Daily descriptions

So It's the next morning, and since I only have to walk 20 km today, I thought I'd do this as well.

Day 91
After having a strawberry ice cream breakfast on a public bench, I set out into the world again. About halfway there (haha) I met a group of 29 people, half German half Italian who where walking to Rome in 3 etappes. The jovial people invited me for lunch, and after a great lunch I walked the rest of the journey with those who wanted to walk. (About ten, because the rest of the day was only asphalt). It was great fun, good for my Italian and very good for my state of mind. We walked to San Miniano Basso, where a roadsign pointed pilgrims to a hospice. We said goodbye (they slept in a hostel since they where with so many) and I went to the Misericordia where a nice room awaited me. The guy who took care of the pilgrims made me a very nice printout and wrote everything down carefully.

Day 92
After a carrot and fruit breakfast it was time to set out again. A lot of nice, rather muddy country roads awaited me and I got to see more than one big snakes! I saw a lot of footprints so I was expecting to meet the large group again, but that didn't happen. I did meet a couple who where going to Rome by bike, but they had a flat tire. I arrived in Gambassi Therme, where after waiting quite long the priest showed me the place to stay. It was a large room with some dirty toilets and a place on the floor. It was also quite funny that that evening the local Rockband had band practice in this building and I had a private rock-concert! It was actually enjoyable, even though I was already in bed and their instruments kept making squeeky sounds somehow. But I had bought me some earplugs earlier, and it is remarkable how well they worked. I think it was a good thing that the cyclists decided to walk on to San Gimignano to have thier bikes repaired there.

Day 93
I set out at 8 to buy me breakfast and felt happy for having slept well even though the floor was hard and the rockband played untill late. On the way I met two Swiss pilgrims who where walking from Rome to Switserland. I walked along fairly nice roads to San Gimignano, of which I had high expectations because everytime I mentioned it people started drooling and looking dreamy. It was really nice, but the high expectations kind of ruined it for me. A lot of tourists everywhere. It was fun to be able to eavesdrop on their conversations, a thing I hadn't done for a while because everybody talked Italian. A lot of Dutch people, Germans, English people and Americans. After relaxing on the main square I set out to Colle di Val d'Elsa and after being refused in the central place I had to walk another 5km in the wrong direction to Le Grazie. A large group of people my age where standing outside, and after being showed the room and everything (which was a lot better than yesterday) by the priest I asked them about the directions for tomorrow. It was quite fun.

Day 94
I woke up really early this morning, to set out at 6:00 after a banana breakfast. There was a really nice atmosphere this early, a bit misty and with nice country roads to accompany that. Unfortunately I didn't walk the shortest way and ended up walking an extra 5-10 km. I walked to Monteriggioni, a very small and beautifull town where the local pilgrim hospice called ahead for me to Siena. After hanging around and admiring the town I set out to walk to Siena, which was stunningly beatifull. Somewhere near the main Piazza I met the German pilgrim Reinald from day 83 again! I went to the place to sleep to drop off my bags, and was welcomed warmly by the assistant of the Sister who normally took care of such things. I was invited for dinner and lunch as well! Then I went to the most amazing building I have seen in my life so far: the dome of Siena. This building invoked the nature-admire state immediately, even though it was no nature :). I met Reinald again on the piazza in front of the dome where I had been sitting for a while while some guy was making dreamy ploing-ploing-music. We went back to the hospice and had dinner there with two volunteers and the assistant. After exchanging experiences I went to bed.

Day 95
Although the food was quite simple it was different from bread with marmelade. Then I and Reinald set out along a strada bianca (non-paved way). Walking alone really is very different from walking in a group. It was fun to see how everytime when a car passed us and kicked up dust Reinald got really annoyed by the uncourtious behaviour of the driver, and I was like "ok". Somehow the road ended suddenly and we had to walk across a large field and then climb a 1,7 m high fence with barbed wire. But it worked out and we arrived in Monteroni d'Arbia where the sister from yesterday had called ahead and we where expected. After buying the necessary stuff and eating most of it on a bench I took a shower and went to bed. It was nice how to get into the room we where told to get the key from under the doormat and just get in there. They just expected us to behave like gentlemen. (Which we obviously did.)

Day 96
After a bread-with-oil breakfastwe set out along a fairly nice road, which turned into a large asphalt road after Buenconvento. After a while we decided to follow the markings in stead of the map, and had a really nice long walk through the hills of Tuscany. We met 3 Italian pilgrims who had just started this morning and I talked a lot to Reinald. In San Quirico d'Orcia we met the 3 Italians again, and a really friendly "don" or priest showed us the place. He also did his best to create new credentials for me because I was running out of place for stamps. I prepared me some tortellini's and then went to bed.

Day 97
This was a great day! I set out at 8 and after a bread-with-salt breakfast (normal bread is disgusting and tasteless here)I told Reinald I'd like to walk alone again, for at least a part of the road. I think that was a good choice, because somehow walking alone is great :). (And I didn't want to be distracted by complaints about dust and dangerous cars, even though the normal conversations where interesting). I had great views, the weather was ideal: hard wind, clouded and fresh and here and there a little bit of rain. In Radicofani a super hospitable German woman ran the San Jacopo di Compostella house. After taking a shower and washing my stuff Reinald came in, and after that the 3 Italians. I went up to the tower because Helna recommended that, and it was absolutely beautifull. The flip-flops I had bought this morning payed off, because I actually ran all the way up, and loved it. Great atmosphere, misty, slightly rainy with a rainbow. There was nobody up there, so I sneaked to the tower (without paying the 4 euros entrance fee ;)) and enjoyed the sneaky runny feeling. When I came back we had a really interesting ritual, where Helna washed our feet and blessed us. It felt weird because obviously the feet wheren't exactly kissing-worthy, but also very respecatable. Kissing and washing a guests feet must be the most hospitable thing you can do.
After that a great dinner awaited me and it became a really nice laughing evening, because one of the Italians was really really fast in his jokes (mostly about Germans). Also nice to notice how I could understand nearly everything. Talking back was a little harder, but it worked out. I think this day might have been this good because it was my best friends birthday ;).

Day 98
After a good breakfast (that was also included) I went shopping with Reinald and Helna, then set out alone again. A really lovely road awaited me, 10km no asphalt and lovely views in nice weather. The second half of the road was all on the large ss2 from Siena to Rome. I met two Austrian cyclist pilgrims who where very friendly and invited me for something to eat. After the chocolate bready thingie Iwalked to Aquapendente where I called the number of the local pilgrim hospice. The 3 Italians arrived shortly after that, but they went to a different pilgrim hospice. I looked up an internet cafe to write the last "original update". In the evening Reinald and I went out for dinner because it was supposed to be cheaper for pilgrims. It was good food but not really that cheap.

Day 99 Today.
Obviously nothing much has happened so far since it is now 11:11 a.m.

I have to get going again, otherwise I won't arrive in time :).

Thanks for reading, If you read this, don't miss the last update that might be more fun to read.

Ciao!

Ilja











































ps: the pictures are from new to old somehow...