My room in the mini hotel in Quincinetto was in the basement. Every time somebody in the building flushed a toilet, it sounded like my room was going to flood. But I slept well. The heavy rain during the night didn't keep me awake either. Breakfast was served in a tiny room that looked like an underground crypt. It was all very cute. I asked for an americano coffee and the lady came back with a cup with maybe 2 tea spoons of coffee. Euh?? But then I saw she also brought a jar of hot water so I could top up my cup. Aha! I will have to get more used to the Italian habits. At check out, the lady warned me for a hot day. And right she was.
It was Sunday. In front of the church, two men were having a little chat. For the rest, not much was going on. Big contrast with the main road a bit further. Literally hunderds of motorbikes were going I don't know where. I passed an abandoned factory and a monument of somebody who had died here before the Via Francigena led me to a quiet path. The heath was intense. If you see white clouds on my pictures, they are fake, they didn't give any shade. I walked through hamlets like Torredanielle and Cesnola which are at the bottom of the last mountains before the plains. The path did little ups and downs, but was mostly flat. And then you start dreaming and then you miss a turn. Luckily, I quickly realised. The road to Rome is very well marked, but you have to keep looking hé Dimitri. The church of Settimo Vittone must be the highest building in town and that's were I had to be. By the time I arrived, I was sweating like a snowman in the desert. I sat down under the porch of the church, lay my tshirt to dry in the sun and enjoyed an apple. Later, the path continued around a rocky hill. Footing was treacherous here on loose rock. I was very careful. No twisted ankles for me please. Once in the hamlet of Montestrutto, I walked through a full carpark. There is a zipline and rock climbing park here which was very popular today. I had lunch while people were flying through the air. Montestrutto also has a castle on the hill. Not spectacular, but there is one. In the afternoon, trees brought some welcome shade. The village of San Germano has little houses stretching along the mountainside. They are balmetti or wine cellars. Inside, it is always 8 to 10 degrees because of currents of cold air from deep inside the mountain. Natural airco. I wish they had opened a pilgrim hostel in one of these. Two kilometers further, Borgofranco d'Ivrea. This town will host one of the stages of the Giro this year. Hopefully there will be more people then. Today, there was literally nothing open except for the church. To cool down, I took a little siesta inside the impressive building. Thank you god for the refreshment. The last 8km of the day brought me through Montalto Dora and further to the stunning Lago Pistono. There they have a really nice castle on the hill. The medieval chateau comes straight out of a movie scene. The Via Francigena goes completely around the lake. A squirrel came to say hello. It was already pretty late when I arrived in Ivrea. I was surprised to find a Lidl supermarket open on a Sunday evening. Very convenient. Then straight to my bed for the night: Albergo Luca. The place is run by a very friendly Chinese man who answers yes to whatever question you ask. If the question is a bit strange, the yes is followed by hihi. After the necessary shower and some healthy food, I went back into town. In Ivrea, three buildings stand high above the rest: the cathedral, the castle and the hospital. The castle towers are really massive. Around 23h, it was still 26 degrees. Different groups of young people were coming together outside to have some fun. I went back to my room, because tomorrow, there is again 20km to walk and afterwards I plan to camp next to a lake.
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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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