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  • Day 3

    Well, Ciao Pilgrim!

    June 22, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 91 °F

    After our walking tour in Florence (“Firenze” to us now), we felt we needed to do some more training for our hike, so we set out to discover a few historical landmarks. We found the Ponte Vecchio (which translates to “Old Bridge”), built in 1345 to cross the Arno River and is one of many engineering achievements in Florence from the Middle Ages. People still live in apartments on that bridge!

    We became a bit turned around and lost for an hour or so, but finally found the Basilica of Santa Croce, sometimes called, “the Mausoleum of Italy.” There were so many people dying to get in, that we felt lucky enough to skip the line and walk our Credenziale del Pellegrino (Pilgrim Credential/Passport for The Way of Saint Frances) up for our very first pilgrim stamp. We didn’t feel a thing… and only 35 more to go!

    We even fit in a little tour of Dante’s childhood home. And, that place was no joke! It was hell to get there. (That’s divine comedy, people!)

    After paying our respects at the tombs of Galileo Galilei, Machiavelli and Michelangelo, we left the cathedral ready to carbo-load today and hike tomorrow.

    p.s. If anyone reading this post is worried about our mapping skills (Travis, Jen R, our families, the citizens of Italy…), don’t worry! We are too.
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