Saturday 28th May - Floating above the Dykes

A really early start to the day, as I suspected it would be hot... And I had a long way to go... so at 0545 I was out of bed, ready to face the world... well, after I'd had breakfast, and cleared up after myself!! 
I left the hostel at 0645, into a silent town:

Quickly going out into the fields, and across the river and Railway tracks ... I was doing quite well as the feared hot sunshine was hidden behind some heavy clouds, keeping the temperature down... And long may it continue!! (I kept praying!) 

By 0830 I had arrived at the next village along - San Germano, a really small place with a large and imposing church which I visited, and sat on the steps watching village life and eating my second breakfast!! 

Continuing along the flat route, I was traversing the flooded rice paddy fields, with their inherent mosquito population (in the millions), and during the late morning as the sun did appear from behind the clouds, and beat down on me, it was also reflected back up at me from the pools of water... It was getting hot!

 
 














It was interesting to see the tractors in the field didn't have tyres, but notched steel wheels, presumably to operate in the flooded fields... 
By early afternoon it was really hot, and the mosquitoes were really testing my patience, and repellent!! 

I caught up with a German pilgrim I'd seen in Ivrea, and we walked together for a while... 

Until I found another well situated 'rest stop' and fountain provided at the side of a church.. Just as I was running out of water... Thank you!! 

Mid afternoon saw me eventually getting off the flooded fields, and into the outskirts of Vercelli... With another hours walk in to the new St Eusebio hostel... I noticed the street signs saying it was 34C as I arrived, and felt it!! 

I showered, washed a lot of clothes, which I hung to dry in the hot afternoon sunshine, then went out to find evening Vigil mass - there were, seemingly, a church every couple of streets, but everywhere I'd been told... Hadn't got mass on!! 

I eventually arrived at the world famous Cathedral... for 0630 mass - amazing really, a big beautiful Cathedral, with only a small congregation!! 

Back for an early dinner with 2 French and a Spanish pilgrim from the hostel, and back for early bed... They wanted to start early tomorrow (even though rain is expected!!)