My bed in B&B Dona Nobile stood under a low roof and that's pretty cosy. There was even a little window in the roof. Sadly no stars, but the relaxing sound of falling rain before I fell asleep. Every time I got up, I had to be careful not to hit my head. It went well every time until I forgot once. Auwtsch! I slept very well and got up around 7h30.
After a good breakfast that I had bought the day before in the supermarket, it was time to hit the road. What a shock when I came outside. Thick dark clouds in the sky, the streets were wet from the overnight rain and it was only 18 degrees. To start my day, I had to walk through the medieval streets of San Gimignano one more time. I marvelled again at the huge towers that seem to be everywhere. Hundreds of tourists were already walking towards the center. The central square was filled with a big market. Even early in the morning, people were already standing in line to buy icream from the best gelateria in the world. Without a warning, it started raining. Most tourists don't know the concept of a rain jacket. They use umbrellas. Not the small ones, no, massive ones. It just doesn't work in these narrow streets. I almost lost an eye while navigating my way through all these huge umbrellas. With everybody walking into town, I was the only one exiting it via the Porta San Giovanni. Five minutes later, I was alone again. The contrast couldn't have been bigger. In a meanwhile, it had stopped raining. I followed a road, but there was a sidewalk, halleluja! Looking back, there were stunning views over San Gimignano. I made a quick stop at the peaceful monastry Monteoliveto with free toilet. Later the Via Francigena left the road and took a path which lead me deep into Val d'Elsa. As far as the eye could see, there were forests, olive orchards and vineyards. No flat walking though. Every descent towards a little creek was followed by another climb towards a hilltop. Tuscany is beautiful even under a cloudy sky. Now and then I passed a house, but most of the time I felt far away from civilization. I took a first break under a tree and enjoyed the views and the bird songs. After crossing the Torrente Foci, I had to make a choice. I could continue through the rolling hills or walk through the medieval town of Colle di Val d'Elsa. I took the last option. This is also the recommended route in most guidebooks. Just when I had decided, it started raining but this time, it was pooring down. Time to get my rain jacket out. That was a while ago. From 42 to 18 degrees in 5 days. I was happy the heat was gone, but heavy rain brings its own problems. The dusty path became very slippery. On top of that, my shoes are no longer completely waterproof after 6 weeks of hiking. I was sliding over the path getting soaking wet for 10mins when I came across an abandoned shed. I decided to have an early dry lunch. There was even an old chair I could use. After 30min, my stomach was full and the rain had stopped. I continued climbing to come to a concrete road which led to the suburbs of Colle di Val d'Elsa. At first, I was a bit disappointed, but once I had crossed the suburbs and approached the majestic entrance gate, that quickly changed. This medieval town at the top of a hill attracts less tourists than the famous villages, but it's definitely worth a visit. It's internationally recognized for its fine crystal glassware. The statue of a boy blowing bubbles is really cute. And they have a museum on Pinocchio. Once at the end of the hilltop village, there is a path that takes you down to the lower modern part. There is also a lift, but today it was out of service. To get out of town, I had to walk 2km along a busy road lined with garages and big shops. I crossed the river Elsa on a pedestrian bridge. There ended my urban experience and I returned to quiet gravel roads. I passed through hamlets like Scarna and Strove. They are often not more than a couple of houses hidden in the Tuscan hills. The last part of my day went through a forest and then downhill through an olive orchard. At the horizon, I got a first glimpse of the fortified village Monteriggione. That's for tomorrow. I would end my day 3km before in Abbadia d'Isola. This place has 10 inhabitants and consists of an abbaye, a bar and a couple of houses. I had booked myself a bed in the abbaye. When I arrived, there was nobody at reception. So I phoned. The man on the phone was like mama mia, you are late. I thought but didn't say: " papa mia, it is only 19h". Luckily, Sara was in the building. She is from Venezuela, lives here and runs the hostel. She was the first to have a detailled look at my pilgrims passport. I would soon find out why. Everybody who walked longer than 30 days doesn't pay here. So a free night for me. I was again the only pilgrim tonight so I had the whole dorm to myself. Sara spoke Spanish so I could talk a bit with her. I wondered how she ended up here. She was a successful nurse in Venezuela, but she had to flee the country after problems with the authorities. She didn't want to go into details and almost started crying. Venezuela is a dictatorship. Sara is now a political refugee in Italy and her future is uncertain. She would love to go back home, but it's impossible. Heartbreaking! Sara said I could use the food in the kitchen, so I made myself pasta. The shower was cold, but there are worse things in this world. Before going to bed, I wandered around the monastry. Pilgrims have been spending the night here for more than thousand years. I had been lucky today and didn't get wet that much. Hopefully the same tomorrow. Then I will discover the medieval Monteriggione before continuing to Siena. That makes another 23km and brings me at less than 300km from Rome. In Siena, I will meet up with a good friend and enjoy my 7th rest day. Happy days ahead!
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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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