Aosta

Lazy day today, with the weather looking very indifferent.

A leisurely breakfast at our B&B and off to catch a bus to we-didn't-really-care-where. The people at the bus station told us (we think) that the bus that went north up the valley was no 4 and left at 10.20. Of course, it headed south! Up the mountain to Charvensod, a little village perched on the side of the mountain just outside Aosta. The road up was very steep and very bendy. Phil decided it looked like fun to walk down, so he got off.

I stayed on the bus as it went back to Aosta, then headed north up the valley (see, they did actually know what they were talking about!) My plan was to get off somewhere, look for birds and catch the next bus back (an hour later). However, it was pretty much suburbs all the way, hardly any birds or forest, (plus I had the keys!) so I stayed on for the round trip back to Aosta. Not bad for 80 cents!

Quick detour via the supermarket, and back to the B&B to have some lunch and wait for Phil. Someone was waiting for me, though!

All three cats were wandering around the courtyard, but only two of them deigned to be photographed!

After lunch, we walked around the walls to the station to buy tomorrow's tickets (train at 7.23). It was spitting by this time, so I decided to use up my other bus ticket. Phil preferred to walk. I chose a route that looked like it went outside Aosta, and jumped on a bus. The villages here along the valley tend to run into one another, so my route didn't take me through any rural scenery, and the views up the mountains were limited by the low clouds. The highlight of the trip?  The bumblebee that was trapped on the bus (unfortunately, no photo).

I was supposed to meet Phil at 4.30. He was half an hour late. I'll let him tell you why.

Whilst out on what was meant to be a 90 minute walk, I came across the fire station for Aosta which was a half an hour walk outside the town. The building was not identified as such and only recognised the name for fire brigade in Italian and French. Went around to the side and saw several fire trucks out the back and took some photos from the entrance then spoke to one of the firefighter (indicating I could only speak English  and that I was a firefighter myself and wanted to take some closeup photos of the trucks (or what I thought were their only trucks). He said that his English was not very good but would get the Chief to see me. The chief's English was very good and I said I would like to take photos of the trucks and then he took me inside the building and into their underground garage where my eyes nearly popped out of my head. I had never seen so many fire trucks in one location. Later he took me into their second garage (yes - 2 underground garages) where there were more vehicles. He told me they did not have enough drivers for all the vehicles  He was quite happy to go through each appliance telling me what each one did and how much water they carried.

This explained why I have not see any fire stations in the area, unlike in Victoria, as every town (nearly) has a fire station which are clearly marked. The Aosta Fire station looks after the entire Aosta Valley - all 100 kilometres of it, as well as the mountain villages. The population of Aosta is 34,000 and for the Aosta Valley 128,000. They have 18 crew on at a time, working 12 hour shifts - 8am to 8pm.

Now for some figures:  They have 3 platform trucks, 2 ladder trucks, 13 pumper/tankers, 11 specialty support vehicles, 2 x 18,000 L water tankers, and 12 landrover slip-on vehicles, for a total of 43 vehicles.

Now this is what I call a fire station!