Today was a reasonably easy day - 13.2 miles and only two small mountains to climb.
What a delicious breakfast I had. There were two slices of blueberry tart and two slices of pineapple cake, with all of the flavors of pineapple upside-down cake. My Mom always made fabulous pineapple upside-down cake when I was growing up. Has pineapple just lost popularity? I never see it in desserts anymore. There were also two slices of pound cake that I didn't try. And I didn't eat four portions of dessert -- only two -- one blueberry and one pineapple.
The Tenuta Grand Paradiso was sort of in the middle of nowhere, and I am not sure what the draw would be other than the Michelin quality restaurant. Tenuta means estate. Yesterday's taxi driver picked me up and dropped me off at the end of yesterday's hike.
This morning, my starting point was the Arco di Fausto Cecconi, a famous Italian aviator, and war hero who set the world aeronautical record for duration and distance in a closed-circuit non-stop flight lasting 67 hours and 13 minutes and covering 5088 miles. He was killed in 1931 as a result of an in-air explosion.
There were many beautiful estates today as I am bearing down on Rome. When I saw this driveway, all I could think about was I wouldn't want to have to go up or down that driveway in snow and ice.
Looking back on Monterotondo. There was a long stretch where there were no markings. My first Camino angel warned me of dogs ahead, and then he waited in his jeep until I passed the guard dogs. Off he went with a save. My second Camino Angel was on a bicycle. Three young Italian men were riding their bikes, and one young man tried to tell me there was a problem dog ahead. All I understood was dog. He pointed just beyond me and then continued on his ride. As I stopped to get one of my hiking sticks out, he returned with a large bushy branch and gave it to me for protection. How nice!
I am closing in on Monte Sacro, a suburb of Rome. I went from total farmland to busy urban in the span of a small hill. Monte Sacro is known for the Plebian Revolt of 494 BC when the poor people took up residence in rebellion against the Patricians.
I stopped at a pretty little bar for a bite of lunch. Another one of those bar sandwiches, but this one was cheese and tomato. Bags of Fonzies were prominent in the potato chip rack, and I had to try them. Something different. They are pretty good, similar to Cheetos without the cheese.
I had included dinner at the hotel. The dining room looked more like a room set up for a banquet rather than a restaurant, but looks are deceiving. My first course was Bruschetta Mixta with one toast covered in truffles, one covered in tapenade, one with olive oil and garlic, and my favorite olive oil and fresh tomatoes.
My secondi was Pollo al Limone -- your basic chicken piccata but no capers. It was scrumptious, but chicken piccata is one of my favorite dishes, so it started with an advantage.
And dessert was a pastry with raspberry marmelata. I am going to have to get control over my eating the very second I get home. I have been a -- oink-oink -- pig on this trip.
Tomorrow, Lord willin', I arrive in Rome. It has been quite a journey, but it is not quite over yet.
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