San Biagio to Genoa Central

 15km  

Left hotel about 9:40 and headed.off   into the.morning  sun.

"Mercure Genoa San Biagio"

Just needed to cross bridge over the  river to get back onto trail

After about 3km had a coffee in 

Bolzaneto

Bar centro

10:50 am

Then used  google.maps to find the nights hotel which was about 9km away in Geonoa Centrale.

Travelling took.forever ,twice walked up ,.down , around up hills .and in circles losing way  because of road detours and construction which threw google maps into a tizz and wore me out a bit.

Genoa is massive,.large and busy

Finally found Hotel about 5.

Celebrated with.a.well  earned campari Soda con ghiaccio at a nearby  sidewalk bar

Went out again at 7:30 to have dinner at Osteria around the corner

Sundried tomato dish for entree

with a main of  braised beef with potatoes

Accompanied by  an Ichnussa beer which has a refreshing  light  taste.

Really enjoyed the relaxed ambience  

 of Osteria,  candles , brick walls , red table cloths, good food, mi amore Italia.

Unfortunately that's the end of my

Pilgrim walk. I already miss it.

Its a shift to adjust to Geonoa's size  , after walking through vineyards and rural areas.

Need to decide if I stay another night here or go to Rome a day earlier.

Campomorone to San Biagio

 9 KM

B&B Casa Ada

Warm sunny day

Beautiful sunny morning today walking down winding path away  from last.night's. B&B.

"Yolanda " our host cooked dinner  last night 

Taglitelle Pesto

Roast chicken and potato

All from her own garden it was so delicious  . A good memory 

Then lost arrows and walked about 5km

To Pontedecimo before I found another  yellow arrow near

San Giacomo 

Maggiore church.

Went to cafe busting to go to toilette

Got stuck  in toilet,  key not working ! chiava 

Rotto.

Knocked for a while then people came and gave me instructions in Italian

No progress

Then they finally found spare key

Embarassment ,feeling sheepish, and flustered 

I scuttled.out of cafe quickly.

They thought I was Inglese so that's OK. 

A fryiday market was outside church and  Piazza

In Pontedecimo .

 such good stuff could have bought heaps

But dont want to carry anymore.on  my.back.

Apart from first 3 km , most of today's trail hrough outskirts of Genoa  has been industrial.

Did short walk of 8km probably 10km .  lost way. few times. 

Now checked into Mercure Hotel San Biagio. 87 euro with breakfast.

Big TV , satellite channels and electric kettle, Pilgrim 

Heaven  😇😇😇👼👼👼.

Tomorrow is  final  day of walking

As from .today  I am   Walking alone  which makes things calmer.

D left   this morning  to Visit Italian relatives  .

 she was getting really stressed and anxious  which  was affecting me in a way. 

But it  was nice to have company .

Ciao ciao 

Fino a domani

Voltaggio to Campomarone

 13km

Had trouble finding bed available within a doable walking distance so caught 9am.  bus   Voltaggio to Bussala. Then 15 minute train trip to get back closer to trail.

Scenery travelling down by bus  was  beautiful,  lush green alpinish hills and Swerving roads

Coffee bar ligure 10:20

Mini shopping in village 

 left.my.phone charger at Gavi so Bought new phone  charger in game shop and nice man gave me free plug  all for €5.

Also saw Second hand  jacket €7:50 that I could not resist .

2 days of walking left so need to stay away from shops , must not  load up backpack, Genoa is so close now.

 Rest of  days walking was through  the outskirts older Buildimgs and atmospheric  so , plenty of bars ,shops and residential areas.

Beautiful sunny day and an easy walk only hill was up to B&B which was a killer.

Arrived About 3:30 pn ,gladly  went  to bar to wait out time.until.   room were Ready.

Bar was tucked away  further uphill.

A huge antipasta of  food  and snacks was served with the small beers.

The late afternoon was still pleasantly sunny.

 men were playing bocci and some cards in the courtyard all yelling and gabbing animatedly in the Italian way.

God I love Italy...

Gavi to Voltaggio

 14km

B&B villa Gavina

Had a noteworthy dinner of sliced roast  beef  last night at a nearby restaurant .

"Peccati di Gola Gavi"

Checked out of B&B about 9:30 and  walked  off onto a sunny morning.

  Mornings trail mostly followed Via Postumia  yellow arrows all the way to  Hamlet.of Zerbetta Superiore .

 We stopped and lunched sitting on a stone wall .

Lunch was boiled egg and toasted sandwich made by signora at Il.Villa Gallina.

At about 1:30 had more coffee and orange juice at Bar Tume in or Cadomassa.

After nar Tume  lost arrows and walked about 6km along tarmac road  .

Bending and hilly but  Not much traffic so was OK.

The last 6 km.was.on the.SP a main rd.

160 a bit busier ,more sharp , bends and the shoulder was very narrow for walking

 Italian drivers   like speed, so a bit harrowing.when they,... passed 

 It was also still very warm., hot sun ,  bitumen &  speeding cars Mio Dio

Hot and spent physically , Finally arrived Voltaggio at 5:30.

Found a bar sat loving  my capari and waited for D to meet me, she caught a cab for the last 6km. Understandably hectic  roads are not her thing.

This village is ancient with narrows winding  roads

Through the streets.

Dinner was at a bar 500 metres away.

There were only 2 serves of.pasta left.

Taglitelle with mushroom and a gnocchi dish

So we shared. Half.of.each

I started with a campari and soda

We were only 2.sitting in dining.area

But a.lot.of.loud chatter was . coming from bar area. Closing time.was.8.pm

So I guess they were tanking up last drops

Someone.anonymously. was also sending to us via owner  glasses.of. a white Gavi Cortese 

Which was light like a sauv blanc  and very drinkable

Not many days left until I Reach Genoa now

 So pleased that My body  is still  physically capapable.of a.longish backPack  .walk . With  minimal .issues .

Viva Italia

What a day Mio Dio

Stazzano to Gavi

 13km

"B&B Fienele" Stazzano 

Departed from B&B Fienele about 9 and followed the arrows out. First coffee was at Serravalle Scriva a very noce town

Lady in cafe was thrilled.to have an Australian patron so she told some well dressed ladies who entered  , that the Crumpled.looking  pilgrim  im corner was from Australia.

After more walking through vistas to die for , came to a posh golf club and had a coffee and chocolate cake 5 euro a

 bargain I say .

Slogging up and down hills on more sun and more breathtaking  scenery finally got to B&B villa Gavina on Gavi about 4 ish.

 

Dinner was at a.local restaurant , in downstairs basement with brick walls and arches, red table cloths, plenty  of patrons and atmosphere and a sliced grilled steak dish to die for only  €18 

Buonanotte

 

Tortona to Castaggio

17km

Bea was returning  to Zurich today so her husband dropped  D and myself back to spineto Scriva where we began  days 

Morning began well it was nice and sunny and trail was easy winding through village then  tracks through vineyard areas.

Lost trail marks at point of country road and main road somewhere so took a river track for a few hours heading in our general destination direction. 

it was a bit boring dusty and pebbly with no shade , did not really enjoy the slog and then we got stuck somehow in an area for Motorcross bike trails.

Just could not find the way out until one of the clubbers  drove up in a red van , and directed way to  exit he even gave us a coffee.

After tjat slogged up a lot of hills on hot tarmac winding country roads then  finally arrived at B&B Il fienele.

My blogging is getting slack days walk takes forever , then beer for a tired Pilgrim at end of day, followed by washing then more drinks at dinner which leaves me not exactly clear headed.

 Buona notte