Once we walked up from the lake to rejoin the path it brought the day to about 18 kms.
And the weather- mid 20s and sunny til further notice.
After the initial climb for a few kms it is then a nice, slow downhill all the way to Santhia. We have definitely left the mountains behind now; it is easy walking through a very different landscape. We walk mostly through fields of corn or rice as the path winds its way across farmland. As we make our way out of Viverone I note the posters up about boar hunting.
I spend some time thinking about: what would be a worse way to die – a tiger snake or a boar? I have noticed how much more relaxing it is to walk and not have to be looking out for snakes, like in warmer weather at home.
The highlight (!) of the day comes at lunchtime. Sitting at a corner of a field under a shady tree. DC says: What is that? We have a good look across the fields to see a big wild boar bolting across the field about 300 ms away. Followed by two dogs, and a bit further back, a person. This boar could move. Thankfully the next words were not: And it’s coming right for us!
The boar bolted across the fields and into some woods with barking dogs in hot pursuit.
With lunch finished we waited until the sound of the barking dogs was long gone, then followed our path past the same fields and into the woods. Pretty much crapping ourselves at every noise, we moved along fast. I will no doubt be mulling over my question for today for a while yet.
Today we ran into our first pelligrina, heading to Rome. She started in her home country of Belgium, and has already been walking for more than two months. Across France, into Switzerland and now through Italy. We ate dinner together, along with a young Italian man walking only a few days along the trail for now. We had the Pilgrim’s menu – rice and beans followed by various meat items from the head of the pig. I enjoyed the rice and beans, and the green beans i ordered as the side dish, and the chocolate tart for dessert.
Stay and dinner: Hotel Ristorante Vittoria.
Arrivederci.
Richo and DC 