Massa - Pietrasanta - Valpromaro 16,5 + 18.5 km 7th an 8th of October

Yesterday a rather short stretch to Pietrasanta instead of 26 km to Camaiore. First a trafficked road but then a beautiful small country road high up the mountain slope to the Ostello which is run by a very nice nun Erna from Indonesia. They were only 3 nuns in the Convent left. A dying race..  Anyway Pietrasanta was a very interesting lively, old but trendy  town where a lot of artists have established themselves. In addition I had a very good but cheap pilgrims menu at Giovani's consisting of two courses of seafood. Very tasty. So I met George again, a Spaniard who looks like a sort of Jezus walking with a guitar on his back, a tent on his breast and a long bambus staff in his hand. He plays the guitar to earn his way from Barcelona to Rome and then on to Jerusalem. I met him the night before in Massa when he told me about his trip wich had changed his life profoundly so he said. Later that night he angrily left the room with a blanket under his arm to find another place to sleep in the hostel (There was a lot of snoring and coughing going on in the room). The next morning I asked him if he had not yet replaced anger with tolerance. He said he couldn't take it anymore. I gave him two of my wax earplugs to try out. He was so greatful.

To day  I went on to Valpromaro, doing 18,5 km again starting along trafficked roads. Halfway up a mountain a forrested path climbing several times well over 300 'm height. Still crossing the outskirts of the Apenines on the west side. Nice thing was that Luca and Natalia had come over by car all the way from Breschia (near Milan) to come and see me and have dinner together. Such lovely wonderful people. We had a good night out with too much wine and many stories to tell. 

To morrow onwards to Luca where I'll meet many fellow pilgrims I got to know well these last four weeks like the Finish couple, the Aussies and Caroline. We already agreed to meet in the evening and have something to eat together. Stay tuned!