Stage 16: Orio Litta to Piacenza. Paying the ferryman. (Part 2).

So I set off at 5.30, taking two trains, and arrived at the rather rickety landing stage at 08.15. No sign of a ferry.  

I waited 30 minutes, allowing for Italian time, having texted him that I was there, with no response. Eventually, I rang him. "Oh, where are you, Signora?". 

"At Sant'Andrea" 

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise you were coming from there." 20 minutes later, the ferry arrived.

I was delighted to meet this famous person, and greeted him "Signore Danilo? Buon giorno!" "Do you see anyone else here? Who else would it be?"

(Hmm, thinks I, OK, perhaps I've misunderstood. Let's have another go.)

"What a beautiful river it is!" as we spend off, and it really was a glorious journey for 15 minutes.

"Humph! Yes. Where are you from?"

"Wales"

"Oh, I took the Welsh bishop, Barry Morgan, across 10 years ago". (He was formerly Archbishop of Wales).

"Oh, how interesting"

Silence until we chugged slowly in to some precarious steps on the other bank.

"You'll pay me 10 euros."

"Of course!" And then I made my big mistake. "I'm, sorry, do you have change for 20?"

"No, I suppose we'll have to go to my house".

So we did, him mumbling and grumbling along (bear in mind I'm looking forward to signing the famous book), until we get there, and he stomps away, comes back and petulantly plonks a 10 down, and goes back inside slamming the door.  

Clearly, I should have given him the 20 had I been feeling sharper (or he could simply have asked for 20!). And after Sunday's act of kindness, I felt rather a heel.