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Eileen Joll

Eileen Joll

traveled in 6 countries Read more
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    • Costa Rica
      Our "front porch"

      Arriving in Costa Rica

      December 31, 2024 in Costa Rica ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

      After spending a week in Cocoa Beach with our family, we headed to the Orlando airport to catch our flight to Costa Rica.

      After arriving at the San Jose airport about 45 minutes late, we sailed through customs & immigration. Rather than taking a taxi, of which there were plenty, I was set on using Uber. Three Uber drivers accepted our trip to Alajuela, only to cancel on us. When the 4th driver showed up, it was a quick 15 minute trip to Alajuela's town center and our hotel room.

      After checking in, we went out in search of dinner. Many places that Google said were open were, in fact, not. We were tired (the first airport run had been at 4:00AM ) and getting frustrated so we went to a bakery and picked up a couple of things, then made a stop for a bottle of wine. The bakery items were not very good.

      On getting back to the room, we tuned in the radio broadcast of the Penn State football game. Eileen started searching through the TV channels and found ESPN, so we watched the Spanish broadcast. We were both tired and falling asleep before the game was over. We ushered in the new year asleep.

      Wednesday morning was spent exploring Alajuela on foot. This included checking out the cathedral by attending part of the mass. The town looked better in the light of day and after a good night's sleep.

      Our hotel room included breakfast but instead of serving it there, they sent us over to another small hotel a few blocks away. Our place only had a handful of rooms and was family run. Not sure if there were any other guests in there place.

      Around 12:30 we got our bags and had an Uber pick us up to take us to Grecia, where we have a house for the month. On arrival, the owners and their grown son were there. The son, Christopher, lives on the same property and speaks excellent English because he went to grade school in Houston for a couple of years. Laura speaks a little English and we didn't hear a word from John.

      We were very pleased with the house which includes a kitchen, living area with multiple couches and a recliner, two bedrooms, San alcove with a desk, and a laundry/ miscellaneous area with treadmill and a desk, a "front porch" of sorts, and a small covered garden in the back.

      No sooner than we arrived, thunderstorms rolled in. During a break in the rain we headed out to a grocery store and walked by the main town square for a quick look. Our initial impression of the town is favorable. No sooner than we got back, the rain started and was pretty continuous until after 7:00pm. We did not venture back out.

      The forecast for the next week looks pretty rainy and this is not totally the rainy season -- confirmed by Christopher.      Read more

    • Italy

      A sudden change of plans

      September 24, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

      While hiking to Siena, Jeff started having vision issues with his left eye. When we arrived in Sienna we went to the University Hospital emergency room. We were able to see an ophthalmologist that evening who determined that he had a tear and a bleed in his retina. They asked us to return the next day in hopes that the blood would have dissipated and a simple procedure could be done to fix the problem. We went the next day, but the blood was still there and surgery was indicated. We could have had the surgery done in Italy - we had complete trust in the doctor - however, the recovery process would be weeks and we wouldn't be able to do even the simplest of touring. So for that reason we booked a flight home the next day. Jeff has an appointment scheduled with surgery to follow. We are thankful that the issue occurred when we were in a major city and not a small village. The two weeks we had in Italy were phenomenal and we are thankful for them. I'm sure we will go back another time to complete the trip.Read more

    • Italy
      Piazza Publico
      Fountain in Piazza PublicoVery large pizzasSiena CathedralSiena chapelThe goose districtCheck out the table legs!Or this works on a hill too

      Siena

      September 23, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

      Eileen and Brianne, our friend from Boston, did just a little bit of touring in Siena walking mostly around the shopping area and the major plazas. The Piazza Publico is the very large main plaza with a fountain similar to one in Rome. Around the edge of the plaza is an area that was one used for house racing. And circling the plaza are very old, tall, medieval like buildings. It is definitely the central point of the city. We also walked (uphill) to the Piazza del Duomo, where the very beautiful Cathedral of Siena sits. There was a long line to get inside so we just took in the massive outside with its sculptures and mosaics. We did go into the chapel across the plaza which was more impressive than most of the churches we have been in while in Italy. On our way back we stopped at the Church of St Catherine in the goose district. There are seven different districts in the whole old town area and there were a lot of geese in the goose district. Siena is very hilly and no space is wasted. See the pictures for a glimpse of how they use all space.Read more

