Rome/Vatican

"So let me escape the Babylon and let me live in a forest /
Me run away from addiction into the peacefulness /
Me breathing in the energy to love and manifest /
Me storing the adrenalin and put it in me chest /
Me meet a peaceful man he tell me that he must suggest /
To live a life of honesty and modesty and rest /
Him speak to me of energy a pure stabilist /
I believe in evolution I'm an interracialist /
Don't give up, we gonna make it in the end /
Don't give up, tell your neighbour tell your friend /
So cruising through the east from Berlin to Bucharest /
Then all the way to Riga and back down to Budapest /
Me run away from all the games and bureaucratic stress /
The road be getting longer but me never stop to rest OH /
And some of the men me meet is in a no win mess /

Slaving up to Babylon in diamond dress /
But judging is so negative and meaningless /
I try to be peaceful everyday nothing more nothing less /
Don't give up, we gonna make it in the end /
Don't give up, tell your neighbour tell your friend /
So take the collective minds and breed a pure consciousness /
Break the selective lies and media abusiveness /
The waves are now approaching can ya feel the iciness /
The world is gonna change an age into Aquarius /
We're moving at a faster rate then super sonic-ness /
The paradigm is shifting in collective higher-ness /
So make a move and don't get used to babyloniness /
Where all in sufferation in this tiny universe /
Don't give up, we gonna make it in the end /
Don't give up, tell your neighbour tell your friend"

DubFx, Don't give up

Tuesday, 6.06.2017, Rome/Vatican

Yesterday took its toll...had a horrible, sleepless night, but can't pinpoint clearly what disturbed me so much. 

Nonetheless driven by best intentions we went into the city.
But even with a big coffee I felt short tempered and grumpy, definitely not in shape to swim with the crowd.
And again and again...soldiers! Gives me stochmach cramps of sorrow, was tempted to try to talk with them and ask them how they feel facing their tasks. What a pity I didn't dare...!
We took a break in the shade of the ruins they call Castel Sant'Angelo and my day changed.
I fell asleep laying on a bench, feeling sun, wind and my love - and when I woke up my angels had build my castle up again.
Babylon isn't only about dying, it's about living too. About pain and desire, wish and will, about hope and despair, about anger and patience. It's bout all love is about!
Makes me smile to thing about the fact that the most important lesson always waits at the end - and seldom comes from the expected direction!
Have my own struggle with addictive desire, so how could I judge my brothers and sisters.

"Und wir singen im Atomschutzbunker - Hurra!Diese Welt geht unter!Auf den Trümmern das Paradies!"(Annenmaykantereit)

With much more Energy we continued and went into the Vatican (passing soldiers). Impressive... and with impressive queues thats we only passed :). I was completely satisfied enjoying the scenery in company, so we strolled through the streets, having a picnic back in our Castle of angels, with Bavarian Yoghurt and Grissini.
We went on to visit the Pantheon and my lovely must have sensed my pain, cause she asked after just one turnaround "Enough?".
We hunted for a good coffee of acceptable size and price and paid our respect remembering Augustus at his mausoleum.

 
Rome did show me something, isn't she named mother too?!
I perceive her at least threefold, she is tempting beloved, protecting mother and wise old all at once. She may look like a city but she's just another mirror of the essence of humanity.
We're the world, the world is us, in heaven and in hell.

Primecase to Rome (3h/11km)

Babylon

Durch deine alten Straßen wander ich
Herausgeputzt, im Kunstlicht glänzen deine Reize
Tausendfach deine Verehrer
aus allen Ländern strömen sie zu dir
Posieren, staunen, wundern sich in hundert Zungen
Doch hinter der Ecke
In  den dunklen Gassen
Lauern deine Schatten
Der Putz bröckelt und dein Glanz verblasst
Wo find ich deine ewig Seele?
Wo spür ich noch dein schlagend Herz?
Deine Mauern sprechen von Frieden
Doch Soldaten wachen stumm auf deinen Straßen
Während vor deinen Kirchen 
die Lust zum nächtgen Tanze ruft
Oh Rom - modernes, altes Babylon
Glanz und Moder reicht in dir sich brüderlich die Hand
Von Wölfen erzogen jagst nunmehr du nun selbst
Und deine Beute ist der Mammon und der Prunk
Dolce Vita - schöner Schein 
Du magst wohl ewig sein
Doch ewig ist dann auch dein Sterben 
In deinen Mauern bin ich eingekehrt
Als Wanderer nach langem Weg 
Doch seh ich in dein maskenhaftes Anlitz
So sehn ich mich schon wieder fort...

