Cash's Holiday

Hi everyone, long time no post, sorry.

Firstly…our weather has improved greatly. What a difference a few days make. The sun has some heat now. We even had dinner on our roof top deck. Was superb….has a charcoal BBQ…Dave is mastering the art and producing succulent pork & chicken. He and Jim have a specialty going of grilled sardines bought fresh from the mobile fish market that comes into the piazza here twice a week. Scaling and gutting sardines !!!!….they are into their `slow food’ concept. Well something is wrong if while on HOLIDAY you don’t have the time.   

The past few days have seen us explore more….with a lay day for general catch up of self….today being one of those, hence `blog time’….sounds very close to blob time which could be another name for our `home’ days.

Towards the coast from here is `Tarquinia’.  Jules, being a teacher of ancient history has opened up the past life of the Etruscians….a civilisation dating back to the 9th century BC, who had a stronghold in Italy till being absorbed into the Roman empire by 90 BC.  Our region of Lazio being one of those strongholds. So we went to see a `necropolis’ ….burial site of painted tombs. For fear of boring you (but it is actually interesting) will just say 6000 have been discovered and only a handful open to public viewing via a glass petition as exposure to air has caused deterioration. Over the years tomb robbers have been active, selling contents of said tombs on the black market.      Had our picnic lunch on the coast. (Tend to make the most of the fresh bread, salami etc and our trusty car kettle and eat `alfresco’).  Could see the port of Civitavecchia  in the distance, with its many cruise ships tied up…..nearness of Rome being the attraction , as the immediate coastline certainly for me didn’t do it.   As expected its fairly built up, stony foreshore, with the occasional `artificial beach’…. truck loads of sand seen piled up,  a grader at the ready, lined up umbrella’s with deck chairs stacked nearby for rental (I guess)……..it was nice to be near the sea again though.

Visiting Siena , in Tuscany was our other full day…. Another walled city…… As you drive around they just pop up large and small, crowning hills. Shear rock faces melding into homes above, safe from attach. As Jim commented and not in a derogatory sense “they are a dime a dozen”. So it’s easy to begin to think….seen one, seen them all. But somehow they still hold their individual mystery.  What made Siena really interesting was its main square `del Campo’. (about the size of 1 ½ rugby fields) It’s totally surrounded by Gothic / Early period buildings. The paved  expanse is a slanting scallop shell shape …….here lies the interesting bit.  It’s the site of a horse race with a difference and from what I read `resembling a renaissance free for all’.  

Bare with me while I tell you because standing in the square the imagination can see it all happening….though I don’t think I would personally like to see the poor horses galloping on such a hard surface myself.      Held twice a year (July and August)This centuries old event, well sort after by visitors, has accommodation booked a year in advance.  Before the race, horses and jockeys are blessed (with emphases on the horse).  Jockeys ride bare back often careering into mattress cushioned walls at the turn. The horses are loaned out by local owners with a lottery drawing rider to horse three days before the event – then the real action begins, as neighbourhood leaders plot strategy and form numerous secret race-day alliances……reading on, almost anything goes….whipping an opponent, blocking, bribery.    The first horse to complete three laps around the square with or without the rider, wins the race.    All over in minutes but it’s the pomp and pageantry preceding the race and the partying to follow that adds to the overall sceptical.

Well I’m bound to have really worn you all out now.   Tomorrow we’re off to Rome…safe driving strategies….go by train.  (:) G