It rained quite a lot overnight and the clouds threaten more in the day ahead. The guide talks about the route ahead being on roads today, using statements about blind corners…. no footpath or shoulder……dangerous…… take care…… these words sound even less appealing when applied to wet roads. We decide to stick to the coast before heading inland to Pietrasanta on bike path. A much shorter day of about 17 kms.
How do you know that you are now near Carrara and all the marble that comes from there? Coz there is marble everywhere. There are statues and monuments of course, but the kerbs…..marble. The decorative plant holders….. marble. The bench seats in the square where we eat our lunch…..marble. The breakwaters, at times the paving, the stones in the pot plants, the boundaries around the trees in the footpath, the train station……..
Our route (off VF) today follows the main beach road but access to the beach is limited. The road is lined by restaurants and private beach clubs with occasional beach access and views available.
It is easy walking along the wide footpath. When the rain looks like it might hang around for a while, we settle into a bar for a spell. We see lots of MAMLs out on their bikes, walk past parks, mansions and gardens and admire some of the trees along the route.
Pietrasanta is an artists town. The streets are filled with sculptures. There is a really nice central pedestrian zone with a lovely piazza. After wandering around we settle into a cafe in the piazza for some canasta while a busker plays his violin, including the theme from ‘Cinema Paradiso’ – perfetto. DC almost pulls off a win to even the tally, but makes a hasty move and Richo comes from behind in an unexpected victory.
Tally: Richo 3, DC 1.
We go in search of dinner at 7.15. It is hard to find anything serving before 8ish.
At one place he asks: pellegrini? I wonder what gave us away. Our fashionable clean clothes, our boots, our smell? My gorgeous hair that hasn’t seen conditioner in weeks and is now frizzed by the rain? Our desperate, weary, hungry looks?
Eventually we find something open at 7.30. Excellent funghi risotto for DC and ravioli with ragu for Richo.
Ciao ciao.
Richo and DC 