Monday, 5.6.2017, Rome

Scary, ugly, worth to visit... that's my first impression. There is little to tell about the last miles, it was just a boring walk till Passo Corese, where we took the train which brought us into the centre of Rome. As expected the silence and solitude is just a sweet memory now, when we left the train station the busy life of a metropolis was waiting for us. Our hotel is located in the outer parts and here the eternal city has nothing in common with the beautiful pictures on sightseeing cards. Streets and Houses are dirty and old, the trains victim to vandalism, the people rarely smiling or caring about what happening around. But that's the dark side of every big city, so we weren't really surprised.
Intrigued to explore the historical centre, we soon started to the inner parts again.
A shabby train brought us back and we were given a warm welcome by dozens of street merchants trying to sell us useless toys, flowers and selfie sticks.
My lovely girlfriend, who already visited Rome before, suggested to start our tour at the Trevi fountain, where I was shocked first time. You could barely see anything because of the crowd, fortunately I'm tall enough to make a picture without destroying the scenery by having all this people on it.
We left quickly and found a way through smaller streets to the Forum Romanum and the spanish stairs. Of course the buildings and churches are quite impressive, but I couldn't ignore the garbage carelessly thrown into the corners and the urine smell rising up into the light polluted sky. Somehow it reminds me once again on my aversion against churches - Rome feels like a big church with all its good and bad sides.
But what really made me sad were all the heavily armed soldiers on the streets, blocking the way to the collosseum or guarding the entrance of metro stations. What a helpless try to connote a feeling of safety - the only result was a constant reminder of danger.
Not far away the gay community was celebrating a feast of liberation on the street leading towards the highest rated  church of Rome - a strange and obscure combination.
When we came back to our hotel, we noticed that its located directly next to a red light area, where young Italian ladies selling their bodies while tourists secure themselves behind iron fences.
Strange feeling, but somehow matching with my general impression.
Tomorrow we'll visit the Vatican, I'm quite curious what will wait for us....

Wilderness to Primecase (6h/21km)

An die Freude

Freude, schöner Götterfunken,
Tochter aus Elisium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
 Himmlische, dein Heiligthum.

Deine Zauber binden wieder,
Was die Mode streng getheilt,
Alle Menschen werden Brüder,
Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt.

Seit umschlungen Millionen!
Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt!
Brüder – überm Sternenzelt
Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen.

Wem der große Wurf gelungen,
Eines Freundes Freund zu seyn,
Wer ein holdes Weib errungen,
Mische seinen Jubel ein!
Ja – wer auch nur eine Seele
Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund!
Und wer’s nie gekonnt, der stehle
Weinend sich aus diesem Bund!

Was den großen Ring bewohnet,
Huldige der Sympathie!
Zu den Sternen leitet sie,
Wo der Unbekannte thronet.

Freude trinken alle Wesen
An den Brüsten der Natur,
Alle Guten, alle Bösen
Folgen ihrer Rosenspur.

Küsse gab sie uns und Reben,
Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod,
Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben,
Und der Cherub steht vor Gott.

Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen?
Ahndest du den Schöpfer, Welt?
Such ihn überm Sternenzelt,
Ueber Sternen muß er wohnen.

Freude heißt die starke Feder
In der ewigen Natur.
Freude, Freude treibt die Räder
In der großen Weltenuhr.

Blumen lockt sie aus den Keimen,
Sonnen aus dem Firmament,
Sphären rollt sie in den Räumen,
Die des Sehers Rohr nicht kennt.

Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen
Durch des Himmels prächt’gen Plan,
Laufet Brüder eure Bahn,
Freudig wie ein Held zum siegen.

Aus der Wahrheit Feuerspiegel
Lächelt sie den Forscher an.
Zu der Tugend steilem Hügel
Leitet sie des Dulders Bahn.
Auf des Glaubens Sonnenberge
Sieht man ihre Fahnen wehn,
Durch den Riß gesprengter Särge
Sie im Chor der Engel stehn.
                                    
Duldet muthig Millionen!
Duldet für die bess’re Welt!
Droben überm Sternenzelt
Wird ein großer Gott belohnen.

Göttern kann man nicht vergelten,
Schön ist’s ihnen gleich zu seyn.
Gram und Armuth soll sich melden,
Mit den Frohen sich erfreun.

Groll und Rache sey vergessen,
Unserm Todfeind sey verziehn.
Keine Thräne soll ihn pressen,
Keine Reue nage ihn.

Unser Schuldbuch sey vernichtet!
Ausgesöhnt die ganze Welt!
Brüder – überm Sternenzelt
Richtet Gott – wie wir gerichtet.

