To Gambassi

Today was mostly a beautiful walk.

The first 10km was classic Tuscan countryside of olive groves, vineyards, and Cyprus trees. The depth of green is astonishing. The path was mostly off-road and surrounded by wildflowers. There were butterflies everywhere and tiny, green lizards skittered away as we approached.

The second 10km was more arable fields. Still beautiful, but maybe less picturesque.

The final 5km was beside a road and less fun. The fun quotient also went down because the rod went uphill, had no shade and the temperature topped 30 degrees. It was a very sweaty and tired pair who trudged into the small, hilltop town of Gambassi.

Gambassi was a thermal baths at some point but now it just seems like a farm town on top of a hill. Our hotel is central, which is good, and very basic, which is OK for one night. And when I say very basic, I mean the toilet is litt in the shower cubicle.

We finished the day on a terrace beside a group of locals out of central casting playing cards complete with shouting, arm waving, and smiles. There’s a nice sense of it being a real place. Especially if you can measure a ‘real place’ as one where the locals have a noticeable lack of teeth.