    • Italy
      Morning view from our monastery room
      Good morning!Monteriggioni in the distanceMuch of the walk was on this. This and hills is why it is good to have hiking sticks!An occasional castleWe found a surprise "pop-up" pilgrim rest area. He had drinks and snacks for donationsSheepSiena in the distance

      Abbadia d'Isola to Siena

      September 22, 2024 in Italy ⋅ 🌩️ 55 °F

      We left the Abbada monestary and walked 1.5 miles uphill to the town of Monteriggioni. This town is a medieval fortress town on top of a hill. There are 14 towers and you can walk on top of walks between the towers. It was Sunday morning and early so we had to wait for the cafes to open. When one opened at 8:30, we had breakfast and got sandwiches to go. This is another day where there will be no more services until we get to Siena. Most of the day was a "later, rinse, and repeat" kind of day. Uphill, downhill, past a vineyard or olive trees or countryside, and then do it again and again, occasionally throwing in a couple of castles. The hills weren't very strenuous, just continuous much like a roller coaster. It was a pretty day but not the most exciting day. Arriving in Siena, we were tired and enjoyed a beer. We will stay in Siena for a rest day tomorrow.Read more

    • Italy
      Beautiful morning!
      A local hunting for rabbitsOld city wall entranceA wedding celebrationThere were many pilgrims on the trail todayCrossing the river one of many timesBelle and MonicaWalls of the city upon leavingOne of multiple crossingsWaters Blue from calcium carbonate, algae, and microorganisms​Some of the local wildlife along the Elsa riverA rare close-up of the wildlifeA wedding just finished as we arrived at our roomFrom the courtyard of our accommodations

      San Gimignano to Abbadia d'Isola

      September 21, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

      We started the day a little earlier today since it was to be closer to 80 degrees. We stopped at a bakery to fuel up and then left the walled city on the other side. The city has a prettier entrance on the side we were leaving.

      Today was more about rolling hills. Leaving the city, the fog was lifting from the valley making for our first beautiful scenes. At one point there was a choice to go the original route, or to go a little shorter, suggested route . We chose the suggested route. The first six miles went by quickly once again through vineyards and farms, hilly but not as strenuous as yesterday. We stopped at what we thought would be our halfway point in Colle di Val d'Elsa, a rather large old city and suburban area. While walking through the city we passed a wedding and a baptism.

      We left there following the signs and our map app. The signs led us through a beautiful wooded area walking by the river Elsa with several waterfalls. We crossed the river via big boulders several times. It reminded me of the state parks at home. It was a local's favorite for hiking and swimming.

      Upon exciting this beautiful area we expected to have about 3 miles to go. But then we saw a map that told us we had about 5 miles to go. Apparently, the trail we took was another variation that we didn't know about. Back on the trail we again followed the signs and the app map only to find out that somehow we ended up on the original trail adding another mile to the trip bringing our total for the day to 17.25 miles.

       Just before the end of our day, we stopped at a cafe for a well deserved break. We spoke to two ladies from Paris who were on a pilgrimage to Assisi. They were Monica (86) and Belle (72). They had walked the same trail we did today. Belle spoke French and a little bit of Italian, English and Spanish. Monica spoke French and some English. Somehow we managed to have a wonderful 20 minute conversation.

      Eventually we found our way to an old monastery (1001 ad) that has been converted into a museum and hostel. It was a beautiful place and a wedding had just taken place in the church. We were able to eat dinner in the courtyard and relax for the evening.      Read more

    • Italy

      Gambassi Terme to San Gimignano

      September 20, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

      We started our day with a breakfast with other pilgrims. Today was just a 10 mile hike, but it was mostly uphill. We started off with a nice downhill but then hit a very long uphill. And it was 75 degrees and sunny. 75 doesn't feel that warm until you are walking miles uphill.

