Tuesday 6 February 2018

St Augustine Way - Arenzana to Savona, Italy

Day 10
Arenzana to Savona. 21km, flat.
It was forecast to be a foggy day but the sky stayed grey but it was very humid so it meant another day for the legs to be out.
After a reasonable breakfast in the hotel we were out of the door before 8am and then a quick stop for water bottles to filled at the Piazza water tap. Why pay when you can get it free?
The route was to be a flat one along the sea front and along the disused coastal railway line; through numerous dimly lit tunnels , past pebble, rock and sand bays. Stopping every now and then to watch the numerous bird life around us. As we exited the tunnels we were met with the soothing roll of the sea washing along the shore and the occasional clicking of pebbles moving gently with the rhythm of the sea. 
After 11km and with no rush today, we arrived at the small seafront town of Varazze where we sat outside for a cappuccino at a street-side bar and to Claires amusement
the ‘keep your knees warm’ monogrammed fleece blankets were chained to the chairs! 
The final 10km to Savona continued briefly through railway tunnels and then the coast but was spoilt by the busy Via Aurelia road on our right. As we approached the busy port of Savona we spied a heronry nestled at the top of several trees and not far below and main road that swept between the hillsides.
At the medieval clock tower we turned right to enter the city centre passing along Art Nouveau corridors lined with shops. We'd not taken any lunch with us today and after finishing the days walk at the Cathedral we beat a hasty retreat to find lunch. Claire spied some chairs outside with attractive fury seat pads and was immediately distracted. Unfortunaltey it turned out to be just a bar so was immediately discounted. 




In a covered Piazza we sat down and the ladies had the local bean soup washed down with wine and I settled for a health Tuna Nicoise salad and water. 
We had priority access to our overnight accommodation and so I called to say I had arrived.....no answer. We made our way to the apartment and tried to call again.......no answer. We retired to a local bar to seek shelter and a beer and after repeatingly receiving no reply to my phone calls I called bookingdotcom some two hours later. 
After over 3 hours I was finally told that somebody would meet me at the apartment. Met by the owners daughter who could not speak English, it transpired that the owner was in Brazil!. And his was the only number t call. The apartment was shared by others but we did have our own bathroom and sleeping space in an elegant, quirky 4th floor period apartment.



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