15 May, Tuesday, 2007 (Day 25) - Buonconvento. The city of Siena hasn't called with a job offer yet, but I'm okay with that because I have this great idea.

The good news is that this wonderful idea will allow me to spend most of my time in or near Siena. The bad news is that I still won't have a job in city hall and that means no frescoed office in Piazza del Campo. I'm patient, I'll start with my great idea while I wait for the mayor to call.

So here it is (and please nobody steal this idea and if you must, make sure I get some royalties): I'm going to set up the Via Francigena in Siena Tour Company. People will pay me to take them along the Via Francigena in the area and I'll talk to them about the history, flora, fauna, food and wine while I lead them down the trails. Instant success for sure.

All I have to do is hope that not too many people realize how almost perfectly sign posted the route is around here, a small fact that would make me finding the route for my clients somewhat superfluous. My history lesson part might also not be that necessary seeing how there are information plaques all over the place. Come to think of it, the fauna is limited and the flora, as beautiful as it is, could be well explained in a few pages of a guide book. There's always the food and wine, I'll talk volumes about that to justify my high price.

(Again, please don't steal my idea, it's all yours anyway once the mayor's office has hired me.)

Whereas the way into Siena was on a never-ending (i.e. about 7 kilometers) road of asphalt, often on the busy Statale Cassia without a shoulder, the way out was spectacular. Five minutes after exiting the city through Porta Romana I was immersed in the Senese countryside on a panoramic road with views of the hills on both sides and Siena behind me. The 30 kilometers today were almost entirely on paths, dirt roads or secondary asphalt roads with almost no traffic.

I was accompanied the whole way by  stunning views of the green, purple and red hills and when I turned around Siena was always there in the distance. My constant company also included the little yellow man and white arrow on the sticker used by those who have somewhat secretly marked most of the Tuscan part of the Via Francigena. These people, like many other groups I've met on the Via Francigena, can't come out in the open because the government doesn't allow just anybody to mark a path. But at the same time the government does nothing to do it itself. Go figure.

Very sort of Da Vinci Code-esque this whole thing with the trail markers. In Valle D'Aosta they use (when they do it) yellow arrows. Near Pavia I found all kinds of markings including hand-painted signs with a little pilgrim man depicted carrying a bag. In Emilia there were terra cotta pilgrims marking the way.

Today for the first time since April 23 in Saint Vincent I left by myself in the morning because Carl and Claire wouldn't be leaving Siena for several more hours so she could visit a museum. Turns out the museum opened later than usual and they didn't want to wait so they left soon after me and caught up with me around mid-day when I was just sitting down to write. We then walked together for a few hours until Quinciano where a kind woman named Carla filled out water bottles (because the fountain outside had non-drinkable water), gave us some wine and let us sit on her terrace where we ate and I wrote.

Carl and Claire stopped in Ponte d'Arbia and I went ahead another 5 kilometers to Buonconvento because I'd be staying at the house of Maddie and Joe (friends of a friend). And quite a house it was right in the old city gate (Porta Senese). They run a landscape painting course a few kilometers from Buonconvento so if you are an aspiring painter with a weakness for Tuscany check them out (www.landscapepainting.com).

Tip for the day: if in your life you do one stage of the Via Francigena this is the one to do. Small caveat 1 - I have eight more days of walking and one of those could beat today though I doubt it. Small caveat 2 - San Gimignano to Colle Val d'Elsa was pretty excellent, but that was only about 12 kilometers and the continuation to Monteriggioni wasn't that great. Small caveat 3 - the first day from the Gran San Bernardo Pass was great, especially if you love the mountains like I do, but it was almost all downhill, which can be a bit much on the knees.

Trip details: Siena to Buonconvento, 30.6 K. Altitude change: 392 meters up and 563 meters down. Walked so far: 707 K. Left to Rome: 216.5 K.

State of the route: excellent. Well marked most of the way except for two or three not so critical spots. Trails or dirt roads for most of the way and the asphalt that there is is not busy.

Weather report: temperate, some clouds and light breeze kept the excessive heat away. 18 C on departure at 8:45 a.m. and 21 on arrival at 6:30 p.m.

Medical report: all good.