Gallina to Radicofani 8/9/17
8/9/17 Friday
Day 36
Gallina- Radicofani 17 km
Sun and clouds, cool with breezes
Up 0500 for 0530 start in the dark.
Follow farm lanes to Le Briccole where
an abandoned and decrepit San Pelligrino church with an adjacent
hospice is documented as a major stop in the 13th century.
Peaceful climbs. Follow a river, meet
the Brazilian girls; I swim and build Zen.
Pass more abandoned buildings- some of
which are new projects; I'm told later this is due to mafia
extortion.
Music on. Walking easily without pain.
Feeling very elevated.
Pass sheep in a barn; I'm acutely and
uncomfortably aware of my freedom and of their captivity.
Views behind to Castiglioni and ahead
to Radicofani.
Wooded paths into the town,
motorcyclists are heading there too.
Purple crocuses are pushing up through
the ground.
Paths lined with herbs.
Passed a wild dog with puppies and a
burnt forest where a white dog appeared out of the charred scrub-
certainly looked like a wolf. Goats roaming. White cattle.
After midday I'm sitting in town at a
park under pine trees where I drink cheap red wine from a carton and
eat fresh bread. I haven't yet had many chances to soak up ambiance
like this. I strolled through town and as the supermarket lady had
already delayed her lunch for me, I hurriedly bought the wine which
now is my only source of hydration.
Pine cones and cicadas, the swaying of
the pines and crickets in the night.
The ferocity of the summer has passed.
Radicofani is a protected world-site.
The cute streets are decked in medieval flags, potted geraniums and
tiled signs. The tower holds significance – it was bombed by the
Germans June 1944 and rebuilt.
The reticent Brazilians agree it was
wise to split the last days into two stages.
The life of the pilgrim is fascinating:
we're all in one room with our meager belongings and all about us are
sleeping bags and packs.
Enjoyed today and the spirit of other
people.
In the Ostello kitchen I meet
bare-chested Giancarlo, bath towel around his waist. He has Italian
ethnicity; his family emigrated to England. Within a short time we're
talking about the MOL and God. There are feelings of unity.
There's a white-bearded Russian pastor
here on pilgrimage.
And, disappointingly, Giancarlo was not
sporting a gold medallion around his neck.
10 Accommodation St Pietro
25 Supplies and food
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