9 th september

Today?s first day of walking through the Appenines takes me up and down, down and up etc for about 22km. The weather is perfect for walking for most of the day: sunny with spells of clouds, and quite a bit of wind that keeps my cool for most of the day.
It starts raining just exactly when I reach the Agriturist at CROCI for a bite of lunch.
Before I tell you more about that, just have a look at some of the views (if you?re interested), so I don?t have to bore you with some flimsy romantic vocabulary?but |I must say, some of the panoramas were spectacular.

Back to CROCI. I did not know what to expect. This was a place where you sit down with whoever is there, family, friends, hosts whoever and somebody might give you some wine and food.
What I did not know, was that this place was run by Keith Richards sister. As a matter of fact, I did not even know he had a sister.
Her name was Dina, I seem to remember, but my guess is that that is a cover up.
And HERE she is in all her glory in her kitchen. (She was not really that impressed with me taking the pictures, and I can understand that, because there?s no way I could those beautiful brown eyes on the film. She?s born and has lived most of her life in that gathering of 3 to four houses in the middle of nowhere at nearly 900 metres).

I settle down at a corner of a table with another 6 people in one of the three rooms that seemed to host some other eaters and a delicious plate of homemade tagliatelle al ragu, with a bottle of lambrusco and another one of water was soon in front of me.

I was soon chatting to about everybody and I must say since heading further south, that people ask me where I come from, what I?m doing walking round like this and show a general interest and sympathy for my little walking project, which makes a nice change from the generally resigned looks I got further north.
I don?t know how words get round, but when I get up to get something from my rucksack, a guy in the next room (I forgot to ask his name, so if he reads this, PLEASE send me an e-mail with your details, so we can have a dinner next time I make it to Bologna), calls me over to sit down for a drink with his friends so I can tell him what I?m doing up here. I will not elaborate, but just add that one of them is apparently celebrating his 50th birthday and also announces that his wife is expecting another baby, all of which produces the arrival of spumante, grappa etc.
So my stay in this place ends up being just a touch longer then I planned for and I leave in a great frame of mind, (the sun is back) and with probably slightly more alcohol in my bloodstream than what a serious walker should allow for. But then I?m not a very serious walker, when it comes to that matter.
(Anyway, who?s fault is it today, Phil & Simon?)
Morale: If you see a guy sitting there, eating on his own, invite him over. It?s a great gesture. Thanks!
The walk into MADONNA DEI FORNELLI is very pleasant roll downhill, with more great views and I?m now going out for a pizza or something light because tomorrow is a bit of a climb and getting out there early seems a good idea.