Palestro

Alice, who hosted me first in the village of Palestro. She spent her senior year in high school in Alabama, and is now studying to be a chiropractor in England. She is seen here with her father, Franco, and Alessandra

Alice and her brother, grandmother, and Alessandra. I ate very well in Palestro.

Lorenzo, my second host in this village. Lorenzo is a world traveller who has seen rice paddies from Italy to Southeast Asia.  He walked 10 or 12 k with me the second day I was there.  Alice had rescued me by giving me a ride the previous evening after I'd already walked over 40k, so I made up the distance with Lorenzo the next day. The Alps can be seen in the distance,

Relaxing with the lads

Hot, hard work in a Northern Italian rice paddy

The village of Palestro, where I had two hosts. Palestro plays a big part in Italian history  because of the battle fought there in 1859 against the Austrian army. The Austrians were repulsed, and two years later modern Italy came into being.

Alice and her faithful dog in front of the memorial to  the battle in Palestro