BREAKFAST

Readers seem to like my food photos, so here's what I had for breakfast this morning: a strawberry granita and a brioche at Bar Fargione, the only one open at this end of the Via Sacro Cuore.

Only three more days to go of this crazy closing of everything. How can you have a business and abandon your entire clientèle for a fortnight? "Because 99% of the clientèle are away in this period", the shop and business owners would no doubt reply. It drives me barmy and it occurs to me that maybe it hits a single person harder, as the place where you have your hair done or the bar where you sometimes have lunch can also be your only points of human contact in a day. I should point out that the supermarkets and several of the smaller food stores only close on the 15th, and some of the shoe shops on Sacro Cuore are open again today, already discounting their summer sandals. But right at the moment I need a hairdo, a computer expert to visit and some make-up replenishments!

A lot of people had come up to town from the sea this morning, many of them obviously tourists. But I did not hear any language other than Italian. Certainly the British and the Americans won't be attracted to the place at this period; we do so expect shops and tourist attractions to be open!