ONLY 20km.
We stayed last night in an Agri Tourismo these are country located privately run places to stay and have a range of prices, ours is still in the development phase and was a cheaper than many. Farm buildings have been and are still being converted and it has a friendly black Labrador just recovering from an operation on its back leg.
Today hopefully we have a somewhat shorter day along the Via Aemilia and are in no hurry to start. We have been following the route of this Roman trunk road for some days, presumably in the days of Empire it was straight now it is like the labradors bad leg as many centuries of agriculture using every inch of fertile ground have resulted in a route that resembles the squashed snake we see on the road. Several more nightingales sing along the way and Betsy manages to spot one of these secretive nondescript looking birds. It’s all tarmac again today as we zig zag again across these fertile fields
There is a fine Cistercian Abbey in Chiaravalle della Colomba we stop for a while and enter wondering if we are respectably enough dressed as the sign outside requests.
Around 1pm we get to Bastelli which has a community recreation area next to the church. It has benches and a table ideal for lunch. Our bread is very crumbly and we hope the clean up squad in the shape of a sparrow flock going in and out of a brickwork hole can cope.
After a couple of railway and autoroute crossings we arrive in Fidenza with church with its flamboyant carved stonework. After a beer just round the corner from the tourist office we check in and get keys to the ostello which is just back round the church. Walking back we once again are starring on Italian TV. The film drone follows us around the church but we are not up to our usual standard and have to Take 2. We are still quite early so washing and shopping are relaxed. Tony thinks perhaps mozzarella may be worth eating.