Jenny & Ahmed's Cycling Adventure

Paths 2 The Soul - Episode 013

From San Cipriano to San Giacomo (03 to 07 May 2025)

Countries Visited :

Like at home...

After the magical lights of Corva and the silent ballet of fireflies, our path lit up with an unexpected warmth of human kindness. From garden to clearing, from presbytery to old church, each encounter guided us to San Giacomo, where an exceptional family welcomed us as their own. Beneath thunderstorms or around homemade cakes, between shared coffees, board games, and bursts of laughter, we rediscovered that rare feeling of spontaneous intimacy. An unexpected, gentle, and profound pause that reminds us that travel isn’t only about moving forward, but also about anchoring ourselves, for a moment, in the beauty of a connection.

Under the Fireflies of the Pacifico

San Cipriano → Corva - 51.4 km 🚴

We spent a peaceful night in Paolo and Maria’s garden. By 7 a.m., they invited us to a generous breakfast. Over a cappuccino and an americano, we got to know each other better. Both retired teachers, they also welcomed a young Guinean like a son, helping him integrate and build a life. A beautiful encounter, full of love and generosity. Maria showed us photos from their 40 years of marriage celebration and even offered to connect us with friends near Udine. After saying goodbye, they left for Bolzano, and we quickly packed up camp, we're well-trained by now. The ride resumed, paced by bike paths not always ideal. We passed through villages and small towns, stopping in Rocade where we met Armando and Monica. Later, we grabbed a coffee and nibbled on bananas and peanuts. Today, Ahmed handled the grocery run and sandwich prep, finding a large "Cash and Carry" store. Finding a place to picnic wasn’t easy. Eventually, a fancy restaurant let us sit on a patch of grass near the parking lot. Menu: Philadelphia, radishes, rocket, tomatoes, fresh thyme picked by Jenny, and two exceptional cannoli, the best since our arrival. A quick nap on a bench (Jenny that is 😉) and back on the road. Around the 50th kilometre, we looked for a place to camp. A woman suggested the presbytery. On the way, a family also directed us to the church. In front of it, we met a warm group: a woman who spoke French, a young man, and musicians. They led us to “El Pacifico,” a private and charming forest clearing with tables, benches, shelter, barbecue, everything we needed. Luca and Karl Alberto showed us the restrooms next to the presbytery. Jenny met the priest there, very welcoming. Everyone was busy: confirmations were happening the next day, a big event for the town. Another surprise: the magical Corva fountain, where people from all around come to collect water. Jenny met a little girl on roller skates, a Moroccan family, and other locals carrying bottles and jugs. In the evening: minestrone soup and pesto pasta cooked on the stone barbecues, very convenient. Dishes washed at the fountain. The magic continued at nightfall: a ballet of fireflies lit up the forest. Some glowed steadily, others blinked, creating strange and fairytale-like shapes among the trees. Jenny was mesmerized, like a child. In the tent, a few mosquitoes buzzed around, then a peacock sang into the night, under a crescent moon… a perfect ending to this day full of encounters and poetry.

El Pacifico: haven of peace and bursts of light...

