Monteriggioni to Siena 3/9/17

3/9/17 Sunday
Day 32

Monteriggioni-Siena 20 km

Warm, sunny, a change in the weather

Loved the walk today. Left 0600, walked through enchanting forest dripping with cool dew.
Lanes, fields, gentle hills. Met and walked with a Melbourne couple.
Managing blisters and toenail infection.

Finding significance in circumstance: sunflower picture hanging on the wall of my shared room in Santa Luisa convent, the book I pick up in Gambassi with the inscription, “for Laura”, the ICU nurse Marco I meet and the experiences my friend Riccardo has had with death and dying.
My friends are spontaneous, I am glad of their inclusion of me despite a language barrier.
I understand jokes by interpreting gestures and tone and enjoy the merriment.
My friends here are also Tangatawhenua. The men are so chivalrous.
The generosity of the VF providers is remarkable as they receive no financial gain. They must be serving their divinity; they do not question the virtue or motives of the pilgrim.

Entering Siena evokes a feeling as experienced on arriving in Santiago on El Camino. After turning left, I enter Il Campo- the splendid arena/piazza with my pilgrim friends. We lie on the paved ground in the sunshine and drink beer. Farewell Flavio and Jovanna.

Onlookers in Siena must know we are pilgrims- we are loud, gregarious, uninhibited. We lunch on wine, grappa and shared desserts.
The kindly nun gives me a room with ensuite and 3 other beds, whereas the rest share a small space.

Tomorrow heralds change as the last stage begins and I am to farewell Riccardo.
I have felt young, carefree and have embraced any opportunity. I have found a richness on this pilgrimage because I am on my own. There is a higher spiritual/religious/Catholic component in comparison with El Camino.
Marcello's stop is memorable- he freely offers food, drinks, and a toilet to pilgrims. I stop there with the elusive Brazilian girls.

I walk around town with my friends. There's a procession of costumed young and old bearing flags, banners and beating drums.

I suddenly and unexpectedly feel a little lost, forgotten and supernumery

15 Lunch
4 Donativo Marcello's
3 Pizza in a bag eaten while walking around following my friends
10 Accommodation St Luisa (do not attempt to use the washing machine, and forgo breakfast)






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