It was really hot last night again, even though we have an air conditioner in the room. Poor thing doesn’t have much power, but it makes you feel good to think you have it. Being more experienced now, we opened the windows and balcony door all night for some cool air and air flow. I was a bit queasy about bed bugs in Hotel Vittoria, but my bed bug bag is hot to sleep in and the perceived risk just didn’t justify using it. I really don’t expect to have a problem with bed bugs in Italy.
The hotel was right across from the train station, which
brought back fond memories of sleeping above a bar in Spain! The trains ran all
night, and people seemed to be getting picked up and engaging in very loud
discussions at all hours. Not to mention the blaring car radios and screeching
of tires.
The included hotel breakfast today was not a buffet, but ended
up being a croissant and coffee, prepared by a single waitress serving not only
the hotel guests but all the orders from the hordes of train travelers who came
in for breakfast. Needless to say breakfast ended up being a very lengthy event.
Our walk today was listed as being 30.5km with virtually no
ascent or descent, and through rice paddies.
Russell has a neat picture from yesterday of a rice paddy tractor.
Russell has a neat picture from yesterday of a rice paddy tractor.
I’ve been sort of hobbling
for the last several days on a very sore foot. After about 12km my bursitis in
my left foot gets very bad and sore. I have been taking my Celebrex when it
gets really bad, but by then I think it’s too little, too late. Russell took a
picture of me soaking my sore foot yesterday in the bidet. Ahhhhh. That bidet
is a pilgrim’s prayer answered! It’s just so handy for all of a pilgrim’s needs
(in particular – doing laundry).
All to say, I’m convinced I don’t have a hope in heaven of
walking 30.5km today. What I need is a day off. On the Camino, we never walked
more than 10 days without a rest day, and we really needed those rest days! The
trouble with this walk is that we couldn’t afford to add on rest days or our total
days out of the country would have exceeded the magical 60 days where the trip insurance
would have cost a fortune. The day after today as it turns out is 38km (more on
that tomorrow), which is really well outside (at least) my doable range, so
that is the day we plan to take off!
All to justify that we decided to take the train from
Santhia to San Germano Vercelli this morning, and cut 8km off the day total,
bringing it to a more manageable 23km.
We bought a ticket for the 8:16am train, which cost 1.5
euros each, and was 20 minutes late. That ended up being very fortunate, since
breakfast took a lot longer than anticipated.
The entire walk from San Germano Vercelli to Vercelli was
flat, there was no shade, no towns, no nothing.
There were however tractors and farmers about, and we caught up to two female pilgrims about 8 km along who were from France. We had seen one of them, a very tiny oriental women, at the hostel where Robert was staying in Santhia yesterday. She could really travel, sometimes getting way ahead of her companion and us. The thing about the landscape was that there was no way to hide if you really had to go to the bathroom – so just don’t even think about it.
There were however tractors and farmers about, and we caught up to two female pilgrims about 8 km along who were from France. We had seen one of them, a very tiny oriental women, at the hostel where Robert was staying in Santhia yesterday. She could really travel, sometimes getting way ahead of her companion and us. The thing about the landscape was that there was no way to hide if you really had to go to the bathroom – so just don’t even think about it.
Who knew there so many rice paddies in Italy? This goes on
apparently from part way past Viverone all the way to Galascon. It really puts
the meseta on the Camino to shame!
I made it my usual 12 km and then my foot was worse than
ever. I really didn’t think I would be able to go the whole way. Fortunately we
hit Vercelli at about 16km and could sit and rest occasionally.
I also made a very big mistake this morning and threw out today’s instructions in Santhia and brought yesterday’s instructions instead. Unfortunately the GPS isn’t very good at finding your final destination and Vercelli is a large town (population 50K). We stopped at a bar for a drink at one point and this very lovely young lady took on a mission to find our hotel for us, and gave us some pretty good instructions (bear in mind she spoke only Italian). They ended up being pretty good but we ended up walking all the way out of town (on the via Francigena at least). We then asked some people at a car wash, and they gave us some instructions which we turned about to follow. Shortly later, one of the ladies that had given us instructions actually drove to us in her car and corrected the instructions – which was unbelievably conscientious of her!