       Though all of the pilgrims left from the same place, leaving 5 - 10 earlier or later can mean not seeing many people along the way. After a nice downhill, there was a long uphill followed by a downhill and then a 2 mile uphill. There was no place to stop for food and drink adding the way. Though it was short, it was a hard walk. The scenery though was once again very look beautiful. We walked through/by many, many vineyards and no less than 6 wineries.

      We didn't see our hostel friends along the way but today we met Willie and Noreen from Glasgow. Willie is 83 and Noreen is 72. They started their hike from the Italy/Switzerland border and have been hiking for a month already. They have done many hikes and walk 6 miles everyday. Willie explained about the "monroes" in Scotland, mountains with peaks greater than 3000 ft, asking with some good hikes to do in Scotland.

      We have seen many more pilgrims the last couple days. Most are from Europe or Australia, although we have me Laurie and Judy from Florida.

      We arrived at San Gimignano hungry and ready for a rest. We were too early to check in to our B&B but they did let us leave our backpacks. We are sharing a room with Brianne here.

      We had some lunch and then walked the touristy streets of the old town. Many people come here for a day trip from Florence or stay here to do wine touring. The town is known for its towers. It used to have 72 in medieval times but now has 10. After checking in and taking a nap, we sat in the piazza, had wine, and people watched. Next we had dinner followed by gelato from the world best gelato place, or so they advertise!
      After walking around a little more, we turned in early hoping to get an early start the next morning.      Read more

    • Italy
      Leaving San Miniato
      Our morning viewOther pilgrims on the trail of rolling hillsOur Australian groupSo many vineyards and they pick the grapes by handFinding fun things along the wayOur ending point for the day.Our pilgrim dinner - people from Belgium, Australia, Italy, and USA represented here.The church attached to where we stayed. The building is from the 1200's. Notice the shadows

      San Miniato to Gambassi Terme

      September 19, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

      Today was 15 miles of the true Tuscany rolling hills. Beautiful countryside of farms, vineyards, and olive groves, plus a little forest. The pictures cannot do this countryside justice. The landscape is so artistically created like a patchwork quilt. And even though it is the end of the season for so many crops, it was still beautiful. It was not as long a day as yesterday but the up and down hills were continuous and the last 2 miles were straight up. Also, since it was through farmland and vineyards, there were no cafes or places to stop. We had to carry our food and enough water for the trek. We were tired when we arrived.

      When we started walking today, we saw many groups of pilgrims leaving the piazza where we were having our morning coffee. It was comforting to know that there were more pilgrims on the same journey.

      We met a group from Australia, two ladies from Florida and a couple from Scotland. We spent the night at Ostello Sigerico, an old church and monestary converted into a pilgrim's place to stay. Here we met a couple from Belgium, another lady from Australia traveling alone, and a family - mom, dad, and two young children in strollers- from Italy, and again saw an Italian friend from yesterday. We meet an Australian couple who had started in France mid-July and where planning on reaching Assisi in early October. They carried camping gear for when no accommodations or services were available.

      Our hostel a church and former Monastery, offered wonderful lodging and a pilgrim dinner. I believe the building we stayed in dated back to the 1200s. It was fun to be with so many others on this same journey. Some of these people are only here for a week or so, others are traveling to Rome like us. Maybe we will see some of them again, or maybe we will meet others. Only the trail knows!      Read more

    • Italy
      The first goats of the hike!Lots of Vineyards and Olive grovesPinocchio is from this region

      Altopascio to San Miniato

      September 18, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

      Today was a long day. We hiked 18.5 miles. The day started with a light drizzle on and off. It wasn't too bad and kept the morning cool for hiking. Our day took us through a little bit of highway, but mostly through farmland, vineyards and over dykes. And then, after 17.5 miles, straight uphill. We should get used to it since most of these towns were built during the medieval time frame and were built on hills for protection. Most days will end with an uphill climb. The scenery today was calm, peaceful, and beautiful, even though it is fall and the crops are about finished.

