28th May 2015 San Gimignano to Abbadia a Isola
20.9km
Fine weather all the way but getting quite hot in the middle of the day.
Shorter version:
Had a good breakfast with a view to die for from floor to ceiling! Walked up through San Gimignano before visitors arrived. Left the town in glorious weather and walked to Santa Lucia (no bar there), then on dirt roads through fields until Colle di Val d’Elsa, on to San Marziale on busy road, then on small dirt roads until Abbadia a Isola and into the hostel. Apart from a fall just before arriving (not serious), all going well. Wonderful reception at hostel (including a very moving welcome ceremony) & my aggressive fellow pilgrim becomes a friend.
Longer version:
I woke early to the sound of birds when, until last last night, it was only sounds of people in the streets. As I’d not had dinner in the restaurant I didn’t know it had a plate-glass back wall floor to ceiling with views over the whole valley (& this only a *** hotel!) so as well as having reasonable sustenance for my body I also had soul food as I ate. So beautiful.
I slipped up to the post office to try my Swiss post card in their bancomat (as it was rejected by a couple of bancomats which did not seem to recognise this type of card) but no luck there either. I hope it works in Sienna as it has worked before (& is supposed to work all over the world…). All the piazzas were full with a market being set up and perhaps this is a weekly happening as many local people were buying fresh food. Saw the streets without day-trippers.
I set off just as the first tourists from buses were entering the city and I saw many motor-homes with Dutch number plates going towards the town.
I was quickly out in the countryside with both fabulous views back to the town as well to the gorgeous green Tuscan countryside – undulating with olive groves, vineyards, woods, fields under cultivation, and valley after valley. No photo could do it justice. I walked to Santa Lucia along the road (no bar there…not looking good for a cappuch) and then got onto tracks which went steeply down-hill (& it’s well known that what goes down must go up…) through farms & olive groves. I passed a beautiful farmhouse (they were all very prosperous-looking) and there was a lovely fountain with a quote of Saint Francis of Assisi so I filled up my bottle (have to rehydrate for my cramp…) and then continued walking on little dirt roads.
I came out onto a little tarred road and met an older gentleman walking along the road and he spoke to me – he is 90 next birthday but I was a little sad for him as, apart from his family, there was apparently no possibility of social contact for him ( no bar). Then onto a track through undergrowth which was sodden and full of mosquitos…so as soon as I emerged from this I applied my repellent (bit like closing the gate after the horse has bolted…). Continuing on small roads and tracks until Castiglioni at the entry to Colle di Val d’Elsa where I finally found a bar for a coffee just before noon! I didn’t need to walk up-hill to visit the beautiful old town as I’d already been there some years ago so continued on through the modern lower town to the road going towards San Marziale. It was getting very hot and I still had a long way to go… When I arrived there I sat under some trees to eat the remains of last night’s dinner which were good! Then off again up-hill through vineyards and farms on dirt roads. I was really seeing the countryside. Eventually I was approaching Abbadia a Isola on the edge of the road when, on a curve, I stepped back to avoid an on-coming car going quite fast and was on the ground again. No way to get up without taking off my back pack but no damage done which some Arnica cream to my shin and some Arnica granules couldn’t fix – however I was happy to arrive at the hostel which is in what was a Cistercian abbey founded in 1001 (Sigeric called it New Town in his documents) on a hilltop in a swampy area (why it is called an island) which welcomed pilgrims from its foundation until the start of its decline in the 14th century.
The church is Romanesque from the 11th century and is a treasure in cream coloured stone very similar to that in Chianni. The monastery is now been restored and is taking in pilgrims again since 2012 (with volunteers from a “hospilalero” Confraternity of Santi Cirino e Giacomo) and I am fortunate in being here tonight where I’ll have dinner and breakfast provided for a donation.
When I arrived I had been preceded by the three Italian male walkers (forewith known as My Three Italian Make Walkers – mtimw). I was fortunate as Paola put me in a second room &, as another couple who were expected didn’t arrive, I had the room to myself. I went to visit the church which is beautiful and tranquil. In the village this evening there is a “happening” to raise money for charity where it seems, according to the girl in the local bar, well-knows chefs are coming to prepare dinner for €35 a head, with a couple of big marquees set up for waiter service. I’ll be eating in the ostello which I am sure will also be good. Have just been speaking to Paola and Luisa who are here for a week as “hospitaleros” and are members of the association of Saint Giacomo in Montagnana, one of the seven walled towns near Padua in the Veneto area which I visited some years ago, so we were able to chat about that beautiful region and exchange information, especially on the painter Giorgione whose work, in the cathedral there, was being restored when I was there in 1999. His work is also represented in several of these towns and it is known he really visited the region as the walls of Montagnana (completely intact) figure in the background of several of his works.
Later: At 19h00 we pilgrims (I and mtimw…) met with Paola and Luisa for a very moving ceremony in which we were seated while Luisa washed and then kissed one foot of each pilgrim in turn as a sign of welcome while Paola read to each of us a prayer of welcome and a wish for the force to complete the pilgrimage. We all were very touched by this gesture even mtimw. Then we had a delicious dinner in a very convivial atmosphere and I ended up becoming good friends with the most aggressive of the Italians, Lucio, who has previously walked from Canterbury to the Gt. St. Bernard Pass & is completing the walk this year from St Rhemy), plus his two friends Mariano and Ivano (who joined him in Lucca for the walk to Rome). They are all from near Bolzano in the Alto-Adige province which borders Switzerland and Austria. One of them explained to me that the problem in Altopascio was that Lucio was used to being the first to use the shower whereas I had slipped in before him and he thought I was wasting time… And a very warm and laughter-filled evening for all (until 21.30 and then off to bed) and a wonderful end to a good day.
The spirit of the pilgrimage at its best. I can start to identify more with Chaucer’s pilgrims (who walked towards Canterbury…like Sigeric). Perhaps I begin to understand more Alison Raju’s dedication in the guidebook “to all those who begin their journey as a walker and end it as a pilgrim”.
Dinner consisted of spaghetti with tuna in a light tomato sauce with fresh oregano added at the last moment (good!), a delicious zucchini tart, emince of pork, lettuce and tomato salad, fennel salad, fresh onion, cheese, bell peppers stuffed with tuna, and fruit to finish. All accompanied by red wine & good Tuscan bread. We had no reason to be envious of the people outside…
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