San Quirico d'Orcia to Gallina 7/9/17

7/9/17 Thursday
Day 35

San Quirico d'Orcia- Gallina ?17 km

Very warm, thunderstorms predicted. Angry skies.


Up with the Danish ladies 0630.
Blisters are under control.
Highlights: piccolo snake (baby or poisonous variety?), a private thermal outlet with waterfall I find in which to immerse myself, hills now brushed with a golden plume.

Bagno Village is pretty. I meet Luke and Nell from the UK for coffee; they're heading to Castiglione, so presumably following the Sloways app. Truckloads of tourists descend on the village as I am leaving on the route suggested by Cicerone which will take me to Gallina rather than onto the huge stretch right through to Radicofani.
I walk on uncertain of my way points or distance yet to travel as I follow endless hills.

In Gallina I stay at the only B&B in town and have a very cute conversation in Italian with Fiorella who offers me.....spaghetti with tomato for dinner (again!)

So I head down to the only bar (with adjacent restaurant open only for lunch) in town. The rooms there (which I was hoping to stay in) as described in Cicerone's books were decommissioned years ago. The bar is on the Via Cassia and is owned and operated by a husband and wife team; they rely on the road for trade. The owner tells me Italy is good for immigration but not for the people, who work only to pay their taxes. He is demotivated and lacks funds for re-investment.
I ask for a panini- not possible, he has no bread. Or lettuce. He plies me with free peanuts which I supplement with cake, potato chips and a banana. I double the order to provide for breakfast as well.
Back at camp I talk with the Danish pilgrims and the reticent Brazilians.


10 Breakfast and lunch
35 B&B Gallina
18 Wine and supplies from the bar











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