      One of the fun things about doing a trip like this is meeting people along the way. Yesterday we saw two pilgrims but didn't have a chance to talk to them. Today we met a lady from Italy who was hiking alone for four days. She was able to get four days away from her family and child (aged 6). Many Italians walk this trail in stages. I'm sure she will come back another time and do another section. We also met a group of people from Australia and Scotland who were hiking together. In that group was a mother and daughter. Later we met a husband and wife who are hiking a different trail. They started in France and are hiking to Assisi. They have been hiking for 50+ days and have only seen other hikers for the last 2-3 days. Many days they hiked through areas with no places to stop for food or shelter so they had to carry everything to eat and sleep! They have about two weeks left until they finish their trip. Once we reached San Miniato, we showered and then went in search of a new plug adapter. Europeans use different plugs. The adapter we have used has worked on other trips and in Florence and Lucca. But in these smaller towns, they have different plugs. Since we use our phones for directions and pics we had to find a new adapter. We found a store where they spoke no English and we couldn't ask for what we wanted in Italian so, yeah google translate. We typed it in our phone, in English, the guy read it Italian and we got what we needed! The conveniences we have today.

      Next we had a very nice dinner of pasta with mushrooms and truffles - something the area is known for. For dessert we had tarimisu and tarts.      Read more

    • Italy
      Pomegranate treePears!Raised crops off of the ground - great ideaThe trail had been well markedOlive treeEven good things must come to an endMagnolia plant

      Hiking day 1 - to Altopascio - 12 miles

      September 17, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 68 °F

      We left our room around 8:30 and started walking toward the city walls. First stop was a cafe for a light breakfast, enjoyed in the open air of the Piazza. Leaving there, we headed in the direction of a sporting goods store to shop for trekking poles. The good people at TSA in Boston had confiscated Brianne's. I guess she looked dangerous. This last 5 times she flew with them, no problem.

      We took a rather roundabout way to the store but we eventually made it. In a few minutes, the poles were in her possession and we headed to the marked trail to continue our journey.

      Today's hike was 97% paved surface. At times we were walking very busy roads but other times were like country lanes and neighborhood streets. Generally, we found it nicer and more pleasant than anticipated based on what we had read.

      At our lunch stop, Eileen and I split a pizza. How special on our anniversary. Taking advantage of lunch stops today and tomorrow, I think the following two days have nowhere to stop.

      When we got into Altopascio, our first stop was for a beer. It felt good to sit and enjoy it. Then on to our room. We are staying at Villa Lucca, a gated property. Our room has a beautiful wooden floor and large, old wood furniture with marble tops. A short nap for Jeff and showers for both prepped us for dinner at a Moroccan restaurant. When they heard us speaking English, they sent for a young (teenage) girl to interpret. The food was good. We headed back to our room, Brianne was staying at a nearby hotel.

      Our hope is to get a good rest. We have an 18 mile hike tomorrow.      Read more

    • Italy
      The city wall
      The main gateFrom a top the towerSan MartinoSpritzers and bruschettaA beautiful evening sky

      Lucca

      September 16, 2024 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

      Today was a very relaxed day in Lucca before we start hiking tomorrow. We started by walking the wall around the city - about 2 miles. The top of the wall is a very wide paved area for walking, jogging, and biking. It is a nice way to see in the old city and get a view of the main city of Lucca. We also walked by the original old gates into the old city.

       We followed this with a bakery lunch and a little nap. Next we climbed 231 steps to the top of a tower to get an even higher view of the old town. There is a garden at the top of the tower.

      Later is was a spritzer and bruschetta for an afternoon snack. These are common appetizers in the Tuscany area.

      Later we met our friend Brianne from Boston. We originally met her on our Camino hiking trip in Portugal/Spain. She is going to hike the Via Francegenia with us. Together we walked to San Martino so she could get her first stamp and then had dinner. We got back to our room for an early to bed night. Tomorrow we hike!      Read more

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