Around midnight, a man started washing his clothes by hand in the hostel. There was also quite a lot of noise in the streets. I closed the window and fell asleep straight away. Later I woke up again because it was so hot in my room. So I opened the window again. The people had gone to bed, but a cat came to say hello.
I woke up pretty tired after the last tough days. But knowing that I had a new day of walking in front of me always gives me energy. In the bathroom, a sign asked to close the window when you use the toilet. The neighbours had already complained. During breakfast, the kind lady of the hostel came to say goodbye. She even had a second stamp for my passport. When I left, there were already a lot of people enjoying a morning coffee on the Piazza Mercurio. The plaza Aranci is even bigger. The market was just starting around the statue with four big lions. I didn't leave before having a quick look in the cathedral. The marble façade is pretty impressive. Just in front, 4 men were having a look at a broken down car. Time to go! Fully confident I started walking to realise 500m further that I was on the bike route. Bummer, back to start. Afterwards, I found the correct route, climbed towards a church and walked around a castle on a hill top. To reach Capanne, I had to follow the busy Via Aurelia. Most of the time, sidewalks were non-existant. I was happy to reach the village. A bar made publicity with free water for pilgrims. Not a good business concept because the bar was for sale. In the main street, I bought a snack and ate it inside the church. It was not even noon and the temperature was already above 35 degrees in the shade. To add to the challenge, there was a climb to do. I was happy to be away from the busy traffic and the views over the Mediterranean Sea were breathtaking. The narrow streets with lots of blind bends are tricky for cars. There is also something most Italian drivers don't understand. They horn, which is good but they don't slow down. If you horn but round the bend at 60km/u, you are not going to avoid an accident. I made it up safely and started the descent in between two hills. Halfway, there was a rest area where I topped up my water. An Italian couple passed. They had planned to do only 5 days. People walking to Rome are hard to find. The road continued in between houses before reaching Ripa after 11km. I was so hot, but there was nothing open. Luckily, the church was. I spent 40min in there enjoying lunch while cooling my body. The church has a big mural above the front portal. I took a fresh start and followed the path along a water channel. Lots of people were struggling with the heat. A man was cooling his feet under a water fountain, others were enjoying a swimming spot. When people see me, they don't even say buongiorno anymore. They say caldo which means warm. Most probably think I'm crazy to walk in this heat. I passed many marble factories. Carrara marble is big business here. Later that afternoon, I reached Pietrasanta. By then, I was completely dehydrated. I went straight to carrefour for a cold drink. That's when I decided it was too tricky to keep walking. I was close to being overheated. I called my guesthouse for the night and told them I would be late. That was no problem. I would spend some time here and walk the last 9km to Camaiore after 18h. Pietrasanta is an amazing little town. Big art works can be found literally everywhere. The main street has lots of cool little shops and the central square is packed with cosy bars and restaurants. The cathedral of San Martino is built with white marble. There is also the albergo Pietrosanta. I thought it was a pilgrim hostel, but it's one of the small luxury hotels of the world. I continued after 18h. Here the path turns away from the Sea and heads back to the mountain valley. After spending some time along a busy road, I was happy to climb up a quiet hill. The temperature was already lower now. I even got a glimpse of the Mediterranean before making my way down into Camaiore. The via went through a little bamboo forest which was pretty magical. The last 2km are done on a cycle path at a safe distance from the busy road. I went straight to my hostel and arrived around 20h15. It was situated on a nice square with lots of bars and restaurants. The lady behind reception was just enjoying some ice cream. Her husband spoke some French, so we could have a little chat. Stepping into my room was like stepping into the house of your grandmother. But the room was comfortable, clean and the shower was the best in a long time. And there was airco! I enjoyed the rest. My room was just above the terrace of the restaurant, but even a fire alarm wouldn't keep me awake. Tomorrow looks similar as today, 25km in 38 degrees. But then I arrive in the historical city of Lucca where I will have a rest day on Thursday. That will be good for charging the batteries and washing all my smelly gear and clothes.
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AuthorMy name is Dimitri and I'm turning 40 in 2023. Through the years, I have tried to live my dreams. Everything is possible, the sky is the limit as long as you believe in your dreams and work hard to make them happen. Do what you never did before. Go where you have never been before. It will be scary, but it will also be worth it! Archives
July 2024
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