It was Thursday and we had the day free. We had eaten lunch and decided to look at the funicular.  We had been told of the magnificent view over Montecatini from the top.
We looked up and could see the church and cluster of buildings around it, way up the mountainside.
Avril had booked to have her hair done at 4pm. Time enough to have a look at the funicular even though we had been told that it had stopped running for the winter and the station would not be open.
The road up beside the rail track was paved for a hundred yards alongside a few houses. It then became a stony leafy track that meandered up alongside the railway fence. I was reluctant to go on but Avril said it would be nice to go higher.
Twenty minutes on up this steep and slippery slope which showed clear signs of the heavy rain the previous day and we came to a grassy area - an old olive grove.  It was a good place to stand and admire the view accross the valley plain and Montecatini and the nearside  mountains.  The weather wasn’t bad and I was now thinking we could climb to the top and visit the church. But Avril thought we had come far enough.
Then above us up the steep path two girls appeared. We recognised the Dunlop daughters and said Hi as they passed on the way down.  Shortly behind them came Neil and Elizabeth and their son.
We greeted each other and I asked Neil how far it was to the top. Neil said we were half way there. We decided to trek on. This time it was Avril who was reluctant but I was thinking – We’ve come this far - we might just as well make it to the top.
The funicular rail wasn’t always in sight. I went ahead and after another 25 minutes was close to the top. There was a wall and a paved path. Avril did not reach it. She was a few yards behind but decided that time was running out and she would head back down while I quickly had a look at the church.
Although I was now on a proper path, there was a way still to go up and between buildings before I reached Montecatini Alto square and two shops. I bought two post cards and walked up to the church.
Time was also passing quickly and I was ever aware that Avril was making her way down the slippery mountain slope.  In the church I met up with Robin White and Erica but had time only for a few words and a cursory look around the lovely church. It was time to head down.

I retraced my steps but it all looked quite different going the other way. In my haste I missed a narrow gap between buildings. I was alongside a road. I could not recognise the way down that I thought I knew. I asked a local and he directed me back to the church.  I hadnt brought my mobile phone with me to call Avril and I was lost.