No early opening bars these days as we enter the heart of popular tourist towns, so no need to open for the locals – they all own shops, they’re open well into the night and the tourists are still sleeping, so why would you open for two old people wandering to Rome.
The street lights took us out far enough so we could see our narrow track deviation up and down narrow creviced pathways, through the usual Tuscan delights, onto a busy highway for too long then off onto smaller roads. These are usually quiet but at rush hours quite busy – all the more vital to follow road walking rules.
A line of about 15 joggers overtook us going the way of the traffic and we winced from the other side as it seemed they could not see the potential hazards. As they wandered just a foot onto the road, cars behind had to swerve. As well as this, a woman walking her dog was coming towards us being followed by a car – usually we would pull off the road and stop but she was unhappy and went to step onto the road instead – lucky. Still alive and still able to have breakfast – we came upon a bar about 8km into our walk, the only one, short on villages today, especially bar ones.
Some of the inhabitants of the one tiny village we blinked through, was however very welcoming. As I was doing my Parkinson’s voice exercises some dogs noted the poor quality and one after another began to bark – I think an even worse sound. So I continued my exercises in the shadow of theirs. Then they got serious and started howling – quite good, so I began to harmonise with them (harmonic singing once was part of my life). It was a great session and one that I will try out with other dog choirs in the future – I know their will be lots of opportunities – and I won’t say anything about a dog’s breakfast.
We soon came upon a man from Yorkshire who, like many, drive to a town and then go for a day’s walk, while others might do this through a travel company – so many walking options. He wanted to take his family with him but they preferred bed and food so he was reluctantly on his own but enjoying the exercise. We did a lot of map talk, he deciding to take one route and we, another.
Now back off-road through a rain forest and once again, no-one overtaking us. We do leave early but now go at a slower pace since our French friends went ahead, and stop to smell the grapes as well, so an indication there aren’t many walkers or they leave very late. While on grapes, maybe to keep them from the pinchers (not pickers) they either have a deep gulley or electric fence, maybe to keep the deer out as well!
We arrived in the familiarly huge old city of Siena. We searched out old haunts from many years before, then settled in to a little albergo with a large roof deck for all patrons that has the most stunning view of the old city I could imagine. We’re resting for a big day tomorrow, but still need to sort our confusing exit for tomorrow —— I’ve checked it – all sorted.
