Siena Summer fun

There is lots of it! 

Meanwhile Italy is of course imploding- the government has once again fallen ( it was the fault of the 5 Star Movement. I am very cross with them. I liked Draghi.) However, here people are shrugging their shoulders, eating, dancing and enjoying the heatwave as if nothing had happened...

The Contradas take it in turn to open up their large gardens, and every night for a fortnight or so, le tout Sienne visit the particular Contrada whose turn it is to entertain. There  the wine flows, the live music plays, and the grills, manned by the Contradioli volunteers, produce vast quantities of Salsicci ( they really are very good at sausages here.. although I maintain they don't know how to make bread in Tuscany...) and Costolette alla Griglia etc., consumed at  long trestle tables set up on the grassy slopes. Here I am at BRUCO (the silk worm) Contrada with Italian friends from my walking group.

After all that meat the tradition  is to jump up and down waving one's arms in the air frenetically for an hour or so to the live band - this particular night they did excellent cover versions of hits by the  Beatles, Stones and the Who etc,...below it looks like daylight, but it is only strong illumination...

An English (oops, Irish as a matter of fact) friend from London kept me company for three days here, and made me laugh- Peter Cavanagh, 

who also partook of the Contrada evenings with me, and introduced me to a new friend, the American Hettie, who lives here too and here she is below with her German nephew Louis at last night's Hoe-Down at the Nicchio  (The Shell) Contrada, where just as much Salsicci and wine was consumed...and just as much dancing took place.
                                                 

And the best of all: I have started to ride again, after some years break- Here below in the manege, but I now go on lovely treks along the Via Fancigena in the early evening with Laura, the manager of this stable, close to Siena. The horses are MUCH BIGGER than I was used to in Mali.