The Lombard Plain  —    Pavia, Lodi, Brescia

Tuesday June 9 day 5, Acqui Terme to Pavia                    95km

   
   
         
       
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
         
      An 18th Century triumphal arch,
sleeping in the late morning sun
on the road to Alessandria.
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
         
    I arrived at Alessandria at exactly noon and was running out of map, so I followed the arrows to the Ufficio Turistico, which I found in the building on the left. It was about 1 second to noon, but they gave me a map, then closed for lunch – two hours. You can see from the picture that lunch hour is observed strictly. Everyone heads home.

Everyone except the students of the Conservatorio di Musica, in the building to the right. The street was filled with music from the open windows above. Four, maybe five pianos all playing different pieces — concertos, sonatas, … perhaps an Andante Dolente — this is Italy after all.

Around the corner at the end of the street it was opera. I listened to a duet from the second floor window.

         Not bad (as if I’d know).

 
         

 

 

 

 

 

         
         
       
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
         
       
         

 

 

 

         
         
         
         
    Lots of ricefields in the Po valley. Something I hadn't seen before though, was corn being grown in flooded fields.        
Those two white things way out there are storks, looking for frogs no doubt.		    
         
       
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
         
     

Midafternoon I was passed by three young guys. This is Chet. Originally from South Africa, he says he's now a citizen of the world. He travels until he needs more money, works for a while, then goes on another trip. His most recent stint: teaching English in South Korea.

Chet and his friends were on their way to Turkey. They hadn't really figured out a route yet, but were heading in the right direction. A bit looser than my style.
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
         
       
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         

 

 

         
         
       
         
         
         
         
         

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, June 10       day 6,     Pavia to Lodi                       40km

         
       
         
         

 

 

 

 

         
       
         
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
         
       
         

 

         
         
         
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
       
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday, June 11, day 7.    Lodi to Brescia            65km

 

         
         
         
         

 

 

         
       
         
         

 

 

         
       
         
         
         
         
         
         

 

 

Friday, June 12         Brescia to Tignale       55km

    On the way out of Brescia, ruins of the Capitoline Temple.    
       
         
         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         
         
   

The Mille Miglia was a famous auto race that was run every year between 1927 and 1957. It was a rather wild affair, run without any limits on regular highwfrom Brescia to Rome and back.

A tragic accident in 1957 in which two racers and thirteen spectators were killed brought the MM to an end as an all-out race. It was revived as a rally event in 1982. Just outside of Brescia there is a roadside museum.

  
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
     

To the east of Brescia I could see that I'd soon be leaving the flat roads behind me.

There were quarries to the north of the road. Judging from the trees growing out of the stone face, it looks like this quarry has been worked for many years,