We just have phone contact restored now to Pontremoli and can get Internet access for the first time since yesterday's storm. We called Maddie to say we were safe and found three messages from her family who had been concerned about us. Apparently this storm was quite severe, with landslides in the Apennines and people died. We can actually well imagine it as the locals even seem to indicate this is quite unusual. A lovely park at the junction of two rivers in the town was flooded last night. Many trees are lying near the river denuded of branches and leaves. It was quite awesome watching the water raging through the town and pounding past the medieval stone bridges. I don't think we understood how serious it all was till this morning. Very very glad we decided to train down to Pontremoli and not walk. The forecast looked bad and as we were all planning a meeting at Berceto we decided to keep going to Pontremoli. We are now glad, safe and warm.
The photos below are of the river back to normal .... Quite different to the torrent we saw last night!!!
Hi Pilgrim Dyers
ReplyDeleteWhat a tumultous time you are having! Well, this is the pilgrim road!! Holding you in God's light as you go. I saw Paul Castley this week & his eyes were alight as he spoke of your journey: "I told them - just trust God". Unexpected twists and turns, torrents of rain, injury, BLISTERS... my heart is with you. I've had the words of a song running through my mind as I think of you:
You shall cross the barren desert
But you shall not die of thirst
you shall wander far in safety
though you do not know the way;
you shall speak your words in foreign lands
and all will understand;
you shall see the face of God and live.
Be not afraid, i go before you always;
come follow me, and I will give you rest.
(Robert Dufford)
Ultreia! (onwards!)
Denise (peregrina caracol - pilgrim snail)
and Mark