We're out by 10am and spend a some time swimming in the pool before we head out for the day. We end up missing San Casciani in val di Pesa which was the town liberated by Kiwis on their way through to Florence. Liberated on July 26th 1944 maybe my Great Uncle James was here just a few days before he died on July 30th?
Instead we go to Tarvenelle which we have heard is a town which was liberated by the Maori Battalion. The curious thing is that it is only in recent years that this was known. For years the villagers believed the unit to be black American soldiers. We don't come across much about this at lunchtime on a Saturday, but we do stop to enjoy a few snacks and a coffee together before we do say goodbye and leave to go in separate directions. Such a great opportunity to spend this week with great friends. Hard to imagine when it might happen again in a hurry.
We drive the short distance to Siena, find a park and walk through the tortured narrow streets as we manage to finally find the famous square the duomo. We find a kind local woman who shows us the way to get back to our van. The kids are pretty tired after a couple of very late nights so they enjoy a quick dinner in the van while watching local lads practice the flag waving for the palio horse race. Finally, we drive south of Grosseto to a beach near Orbetello. It's right on dark as we arive but we do enjoy a stroll along the beach. The water is very warm and inviting along this sandy beach.
No comments:
Post a Comment