7th May 2016 -my birthday and day off in Acquapendente to rest my tired body!
Beautiful weather and zero km
Of all the pilgrims I have met along the way – at least 20, and nearly all of whom have walked to Compostella at least once if not twice, three or even four times over different routes – none are taking any days off and all seem to be struggling to get to Rome in time to start their journeys home from Rome, as all have some reason to rush home. Thus they are constantly counting backwards and calculating whether they need to make longer stages to meet their deadlines. …so I’ll lose these pilgrims but may meet up with others. As, for me, this walk is more about the travelling than the destination and as I know I will be sorry to finish such an undertaking, I want to make the most of it and will have 15 days to do 11 stages and after that an extra two nights in Rome. And I think I’ll be pleased to be walking alone again (or at least not knowing others on the road).
And what an incredible surprise it was to find that the great majority of pilgrims are Italian! Over the last two years the only Italians I encountered were “mtimw” and another couple for a couple of days, whereas in the pilgrim registration book in Radicofani 90% of the pilgrims were Italian. However almost all are only walking the last section of the Via from Sienna with a few from Florence or south of Florence.
Today I slept in as there had been some sort of very noisy male-only celebration in the little piazza below my window until the early hours of the morning… I was presented with a forgettable typical Italian breakfast until the owner-cook Katia (who told me she’d gone to bed at 2am) then provided real bread and some sheep’s cheese which I love and a big pot of tea. She is not sure yet whether I can eat here tonight as big groups are booked in for dinner – she’ll tell me this afternoon whether I could perhaps eat earlier or later. I suggested that she might recommend another restaurant and she laughed as she said ” it won’t be as good as here” which I can believe!
I set off to walk around the centre of this little historic town, after making a trip to the excellent bar from yesterday for a cappuch and a delicious little ricotta cake, which I didn’t really need. This is one of the best cafe/pastry shop/bar/gelaterias I’ve ever seen in Italy and whenever I’ve been near it people were constantly going in and out. The welcome is warm and the food and drink delicious!
This town is probably of Etruscan origin and developed in the 9th or 10th centuries. I could still see vestiges of the city walls. Queen Matthilda of Westphalia built its most famous church in the 10th century dedicated to the Holy Sepulchre with a chapel in the crypt which is an imitation of its namesake (long story so perhaps consult Wikipedia…). Because of this chapel, it seems that the town was sometimes referred to as “Jerusalem” while that city was in the hands of the Orthodox Church or others. Some information says that rather than being a stop on the Via Francigena it was also the final destination (Jerusalem) when that city was occupied…
Also on his way to Rome, our own San Rocco stayed here in a hospice and effected miraculous cures until he was turned out of the hospice and continued his journey to Rome. I saw a large statue of him in a church complete with his halo, stick, dog and two large scallop shells on his shoulders but it was encased in a glass cabinet so difficult to really see. None of the churches is very exceptional.
This is a very lively place with everyone out and about, with many older people out shopping or meeting friends, and is very clean and well-maintained. There is a sense of pride about the town which seems to have a population of around 5000 people. There are flowering plants everywhere and in several streets there are green wooden frames nailed to the walls with several flowering pot plants in each of them. These would have to be watered regularly so I wonder who does this…
I saw a fellow in a truck with a lift hammering into the facade of the Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank and I asked what he was doing (I thought he must have either been repairing the sign or putting up a video-surveillance camera) but he was putting a flag support into the wall and placing a city flag in it. Dozens of these flags were placed along the streets of the centre for a fete tomorrow and I saw him several times after that around the town centre and we were then on smiling terms.
Tomorrow is the festival for the Mini Pugnaloni, which are large panels each of which has an original design built up in mosaics, dedicated to the local Madonna, and which are covered with fresh flowers and leaves in the colours of the underlying designs during the night before the fete day, called “the white night of the Pugnaloni”. Tomorrow’s version is for children whereas the real one (3rd Sunday in May) is next week. So I will not see this unique festival.
I discovered some wonderful small specialized food shops (didn’t see a supermarket in the centre) and I have stocked up on some food, probably too much, for tomorrow. In the fruit and vegetable shop there was a quote of Oscar Wilde painted on the wall!
The woman in the bakery, which will be closed tomorrow, counselled against slicing the bread I was buying to be able to make myself a sandwich as it would dry out. However she did slice it and then produced a plastic bag for me to put in it once it had cooled, as it was just fresh out of the oven.
The deli which had a wondrous selection of starters, first or main course foods insisted on putting each of my choices in a separate container, so as to maintain their individual flavours, but I have since consolidated them! This shop must be a non-cooking foodie’s dream place.
Am now about to get a fix of the wonderful gelato which I’ve seen so many people eating! Hope I don’t spoil my dinner (if I manage to get in at my hotel restaurant).
Later I got into the restaurant at 7:30 before the expected guests would arrive. I was astonished to be taken to another dining room I hadn’t seen before which was set up for another 24 people! I was served without any stress and offered the full menu as well as the dishes of the day which I chose – good choice as it turned out!
Delicious cream of asparagus with salsicca risotto (al dente perfect!)
Main course of tender chicken tagliata on a bed of rocket and tomato salad with side dishes of spinach and little roasted potato pieces which were crunchy on the outside and so soft inside. I was told that they were cooked in an oven…absolutely delicious. After this, surprise, I couldn’t manage a dessert as the dishes were all a bit much for a pilgrim stomach so I really needed the digestive tisane afterwards.
When I was leaving at 8:30pm the guests were just starting to arrive, mostly young people. Tables were set up over three rooms with several long tables and the young man said over 90 people were expected, they could choose from the menu (although a couple of groups had chosen a set menu) and there were only Katia, the older woman chef, and another cook in the kitchen!!! I asked if this was one of the best restaurants in the town/region and he smiled and said he thought so! How lucky for me to have got in here by chance and on my birthday!
If Katia hasn’t transmitted her recipes and techniques to the next generation this restaurant’s future will not be assured. Each time I have seen her she is so laughing and positive, obviously the soul of the place. Yesterday afternoon I was drinking a tea and using my iPad in one of the dining rooms and there was the inevitable TV (everywhere in bars and restaurants in Italy!) and Katia was sitting watching a soap opera…a moment of respite.
This shows once again that people can have high quality lives even in small towns! Now off to prepare to get back on the Via tomorrow after what has been a lovely interlude. I’m looking forward to going to bed!
So nice to have an easy day and soak up the best of Italy.
PS. I have just seen groups of older children wearing similar vests running through the streets so perhaps they are off to decorate the Mini Pugnaloni for tomorrow.