrid first thing as we enter a sea of people. We even sang with them outside for a farewell departure. They were really warm and friendly people. It feels both awesome and sad to be done. My feet very happy we are not going all the way to Rome. The four of us had a nice dinner and we will say goodbye to Susan and Sonja tomorrow as we head to Rome, by car ;)

Day 12 Biscina to Valfabricca

Scott got in last night about 8:15, our hosts waited the four course dinner for his arrival. We had a wonderful conversation with Evo, one of five sons who owned the gorgeous property. The served us olive oil from their fields. They also grow grain for pasta. He told us about an abandoned castle across the valley where they enslaved st. Francis for a time. Great night! This morning we woke to gorgeous fog over looking the valley. After breakfast Scott and Susan enjoyed the view as sonja and i took off for our long hike. Today was a day of castles, we walked from our place last night into Biscina, population 25. The only thing in town was an abandoned castle. It was another gorgeous day so Sonja and I had lunch on the back deck of this old castle, more granola bars and cheese. We explored the remains, three stories high before taking off again. Once leaving the castle in Biscina we could see the castle where we would be spending the night, Castello di  Giomici. It was across a valley and high atop another hill. We walked for hours never getting any closer to it and often our path took us further away. We had time in the forest and along gravel roads with sweeping views. We could still see the distant mountains of Gubbio. Today was a real struggle for me. Scott brought me another pair of my shoes but while they helped my toes they gave me more blisters on my heels. I was in pain for most of the day. We walked from about 9:30 to 5:30 rescued by a van of Germans we had seen throughout the day. We first noticed them in Gubbio when we were headed out of town, about 20 of them traveling together. Then today they caught up to us. We entered an old church as they were all going inside. They started to sing inside this little church, the sound vibrating off the walls and throughout our bodies. It felt magical, serene. It made me wish I could sing along. We sat and listened with our eyes closed for a couple songs and then snuck out. I was excited to ring the bell in the tower as we left using the rope I noticed laying along the wall. We took off quickly so we would not be walking among them, I like my nature time people free. We caught a glimpse of them one other time as they were rounding a bend on another slope. We thought they must have gone another way until we saw some of them late in the day headed down the highway. I suggested we follow them thinking maybe they may know a shortcut into town. Shortly after though we see them filing into a van and taking off the other direction, so we kept trudging forward on the highway. Just a couple minutes later they turn around and pull over motioning us to come. They squeezed us in the van and took us into Valfabbrica dropping us at the town square. We had our first spritzer drink, a common drink here, and waited for Scott and,Susan to come get us to take us up the hill to our castle. We made it in time for a quick shower before 8:00 dinner served downstairs. Our room has windows three feet deep. It is really an old stone castle. I wish we had made it for Sunset but we did get to see the full moon out our window. It is supposed to rain tomorrow, the clouds already flying in, it felt like Werewolf in London as we peeked through our window.