El Pacifico is a bit like our magical clearing. We feel good there. Jenny, still a little congested, starts the day with a hot drink. We wake up very early, already a bit disoriented by the moonlight that shone through the night. It’s a day of rest and work. Ahmed sets up at the central wooden table, then moves higher up because of the sun, and stays there until 4:30 p.m. Jenny has a very different day: after a comforting breakfast with red berry cereal (Ahmed’s favourite), she heads into town without a phone, which she lent to Ahmed for the aloSIM's (Instagram: @alosim_app) data hotspot . She has a cappuccino at a local café and tries to chat with the owner, who is not very talkative. She leaves a battery pack charging there. She also runs into the priest, surrounded as usual, a true pillar of the community. Upon returning, she shares some pastries with Ahmed, then works on the Blog texts before attending the communion mass, which is very moving. The church is full, and the children sing accompanied by modern instruments. Jenny leaves a little before the end to retrieve the battery, her heart slightly heavy seeing all these families gathered together. In the afternoon, we continue working and receive several kind visits: Luca comes to help us recharge the batteries, then the French-speaking young woman and her daughter bring us cakes, homemade jam, and honey, an incredible coincidence, because Jenny had been dreaming of some for two days. And as happiness never comes alone, Luca returns to offer us a night in Corva’s former church, built in 1784. Jenny visits the site with him: a beautiful building with exposed beams, terrazzo floor, and a very special atmosphere, somewhere between sacred and simple. We pack up the camp, transfer our things, and Ahmed sets up his new workspace. Jenny cooks at El Pacifico: homemade bread, green peas in tomato sauce with rice, then washes the dishes at the magical fountain. In the evening, the fireflies once again offer their enchanting ballet. We share a message to the people of Corva, inviting them to come observe the show: As soon as you begin to walk up the path to cross the embankment, you’ll already see them to your left. They light up the whole slope, then the clearing and the monument. Stand still like a tree in the middle of the area, and you’ll witness a magnificent display. And if you're even luckier, like we were tonight, you may cross paths with Mister Hedgehog, out on his nightly round. Warning: around 8:20 p.m., the large yellow floodlights from the electrical cabin switch on and ruin the show. If possible, something should be done to prevent this light pollution, which could drive away your precious little magicians of the night.

Where have the fireflies gone?

They once danced by the hundreds,
lighting up summer nights like stars fallen to Earth.
Today, their glow has grown rarer,
like a fragile breath we forget to listen to.

The night grows too bright,
streetlights drown out their love signals.
Fields are smothered in concrete,
gardens quietly poisoned.

Fireflies do not scream.
They fade gently,
one by one.

But it is not too late.
Let us turn off the useless lights.
Let us preserve the wild grasses, the damp soil,
the dark nights where they can shine once more.

So their spark may return
to dance in our memories...
and most of all, in our meadows.

(Anonymous)

Storm on the road, sunshine in our hearts

Corva → San Giacomo - 51.1 km 🚴

Wake-up under the high beams of the old church in Corva. After using the restrooms before the kids arrive we pack up camp and hit the road by 8:15 a.m. One last emotional glance toward the Pacifico and the parish, thank you Luca Don Stefano and that incredible young woman. From early morning we play hide-and-seek with the storms, juggling bike paths and strategic stops. A small cappuccino after 10 km then Ahmed calls his colleagues under an increasingly threatening sky. At Julianna’s grocery we grab delicious panini and chips just before the sky turns into a dramatic show, black clouds, visible rain curtains in the distance, dropping temperatures. We cross a long bridge always right on the edge of the downpour. The first drops force us to shelter under some arcades. False alarm we set off again. But in San Daniele the rain wins. We take cover just in time in front of a closed supermarket. Thunderstorm, pouring rain, we wait. When a break in the rain appears we rush off for the final kilometres. Bad call, the rain hits harder than ever. Ahmed without a waterproof jacket gets copmletely soaked. Jenny does slightly better with her K-Way. Once we arrive we can’t find the house. The number we were given doesn’t exist. We call Paolo and wait under a shelter. Score: Storm 1 Cyclists 0. Eventually Paolo connects us with Rebecca one of the daughters of the house. She guides us, it really was here, we simply had a bad house number. She welcomes us warmly and offers us a fully equipped annex. Total relief, hot shower, dry clothes, warmth and rest. Then an invitation to dinner. And what an evening. An incredible family: Cibele, José and their three lovely daughters Ginevra, Rebecca and Carlota, joyful atmosphere around a typical dinner, pizza, pasta, San Daniele prosciutto and homemade spicy sauce, then a big family debate about spicy tastes, there are clearly to distinct camps 🔥🌶️ The girls speak impressive English. Ginevra 12, is brilliant and curious. Carlota, a student in Trieste is away but super cool she chats with us via WhatsApp. Rebecca, really bubbly and funny, she's studying in Udine, and is starting her revision period. Everyone asks lots of questions about our journey with genuine interest. Two lovable dogs complete the scene, one never leaves its basket the other only dreams of pizza. Jenny gets along great with both of them. Before bed, Cibele and José kindly suggest we stay one more day, an unexpected break to catch up on the blog. Jenny plans to bake a chocolate cake to thank the family. The girls already invite us to breakfast for the next morning. We fall asleep in our cosy little apartment grateful to Paolo and Maria for leading us to this wonderful family. Oh, and by the way, in the news today, China (Xiao Zintong) has won the World Snooker Championship final for the very first time 🇨🇳🥳🥳🥳

Cake, games and family warmth...

