Today promised to be a shorter day, and it would have been, but I spent an hour and a half at the most interesting fort. But more of that later. Today's distance was 18.5 kilometers or 11.5 miles.
I passed this on the way out of town. I looked it up online, and the fascinating thing about this saying is that it is an ancient inscription that says, "Do well and let them talk," describing the blabbing and gossip habits of the marketplace.
Today's hike was relatively easy. I had some up-mountain , but mostly I walked along the fast-flowing river. There is always a strong wind in this part of Italy. I have always loved the sound of the wind in the trees. It takes me back to my childhood and the hours I spend at my father's parents' farm. As a child, I loved hearing the summer wind flow through the huge sugar maples in their front yard.
Sometimes the trail gets tricky - like having to squeeze myself through the gap between the house and this construction vehicle.
Life is good. I stopped at this restaurant at almost precisely the halfway point for a coca-cola zero. Always glad for a real bathroom break.
I am in one of Italy's famous wine areas, and part of the Via Francigena called the Chemins de Vignobles.
This beautiful bridge is the "Ponte di Echallod." I stopped here and had a nice picnic lunch of cheese and great homemade bread from the hotel.
Walking over the bridge was just beautiful. I love the color of the water.
This river moves really fast.
A couple of hours later, I saw this little bar. You guessed it - ano er diet coke. This was clearly a family-owned place. When I came in, Granpapa was tending the bar. I know he was the owner because there was a painting of him on the wall when he was slightly younger. Pretty soon, an attractive young lady of about 25 came in. I think she was the granddaughte because there was such a family resemblance. At the end of the building, there was a pizza joint, and two young men wearing aprons were talking outside. Clearly, they were also family. I love these family-owned places.
To go with that cold Coca-Cola Zero, I got something else. They looked like mini cannolis or cigars, but they were crunchy, the filling was far denser than cannolis, And they weren't chilled. I had no trouble polishing them off.
There are so many cute houses in these little villages.
I took so many photos of the Forte di Bard, but this was my favorite. I could see the Fort from miles away. From the Bard website: "The Fort Bard is formed of three main defense stations positioned at different levels upon a high imposing rock spur, the lowest at 400m (437 yards) above ground and the highest at 467m (511 yards). The Ferdinando Opera is the defense structure at the bottom, the Vittorio Opera in the middle, and the Carlo Alberto Opera at the top. There are a total of 283 rooms in the entire fortress."
I took four different funiculars to the top. This is from the first one, looking up.
The view from the top.
Many movies have been made here, including the "Avengers."
In the chapel was this sculpture.
There was an exhibition of paintings by Francesco Nex.
Another view from the Forte di Bard.
What I enjoyed the most was the Monte Blanc exhibition.
These are guides from 1926.
If you can't see it, the title is "Adieu Glaciers." The glaciers are rapidly vanishing. I made my first hike in the Alps almost 30 years ago, and the difference is horrifying. Any fool that doesn't believe in global warming either lives in a vacuum or is brick-stupid.
Looking out of one of the giant arched doors.
Just another view from the tip.
There was also a bicycle racing exhibition. These are the latest and greatest in racing bikes.
And if you are biking the Francigena, you can ride all the way to the bottom. Whee!
I love this quote!
Onward to my final destination. I spent about an hour and a half at the Fort, and as I was coming into Ponte Saint Martin, I hiked on this old Roman Road and through the archway. I am glad I never had to drive a chariot on it; it was rough as a cob.
The view from my Hotel Crabun room - all vineyards.
Dinner was at the hotel. My primo course was this scrumptious pasta dish with a basil sauce and parmesan. It was scrumptious.
My secondi was beef cooked with mushrooms. I took about one bite of the meat, ate all the vegetables, and saved the beef for tomorrow's sandwich. I was full from the pasta.
Not so full that I couldn't eat dessert. This is a blueberry sorbet, and it was the nectar of the Gods. Even fresh blueberries are not this strong in flavor. I did everything but lick the bowl. Now I am stuffed, but it was a good stuffed.
So my friends, prayers for all of you, and good night.
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