We really did just wander about for quite a while asking people for help, me with my incredibly sore paw, and even though we had the address, we were getting nowhere. We finally found the right street, Via Guiseppe Verdi. It was a very obscure street off a Piassa, and even when we found the right street, the address 42 was behind a wooden door with virtually no indication of it being a hotel. The door did push open and we went in, but it was a bunch of apartments, so we went back out on the street. Clang, the door shut behind us, and then we saw a bunch of apartment buzzers, one marked with the name of our Guest House, Al Viaggiator leggero. No one answered the ring, and now the door was locked shut, so went across the street, sat on a bench, constructed and ate our lunch. After a few more attempts ringing the bell, we called the phone number of the place. A man answered and I said, ‘Solvason, reservation’, and he said, ‘my wife come down’. Thank you Lord, for the Vodaphone SIM card.
I also made a very big mistake this morning and threw out today’s instructions in Santhia and brought yesterday’s instructions instead. Unfortunately the GPS isn’t very good at finding your final destination and Vercelli is a large town (population 50K). We stopped at a bar for a drink at one point and this very lovely young lady took on a mission to find our hotel for us, and gave us some pretty good instructions (bear in mind she spoke only Italian). They ended up being pretty good but we ended up walking all the way out of town (on the via Francigena at least). We then asked some people at a car wash, and they gave us some instructions which we turned about to follow. Shortly later, one of the ladies that had given us instructions actually drove to us in her car and corrected the instructions – which was unbelievably conscientious of her!
We really did just wander about for quite a while asking people for help, me with my incredibly sore paw, and even though we had the address, we were getting nowhere. We finally found the right street, Via Guiseppe Verdi. It was a very obscure street off a Piassa, and even when we found the right street, the address 42 was behind a wooden door with virtually no indication of it being a hotel. The door did push open and we went in, but it was a bunch of apartments, so we went back out on the street. Clang, the door shut behind us, and then we saw a bunch of apartment buzzers, one marked with the name of our Guest House, Al Viaggiator leggero. No one answered the ring, and now the door was locked shut, so went across the street, sat on a bench, constructed and ate our lunch. After a few more attempts ringing the bell, we called the phone number of the place. A man answered and I said, ‘Solvason, reservation’, and he said, ‘my wife come down’. Thank you Lord, for the Vodaphone SIM card.
The place was a fully furnished apartment, with a kitchen,
two bedrooms
a lovely modern bathroom, a patio and garden. Very recently renovated but with some ancient frescoes remaining on the ceiling. The kitchen had everything for breakfast, a coffee maker, etc, etc. We were in heaven. The art, knickknacks, furnishings, and décor were splendid. We absolutely loved it. It was like playing house.
a lovely modern bathroom, a patio and garden. Very recently renovated but with some ancient frescoes remaining on the ceiling. The kitchen had everything for breakfast, a coffee maker, etc, etc. We were in heaven. The art, knickknacks, furnishings, and décor were splendid. We absolutely loved it. It was like playing house.
The owner was an English professor at the Vercelli
University. She recommended places to eat, told us the major tourist
attractions, and gave us a map of the city.
After a shower etc and resting my foot we went out sightseeing.
We got to the Basilica of St Andrew at 2 minutes to six, and the fellow told us
the church closed at six, but I could see him admiring my St. Helena’s cross,
and he said come in, come in. It was
gorgeous.
What impressed me was that the only decoration on the walls (there were a lot of pictures on the ceilings etc.) but the only decoration on the walls were St. Helena’s crosses. As always, it was a beautiful church. One other person was in there.
What impressed me was that the only decoration on the walls (there were a lot of pictures on the ceilings etc.) but the only decoration on the walls were St. Helena’s crosses. As always, it was a beautiful church. One other person was in there.
We also found the train station and found the schedule for
the trains tomorrow – our planned day off!
Vercelli is a beautiful city, with lots of churches and
ancient tourist attractions, but also very modern stores with very trendy
clothes, etc.
We didn’t end up eating where Claudia recommended, when our
dinner is included we are getting very well fed traditional food of the region.
We had a rather Canadian dinner of grilled meat, beans, and salad. With a pasta
primo we shared.
We had about the best sleep so far. The apartment was nice
and cool, even without air conditioning, there were absolutely no concerns
about bed bugs, and it was totally quiet and completely safe. I’d love to stay
here for a week.
Poor Lynn. Is Bursitis the same as Plantar Fasciitis in your foot? I once had Plantar Fasciitis for quite a while. Very painful. What helped was physiotherapy and various types of Dr Schols shoe inserts to give me arch support. Do you think you can find a drop in physiotherapist on one of your days off?? I hope you will find healing for your foot. Are there any holy springs along the way?
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