Freude sprudelt in Pokalen,
In der Traube gold’nem Blut
Trinken Sanftmuth Kannibalen,
Die Verzweiflung Heldenmuth – –
Brüder fliegt von euren Sitzen,
Wenn der volle Römer kreist,
Laßt den Schaum zum Himmel spritzen:
Dieses Glas dem guten Geist!

Den der Sterne Wirbel loben,
Den des Seraphs Hymne preist,
Dieses Glas dem guten Geist
Ueberm Sternenzelt dort oben!

Festen Muth in schwerem Leiden,
Hülfe, wo die Unschuld weint,
Ewigkeit geschwor’nen Eiden,
Wahrheit gegen Freund und Feind,
Männerstolz vor Königsthronen, –
Brüder, gält es Gut und Blut –
Dem Verdienste seine Kronen,
Untergang der Lügenbrut.

Schließt den heil’gen Zirkel dichter,
Schwört bei diesem gold’nen Wein;
Dem Gelübde treu zu seyn,
Schwört es bei dem Sternenrichter!

Friedrich Schiller

Sunday, 4.6.2017, Primecase 

The end of our trip comes closer and the eternal City is already visible on every sign. A last time we had to walk uphill, the monastery of Farfa was our goal.
Unfortunately the scenery changed even more, except a very short time we had to follow more or less busy roads.
As on every day of our trip sun was burning down and we were happy for every bit of shade we could get.
We already had survived the first 10km when we reached the city of Poggio Mirteto, as so often located on a mountain top.
We sat down in the first cafe we found, trying to calculate the wind and choosing a place far away from other customers... guess you could smell every kilometre we walked! Only after I ordered my traditional beer and earned a surprised look, I realised that it was only 9 am - but I'm German, I'm allowed to drink all day!
Logging in to Wi-Fi and checking news brought two sad news... Real Madrid winning the champions league and much more shocking the next attack in London. Fortunately none of my friends were involved, but dropped my mood to think about. Schillers "Ode to joy" came to my mind, that's why I'm putting it at the beginning of this post in full length. How full of hope for a better understanding, how full of actual importance and meaning! May we somehow find a way of forgiving each other all this atrocities and cruelties!
After cappuccini and beer we went on, after long lasting kilometres finally arriving at the monastery...only to find us surrounded by tourists and tourist prices. So we fled soon, climbing up the rest of the distance through dirty, waste filled woods. It's a pity to see how little people care for their environment!
Finally we reached our place to stay, a little village close to Fara in Sabina...only to stumble into the next family celebration. But after a long shower we were able to join normal people and rewarded us with a delicious meal in a beautiful mediterranean garden. Tomorrow waits a full dose of civilisation, cause there is just a short way ahead (on main traffic roads) until we'll finally reach Rome...

Calvi dell'Umbria to wilderness (8h/25km)

To my friend 

I am grateful that you are
That you stood with me so long
That you did not step aside
When I did right, when I went wrong
That you shared my pain in darkness
And my joy under the sun
That you walked with me in silence
And hold my pace when I did run
Thanks my best man!
Thanks forever!
May our friendship last as long
As together we are singing
With one voice the silent song

Saturday, 3.6.2017, Wilderness near Selci 

With new strength we started into the 13th day of our pilgrimage, planning a long walk with uncertain goal. Although there were some small cities on our way, we didn't found a suitable place to stay, so we decided just to walk and see.
We left Calvi dell'Umbria and its narrow alleys by climbing down hundreds of stairs, then following main traffics streets.The countryside now was mostly dominated by fields and little houses, even when we were passing through woods, you could signs of civilisation everywhere around...McDonalds conquered Italy, no doubts!
At noon we passed another beautiful agriturismo and decided to have lunch there...only to interrupt a family celebration again. But we were welcomed warmly, although nobody was able to understand us and we left saturated and ready for the  days second part .
For the last time we crossed some untouched nature until we reached an ancient, more than 1000 years old church, where a information sign explained that Petrus celebrated one of the first Christian mess. A beautiful spot, where the villagers were just preparing for a wedding. It was the third we were witness of and again there was a funeral in the next village. When ever we passed the first, the second was waiting not long after - the circle of life!
In the village of Selci we finally decided to try to stay outside for the night and started to look out for a place to build up our tent. We found a little shop and filled our backpacks with supplies, then started our search.
The guides description made us expecting streets and streets again, but we found the nearly perfect spot.
A small hidden clearing, completely surrounded by old olive trees, the only drawback was that I had to face my arachnaphobia heavily...but what would be life without challenges!
We prepared our pilgrims meal, accidentally nearly burning down the hole spot with our gas cooker and then fell asleep hearing the barking of the dogs around.