It was the first week of June

“It was the first week of June and we’d arrived in the early afternoon when most people were at their siesta. Only a few people sat at the pavement cafe’s, eating ice-creams or sipping drinks and talking quietly together. Sun blinds gave shade to outside tables and made the interiors dark and cool. Waiters were taking advantage of the quiet moments, the young ones playing cards together, while the older men crossed their arms on the tables, resting their heads on them to doze peacefully. Everywhere, windows had their shutters closed to keep out the glare of the afternoon sun and we only knew there were people inside the rooms from the sound of crockery being washed and put away after another heavy Italian lunch, or by the loud voices of weary mothers shouting out ‘Dormire’! which I knew meant they were telling someone to go to sleep.”

Just remembering that day brings sadness because now there are no more plume be-decked horses clip-clopping by and the pavement tables have gone. On that first day tourism was still genteel and not yet accompanied by numerous coaches, huge cruise ships and cars………

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