Via Francigena

Piacenza and a rest day. I had fallen behind schedule due to the halving of some stages to get over the Apennines. The alps were challenging and oddly more mentally challenging than physically. I have spent a relaxed 2 days getting to and around Piacenza
One thing I am trying to do is not be a purist and try to be flexible. Talking to the pilgrims each night there are very few that walk every single km of the VF. There are few men that are doing it and they tend to do 30km or more most days and pound it out. Most walk in a linear fashion but catch the bus or train at sections that they don’t want to do. The Po valley which I am entering is one section that few pilgrims walk. I will do a couple of stages and see how I feel about it.
Day 35 Just by chance I called in to the Teatro ticket office in Piacenza to see what was in their upcoming concerts and Riccardo Muti is conducting Beethoven symphony no 7, Coriolano overture, and Mozart concerto no 4 for violin and orchestra tonight! for €13 I got a ticket. Who would think one day I would be hiking through mud and the next going to a concert by a world renowned conductor.
Day 36, time to do washing, visit the sport store for electrolytes and a new pair of socks. Went to the Duomo and heard the end of the organists practice, rested up in the afternoon watching the giro di Italia and took myself off to dinner (tortelli ricotta and spinach with sides of salad and potato). On the whole I’m not too impressed with Piacenza and it’s certainly not why I remember. It seems quite run down and dirty with litter everywhere. The old town is mostly a residential town with beautiful churches and Teatro. Even in the old part of town You have to dodge cars busses, cyclists and motorbikes all going at top speed. In the alps the nights were cold and the days just right for walking. Now I am on the plans it is hot. The temp today is low of 18 and high of 29.. this means my 26km will include carrying an extra litre of waterLäs mer