A glorious day

9/9 – Volterra to San Gimignano – 18.43 miles walked

I was greatly satisfied with my accommodations at the seminary, and after a delicious and abundant breakfast, decided that I should try to find my way into religious houses more often. To this end, I asked for the list, which turned out to be a thick book, and wrote down every religious house in the province of Siena, where I was headed. Having completed this time-consuming but useful activity, I was allowed one more piece on the piano, and having thanked the staff, walked out of the seminary.

“Leaving so soon?” I froze in my tracks: it was the girl from yesterday! Quickly regaining my composure, I told her I had to keep walking, and then described my trip a bit. I found out that she and her friend were from Berlin, on a three-week backpacking vacation in Italy, and we talked a bit about her experience so far. When I told her I was walking to San Gimignano, she said that she and her friend were planning on renting a motorcycle to go there as well. Telling her to wave hi if she saw me along the way, I turned to leave, and immediately regretted having neglected to ask for her email or some other contact info, only catching her name, Franziska. Feeling it would be pathetic to turn around now, I kicked myself for another missed opportunity, and figured that if it was meant for me to see her again, I would see her and her friend on the road, and make sure to get it then.

This was already turning out to be a great day: had a large breakfast, played some piano, talked to a cute girl, and now I had managed to get a free piece of pizza from the bread lady, simply because I asked for directions and made the human contact. I love this country and its people, and no, it’s not just because they give me things for free! I make a couple more stops, at the fruit store and at the market for some salami, and head back down the hill toward San Gimignano.

I had not gone very far when, all of a sudden, there were two girls riding tandem on a motorcycle, flagging me down. My heart leapt at the sight, and I crossed the road to meet them as they parked. We had a good chat, lasting about a half hour, as they questioned me further on my trip and the motivation for it, and we shared our experiences in Italy. This time I did not fail to get the contact info for both of them. Before they left, Franziska and Julia offered me some sweets, and I childishly accepted with a stupid grin on my face. They fished them out from under the seat of the moto, and I accepted them gratefully. Stowing them in my pack, I said “I wish I could give you something in return.” “You already have,” replied Julia, without hesitation, and it will forever stay in my head as one of the most meaningful and humbling compliments I have so far received on my journey.

Making a few jokes about the time it would take each of us to reach the same destination, I wished them a safe journey and saw them whiz off around a corner. Now it was me and the road again, and lots and lots of hills, up and down, for a few miles.

When I saw the place where the bread lady had told me to turn, I did as she instructed, silencing my GPS, which indignantly beeped (I’ve never met a machine so bitter and indignant as a GPS whose advice is not being followed). This road had ample shade and millions of blackberries, so I figured that I must not have made the wrong decision. Still, doubt gnawed on my soul, and thirst parched my throat, as I had run out of water, so when I saw an Agriturismo, I entered to ask for some water and directions. The owner was kind and friendly, offering me bottled watered (ooh la la), and gave me the local’s directions on cutting through the forest to San G.

After making the right turn onto the estate of Castelvecchio, I had my lunch in the forest, sitting on the ground along with the various insects, to whom I have grown quite accustomed. To illustrate: as I held a tomato in my hand, ready to take the second bite, a bee came to check it out. I held the tomato still for him, and he spent a good fifteen seconds checking it out. After he left, I took another bite, but he came back with three of his buddies. Now I had four bees crawling on my hand, and not for a moment was I frightened or skittish. Instead, I placed the tomato, half-eaten, on the ground, left as an offering to the bees. Besides, I had another tomato, and I imagined how interesting that honey would taste, with hints of tomato. Besides bees, I always have a variety of flies ants, and spiders close by, eager to explore this invader who has so unceremoniously sat upon their home. Okay, okay, I’ll stop here, lest you begin to fancy that I’ve lost my mind altogether.

My forest eaten and enjoyed, I continued down the gravel road, and here we come upon the Castelvecchio forest story which I recounted earlier, on 9/10. Since I was drunk with joy while recounting it last time, I will not spoil it by adding anything here, except that the thought crossed my mind that I would miss the girls on their return trip, and had probably seen the last of them. Oh well, I thought: gotta move on.

I was worn out from my forest trek, as well as the steep uphill walk to San Gimignano, by the time I arrived at 7:30. The reward had been the magnificent views of that little town with its many towers, but I could not sleep on that reward, so I had to find a place to sleep.

Availing myself of my newfound information, I headed for the convent. No amount of begging and puppy dog faces could get me in the gate, as they were obstinately full, but they sent me to the “Agostini” monks, who told me they hadn’t rented rooms for 13 years. So much for my research this morning, I thought. Still, the monk on the intercom sent me to a restaurant which rented rooms. The restaurant only had a, guess what, matrimonial suite, so he sent me on to a lady down the street, who might or might not have a room to rent. With darkness rapidly falling, I rang the intercom: “do you have a single room?” “Yes.” I asked how much, and finding it was 5€ more than what I had seconds earlier set for myself as a limit, I took it anyways. No way was I going to walk a mile and a half back down the hill in the dark to sleep in my tent on account of 5€.

With the last bit of energy, I walk up three flights of stairs, only to find out that the available room is across the street. So, 5^th time was a charm, and I got a nice old widow as my hostess to boot. Since she had a burn on her hand, I even got to play nurse with my first aid kit, then went down to grab a pizza to go, ate it in the dining room, read and fell asleep fully clothed and with the light on. It had been a long, but glorious, day.