Saturday 26th June - Angels Everywhere!

Another 5am wake up... Or was it earlier?? 
I was out of the parish hostel before 6 am into the silent streets of San Querico... There's only pilgrims around at that time.

As I climbed out of the town into the surrounding vineyards, the lazy sun was creeping its way up into the misty sky, views I've often seen in pictures!!

although it was magical I couldn't stop... Long way to go!! 

Just after 7am I walked into the spa village of Bagno Vignoni, where a thermal pool bubbles up outside in the centre... The warm water was very inviting... but I couldn't stop, it was very hot even before 8 am!! 

I caught up with a group of 7 Italians, and 2 Spanish pilgrims, and we spent the morning meeting at water fountains, cooling down and sharing food as we all marched across the scorching land!! Up and down several hill ranges... 

At one point I passed a house, in the middle of nowhere!!, with an old chair outside, and a big barrel of cold water for pilgrims to drink... Great, the owner was a woman from California, now living in Italy, who loves to chat with the pilgrims, even pointing out some pear trees where we could help ourselves... I was overwhelmed, and grateful!! 

I carried on, by now there was just me and the Spanish, in the midday sun, when we came upon an option for our destination (Radiffocani) 8 kms one way, or 13 kms the other via an Abbey... Which way to go?? (we'd already done over 20 kms..) the 8kms route easily won, and we carried on up the road... Some time later a man stopped his car and offered the 3 of us a lift... He lived in Radiffocani, and pointed to it on the hilltop above!! 
Gratefully we accepted his offer, and were dropped on the outskirts of the village, we'd been saved a tortuous climb in the heat!!
 
We celebrated with beer and pasta, and then checked into the hostel right next to the church.. Sadly the priest was recuperating from an operation, so couldn't do mass, which is normally every evening for pilgrims... Shame!!
 
I had a walk round the village and later had a nice communal meal in the hostel, before we all had an early night... It's another long day tomorrow!!