Today, again, my walk ended, with my great surprise, by lunch time. Now I’m writing in the paradoxical, but comfortable and welcoming, room that don Patrizio prepared for the pilgrims, among of the typical formica cabinets and mirrors that you can find in all the sacristies, beds and folding camp beds, baskets of paper chains survived from the village fete, paintings to be auctioned, and so on… Don Patrizio, a priest from Rwanda, has been welcoming here the pilgrims who go to Rome and to Santiago from 15 years and provides them with part of his own house, with a bathroom with a large corner shower! On the other hand, they sent him to work in a parish entitled to Saint James… what else could he do?

Today the walk was pretty relaxing and it helped me recover from the bad experience I lived yesterday, walking along the busy provincial road: today, I mainly walked on dirt trails, along and across artifical channels (among which the Cavour Channel, that looks more like a river because of its width) and crossing a fields of rice, wheat and corn… it was so rich to remind me the fields of the Old Maggot, in Tolkien’s Shire! But I can swear that I didn’t steal any carrot!

From Castell’apertole I walked, in something less than a couple of hours, to Lamporo: a nice village grown along a channel, with three churches – one of them entitled to Saint Rocco, another one is build across the channel and the third one faces it -. Then, I walked on through the fields, following the accurate and poetic signs, where I could read quotes, blessings and poems, and I found myself in Saluggia, at about 11:30. For all I knew, the stage would have to be still rather long and in the town I found the market open and crowded. So, I bought something for lunch and I sat eating on the benches with the elders of the village.

“Are you a pilgrim?” “Yes” “Where are you coming from?” “From Castell’apertole” “And where are you going?” “Today I’m going to Torrazza Piemonte” “So you have a short way to go: it’s only 5km” “Have I?! I was under the impression that I still had twice that distance!” “No, no… But you are young, you’ll do it!” …I can also be young, but the stretch I need to walk is the same…

After lunch, I put my backpack on my shoulders and I started looking for the signs of the Via Francigena that, naturally, doesn’t pass through the center of Saluggia, theoretically condemning the pilgrim to avoid benches, fountains and shops where he could buy something to eat. I cannot find the signs. I walnder for a while, until some people tell me that to go to Torrazza there is only the provincial road: “There was also the descent of the stones, but after a while it is interrupted… well, but you are young…”. Finally I find two old ladies: one of them tells me that, sometimes, some people with the backpacks pass walking under her house. Her friend gives me some directions and I found arrows and yellow pilgrims: I can start walking again! Here there is the descent of the stones: it’s a small downhill, paved with small coloured stones, then the road turns, following the railroad… and ending in the bush! Those who plan to walk this part of the Via Francigena are warned: it’s clear that they don’t often pass to clean the trail, so the bushes are taking back the terrain… It’s better to wear long trousers or, if you prefer, to follow the provincial road, since it cannot be longer than 2km!

When I came out of the bushes I still had less than 30 minutes and I arrived in Torrazza Piemonte… and so, I arrived early again: better, since a storm started, my legs are going to relax before the Val di Susa! But I am young, where is the problem?!