Torre Bormida to Camerana - The Church and the Castle

8/5 - Torre Bormida to Camerana - 15.21 miles

Instead of heading up to Bergolo, Susanne had shown me an alternate route that would lead me to the same place, all without having to skip any part of the trail. I set my sights for Levice, a small village of 246 people (no more, no less) set atop a nearby hill, and was soon at the top. Having purchased my day's lunch, I was reapplying some bandages on my feet, when I had the honor of meeting fair Levice's mayor, a man named Ernesto. He was eager to help, and gave me some more maps, so I was ready to once again face the mercurial GTL.

As opposed to the GTL, Levice had a well marked trail system, and after more agonizing uphill walking in the merciless sunshine, I made it to a shady forest trail that would lead me all the way to Prunetto, the next town on my itinerary.

Walking toward the center of town, I noticed a sign for an 11th century church and a 12th century castle, located right next to each other. Planning to check them out first and then eat my lunch, I tried to gain entry into both, and found that they were locked. What a pity, I thought, but at least I got to see them from the outside, and take some pictures.

Having walked the perimeter of the monuments, I came upon a family who seemed to be chatting about them as well. I soon realized that this was a private organized tour, and it was then that one of the tourists recognized me from Alba. His recognition was the only excuse I needed to attach myself to this tour, and soon it was me, the couple and their grandchildren, and the knowledgeable guide making their way to the Romanesque church.

Out of respect for the church, and feeling slightly precarious in my position on this private tour, I did not take any pictures of the church, which was full of works of art ranging from proto-Roman to Byzantine to early Renaissance. Every corner of the church was illuminated with stories and explanations by the guide. One example: the four evangelists are depicted, three of them writing furiously on their parchment. Only one doesn't write, and is looking rather confusedly at his pen. This is Luke, the evangelist said to have come later, who copied much from the others. There are dozens of other little details that he showed us, but since this is not an Art History blog, I will restrain myself.

Next we made it to the castle, and this was where my camera came out. I saw the most amazing artifacts, including the following:
17th century book making equipment
barrel for pressing grapes
16th century frescoes
19th century high chair that easily turned into a baby carriage

1940s newspaper with a lie about Italy's "success" in the Greek campaign

Again, I could go on, but will spare those of you who are not as obssessed with history as I am. By a stroke of luck and some excellent timing, two mildly interesting buildings had come to life, and had carried me back throughout 1000 years of Italian history.

After exchanging information with the family who had so kindly included me on their private tour, and after listening to the man recount some of the stories from his walk/hitchike from Italy to Nepal and back (need I even mention that they made me feel like I was walking across a neighborhood in comparison?), I continued my journey, having exchanged my lunch for some filling brain food.

By the time I got to Gottaseca a few hours later, I finally ate my lunch, and realizing that the last leg of the GTL would have been a day's walk on its own, I started to inquire about lodging.
Gottaseca, like so many of the towns I visit, was very small, and did not seem to have any lodging for me. Speaking with some of the elders sitting outside their houses, I managed to discover that down the hill there was a piece of land behind a public pool where people could pitch their tents for the night.

An hour of walking downhill finally landed me in Camerana, where I indeed found the piece of land, and making sure to ask for permission at the bar next door, pitched my tent.
As if to give closure to my last day up in the forests of the Langhe, I managed to catch two deer heading down for a quick sip of water about 100 yards from where I had pitched my tent.
I had a simple dinner of sandwiches and a couple beers at the bar, and after chatting it up with the baristas, I also got to head into the back of the kitchen to learn how to make gelato. This was a very illuminating process, and made the gelato taste that much better once I knew it had just been made that very evening. As if I needed something to make me further appreciate gelato.

My romp through the Langhe completed, I slept pretty well, aside from being awakened a few times by the wanderings of wild boars... but you know how that goes.