• Trip to Italy and Spain
    This is the other market we checked out today. Still no cow heads...
    My cappuccinoOfficially pilgrims at the Lucca cathedral in the rain!Lucca streets with cool architecture.The Elisa Gate to the Lucca city walls.The wall runs around the old part of the city.We are on the "Via Romana" on our way towards Rome.Here's my pilgrim credential with the first stamp.

    In Lucca and officially pilgrims

    February 12 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 54 °F

    We spent the morning in Florence. We went to another marketplace looking for the cow's head butcher counter, but apparently, that is no longer a thing.

    We walked to the train station in the rain with our pilgrimage rain ponchos and rode 90 minutes to Lucca. Again, it was raining, so we crossed the city wall and walked to the cathedral to get our credential or official pilgrim passport for the next 9 days' journey. We are officially pilgrims on the Via Francigena. Then we walked another mile or two to our room for the night.

    We'll step across the road to the grocery store and get some supper as well as supplies for breakfast and lunch. It is supposed to rain again tomorrow.

    Our destination tomorrow is Altopascio. We have been told the walk is not that beautiful through high traffic and urban areas. We will see. It is about 10 miles, and we need to check in between 3 and 4 pm. Tomorrow, we are at a typical pilgrim establishment (bunk beds and shared bathrooms). It is donation based.    Read more