9th July 2017
APOLOGIES FOR POSTING THIS OUT OF ORDER. WE ARE HAVING SO MUCH FUN IT IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP TRACK OF THE DAYS,
San Gimignano to Abbadia Isola - 22kms
In an effort to beat the midday sun again this morning we set off at 4:30am. It was still dark but we had our lights on! Our guidebook had warned us that shortly after we started the waymarks would lead us to the right, but we should ignore these as it added 7.5kms to the length of our walk. It is mainly intended for day trippers who are then free to wander along the countryside. Giuseppe and Elisa also started early but they were not sure if they could follow our proposed route in the dark, so they went the long way!
After a fairly short walk on the road the path converted to a gravel tack which went very steeply downhill, wreaking avocado with my left knee, which is still a bit sore! We then carried on through woods, fields and country paths until we reached Colle di Val d'Elsa, where we stopped for breakfast. We then went to visit the old quarter and promptly got lost. The way markings were not very good and a number of people found it tricky to get out of the town.
Our next target was the village of Strove some 7.5kms away over a very long, very dusty gravel track, going up and down the Tuscan hills. Every now and then a car went by kicking up a dust storm, which was very uncomfortable. As we neared Strove there was a young person walking the other way. This was Fabian, from Lucerne. He had been working in the Vatican as a Swiss Guard and was now walking home! Soon after we were passed by Bernie and Michele from Australia who normally walk much faster than us. Eventually we came to a point where our guidebook suggested we turn left and follow a major road for two kilometres to our destination Abbadia ad Isola. However it was quite hot by then and we wanted to avoid the tarmac road, so we took a path also waymarked as the Via Francígena which we thought would take us there. We soon realised this was going away from our destination and so we had to backtrack and take to the road. Seven hours after we left our campsite in San Gimignano we arrived in Abbadia ad Isola. Isola means island in Italian. In the Middle Ages this whole are was swampland and the monastery was built on an island, hence its name.
Unfortunately the pilgrim accommodation would not open for a few hours so we had to wait. When it opened we went to check in but it appeared we had booked for a different Ostello practically next door. The hospitalero in charge was not very hospitable. The booking process had been somewhat confusing, particularly when one doesn't speak fluent Italian. He was dismissive of this and said that was "our" problem. We did not want to argue so went to check in next door!
This was not the end of the story as , once we had left, the hospitalero apparently started making comments which upset some of those present. For example he asked one of the pilgrims the reason for his pilgrimage to which he replied it was for personal reasons. He would not accept his as a proper reason and a heated discussion ensued. Regrettably from time to time you come across religious zealots who make you feel unwelcome unless you're walking to Rome on your knees flaggelating yourself! Not in the spirit of these Caminos at all. Our Italian friend Martin did not like his attitude and so refused to stay at this particular pilgrim hospice but came to stay at ours.
Martin, Ana Maria and I enjoyed a very nice dinner before turning in for the night. Tomorrow is Martin's 27th birthday.
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