Palestra to Mortara 11/8/17

11/8/17 Friday
Day 15

Palestra-Mortara by train 20 km

0845 Thunderstorms begin as forecast

We take a 30 minute train ride to save a day's walking on painful feet in bad weather along a flat and repetitive landscape.
Both Palestra and Vercelli train stations are neglected and dirty.
Arrive in Mortara where a barman assists with my phone call to Abbey St Albino for accommodation. Walk to supermarket for ample supplies and then a further 2 km to the abbey where an Italian-speaking keeper called Maria welcomes us. We communicate successfully using single words, phrases and gestures. Italian women like to poke fun at 'lui'!.
Eat and drink our ample feast out in the sun, visit the church and the abandoned restoration project on the adjacent property.
Four other Italian male pilgrims here also. Rain in the afternoon. A large dinner with wine provided proves to be a huge challenge to eat after our afternoon spent gorging.
After dinner the lights out and the Italians are immediately asleep.
Restful and quiet.

2 Bar
17 Supplies
0 Train
14 Pharmacy
20 Abbazia San Albino




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