Via di Francesco, Day 23: Poggio Bustone - Rieti

Saturday, June 17
22 km
350 m

Last night we learned Rieti is hosting a big sporting competition this weekend. We then called 12 B&Bs-- and churches, hotels, even the agritourismos miles outside of town-- before we found a room. It felt incredibly satisfying to walk into town today knowing we had a room, and that my rapidly improving Italian acquired it for us. Plus it was 90 degrees by 11 am, and we were really looking forward to getting out of the sun and taking a (cold) shower.

The rest of the day, however, felt frustrating, and my confidence in my language skills diminished with each stumbling, failing interaction we had. Grocery stores with no familiar items, bar orders with so many instructions I didn't understand, a dinner where what appeared before me was, most definitely, not what thought I'd ordered. A day that had started so many promising became a downhill slide of language failure that makes me look forward to sleep, and a fresh start tomorrow. Luckily, every day on camino is a new journey, a new place, and a new opportunity to get it right-- or at least better that today.