Tuesday 1 October 2019

Rest Day No. 1 - Look beneath the surface

My first Rest Day on the Way of St Francis is at the Santuario della Verna, where St Francis lived some 800 years ago.

A place of holy buildings:


Basilica 

And spectacular views:


Rest days  - which I usually plan for once a week - are a chance not just to rest feet & legs, but also an opportunity for contemplation.

For long after the forests, hills & views have faded, you want to take care of all your Memories.

There are two Memories I'd especially like to share from Week 1.

The first is from Consuma, where I stayed at Hotel Miramonti.

Sandy Brown's Guide describes it as "threadbare, but friendly".

At first sight as you walk across the car park you do see the Threadbare.


But this is a hotel whose owner is fighting on, as wonderfully described in the following review:

So, please, take a few minutes to chat with the friendly & helpful owner before you judge the hotel.



My second memory is from Stia.

Leonardo Pieraccioni's best known film - & one of my favourite films - is Il Ciclone:


The film was shot in 1996 in Stia's Centra Storica, especially the Bar La Plazza.

The film stars Pieraccioni as Levant Quarini, a suave, young accountant.

[Editor:
Ric still talks a good game about being an accountant.
And long, long ago he was young.
He has never been suave!]

In the film Levant falls in love with Caterina, a travelling Flamenco dancer.


The Bar was close to the hotel I was staying.

I popped round...

And there sitting at an outside table was Caterina herself!!



"Bentornato, mio amore !!"

From the Bar I heard a so familiar voice...

He was born Dino Crocetti.
But you'll know him as Dean Martin.

Only the one song to sing & Deano was singing it!!

That's Amore


 As Bob Dylan said:




A tremendous first week on the Ramble to Rome!!

Ciao, Ricardo 🇮🇹

PS

A Gay Tarantella ?

To save you wondering...

A happy dance from Southern Italy.








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