We wake up well rested in the annex. At 6:30 a.m. coffee with the family before everyone heads off to their activities, José and Cibele to work, Ginevra to school, Rebecca to university. A delicious breakfast with Cibele’s banana-chocolate pancakes, then everyone returns to their tasks. Ahmed works on the blog, and Jenny has a sweet mission, preparing three homemade desserts to thank the family. She heads off by bike to San Daniele to do the shopping, without GPS, just memorising the street names. Back home she gets to work in the kitchen, chocolate fondant, chocolate cookies using a twist on Cyril Lignac’s recipe, and Chinese brioche with vanilla custard. The warm apartment helps the dough rise, everything goes perfectly. Around 1 p.m. lunch with the family prepared by José who came back from work especially, a kind of Spätzle, local cold cuts and good bread. For dessert, the chocolate fondant is already being eaten. The atmosphere is relaxed, the girls ask lots of questions about our trip. Ginevra tells us about her love for board games. So we start a round of “Nomi, cose, città”, the Italian version of Scattergories (Autobus Complet that is 😚), played in English. Guaranteed laughter. No losers here, just a good time shared. At the end of the day, all the desserts are a success, and in the evening José treats us to a delicious Brazilian dinner, steaks, red beans, rice, salad and the famous homemade spicy sauce for Ahmed. We spend a warm evening, like with family. We miss our loved ones, but this sincere hospitality warms our hearts. After a few games of chess between Ginevra and Ahmed, we head to our rooms and fall asleep at peace, convinced this special encounter is worth every drop of rain and every detour.

 Feels like home in San Giacomo...

This “off” day in San Giacomo starts early with a small coffee at 6:45 a.m. José has already left but Rebecca makes us a delicious coffee while Cibele gets ready too. Yesterday’s desserts were a hit, especially the Chinese-style brioche with the vanilla pastry cream and chocolate chips, which everyone finds delicious, Jenny is thrilled. We head back to our place so as not to disturb. The day’s plan: work on the Slovenian itinerary, shop for a Greek dinner to treat tand thank he family, and get some fresh air. We explore several options, including a contact in Slovenia through Carlotta’s friend. Around 10:30 a.m., a few solid ideas emerge and we head out on foot to do the shopping. The outward route along the main road isn’t ideal but the way back is quieter and very pleasant. At Spar we buy everything to prepare a good Greek salad, Tzatziki sauce, roasted potatoes and homemade focaccia. Bonus: canned minestrone and bread for lunch. On the way back Ahmed snacks while walking, Jenny lags behind a bit. Once home we enjoy omelette, bread, and especially the strong Friuli cheese (gifted by Cibele) that Jenny loves so much she finishes the jar. A few cookies and then we each enjoy a well-deserved nap. In the afternoon, cooking, working on the GPX file and preparing the bags. The focaccia turns out great fresh from the oven and Jenny takes a moment with Bajio and Lili, the two dogs, for a sweet little break. At 7:15 p.m., dinner with the family: everyone has their favourite, from tzatziki to potatoes. Mission accomplished, we wanted to offer them something special and they really enjoy it. The conversations with the girls are still as rich. Ginevra, impressive as ever, has improved at chess overnight. A little Baileys as a digestif, a relaxed moment for José who’s starting his weekend. Tomorrow he leaves for London with Cibele and Ginevra, poor hard working Rebecca will stay to watch the house and revise. We take some great group photos, including a funny one with Bajio jumping just at the right moment. The goodbyes are getting closer and emotions are rising. All five are such wonderful people, and Carlotta has already found us accommodation in Kobarid, Slovenia, incredible. Cibele worries about us since we don’t yet have a place for tomorrow night. It’s very touching. Leaving at the same time as them will make the goodbye easier… but it will still be so hard to leave such an amazing family 💚🤍❤️

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Stay tuned for more in our next episode…

Jenny & Ahmed