The Gran San Bernardo Pass

Skier with his dog

Statue of St. Bernard at the pass

Dinner at the San Bernardo Monastery

Looking towards Italy

Coming down the Italian side of the pass

Art work that is part of the Etroubles outdoor museum

At the monastery with Frederic (left), Jean Marie and Hilaire

Quart Castle

With Francesco and Renato (Rai television crew)

Statue that is part of the Etroubles outdoor museum

Maurizio runs La Clausaz, a restaurant and hotel near Etroubles

Aosta

Gran San Bernardo Valley

My fatty fonduta in Aosta

The dreaded SS 26

Giulio and Leonardo

Bridge at Bard

With Giulio at Pont Saint Martin

Sign just outside of Ivrea

School trip in the hills near Ivrea

Sergio Sarasso, mayor of Roppolo

Drinking from the new fountain for pilgrims in Roppolo

With Rinaldo, Mima, Luca, Neva, Catarina (duck) and Anuk (dog)

Italian flag flying to celebrate Liberation Day

Band in Vivarone out to celebrate Liberation Day

Fundamental if you are going to share a room with Giulio

Canal near Santhia'

Giuseppe Leoni (who goes by Leo)

Giulio Tassi

Giulio and Leo search for the trail

Panissa Vercellese, risotto specialty from Vercelli

Dinner with members of Amici della Via Francigena in Vercelli

School kids in Palestro meet me as I enter Pavia province

Kids in Palestro

Tractors for rice fields

Canal in Pavia province

Santino Magnani and Nevio Musuruana

With Carlo Carmagnola and Nevio Musuruana in Tromello

With Luigi and Alessia who took me across the Ticino by boat

Ettore who helped drag me the last few kilometers to Pavia

Ottavia, Carla, Tiziano, Fernanda, James, Valentina, Tiziana and Joakim come down to Pavia from Milan to say hello

Tiziana and Massimo, part of the Pavia welcome committee

Joakim and Claudio on the train tracks near Orio Litta

The train arrives

Walking on the tracks near Orio Litta

Sign on Danilo Parisi's house

Danilo Parisi transports pilgrims across the Po river

The Po River near Calendasco

Getting directions for Berceto

Elke and Fabrizio from the Prosciutto di Parma Consortium

Poppies near Berceto

The Baganza Valley after the rain

Carl and Claire drying out

The Baganza Valley

Carl

Going towards the Cisa Pass

Where are we?

Every seen a bridge before?

Discussing the ins and outs of testaroli with Marisa

The Cisa Pass

Mixed fried fish at La Filastrocca

Spaghetti allo scoglio

Testaroli al pesto

Pieve di Sorano

Amature bike race near Pontremoli

Marisa Ricco' cutting testaroli

Vineyard near Filetto

Don Alberto

With Carl, Claire, Joakim, Cesare and Otta

On the road

Pilgrim's best friend...the grass cutter

Above the clouds

Bibola

Church at Bibola

Bibola resident

Bibola

Cesare and Carl after the climb

Near Sarzana

Coming down to Sarzana

Antonio's solid rubber statue

Marina di Pietrasanta

Cesare trying to make his GPS unit work

On the beach in Marina di Massa

The mountains behind Carrara

Carl enjoying the sea

Breakfast in Pietrasanta

Piazza Duomo a Pietrasanta

The good life in Pietrasanta

Giulia Vance

If only the whole Via Francigena was like this

Not the real thing, but pretty nevertheless

With Carl borrowing oranges

Cesare arriving at the top of a climb

The Serchio river near Lucca

A piece of the Medieval road near Altopascio

Flags flying in preparation for the Palio in Fucecchio

Carl, Claire e Cesare on the approach to San Miniato

With Cesare and Carl in San Miniato Alto

San Miniato Alto

Tuscan countryside

Is Tuscany perfect or what?

San Miniato Alto

Vineyard near Ponte a Cappiano

Part of Medieval path near Altopascio

Maurizio in Ponte a Cappiano