Lost In Italy

We hadn't planned to go to the beach but somehow we made a wrong turn off the autostrada and wound up at a beach side restaurant. Beach side dining so the menu options included seafood. What to select from the wide range offered? We allowed ourselves to be tempted this day. Due to the inclement weather parking was relatively easy and the brief walk along the beachfront allowed us to scrutinise the competition before choosing our dining experience. Anne and Gary lunched with us. Brief encounter with some ceramic plates had created healthy appetites in each of us. Anne made a purchase at the local ceramic shop so there was a memento to mark the occasion of our day at the beach. I should mention there were no swimmers or towels, no waves or sandcastles either. This was Italy so it didn't matter. We loved it all. Conversation, shopping what more did we need to complete our day? Perhaps a wandering minstrel. Who'd have thought? Just when we were sampling a second glass of wine we glimpsed a piano accordion played entering the restaurant. A genuine Italian piano accordionist. Had the men organised this romantic serenading to impress Anne and I? Anne and I searched for our purses and we managed to gather more than a handful of Euros between us. money exchanged and the minstrel stated to play for us at our table. Unfortunately the restaurant's proprietor didn't share our enthusiasm and the musician was gently ushered to the door. What a pity? More wine and we may have started singing! I have already mentioned that the restaurant served seafood delicacies and due to my poor Italian I ordered a whole fish that was presented to me by a beaming waiter. I looked down and saw that poor fish staring back at me. Discretely I placed a piece of cucumber over his eye so as not to meet his gaze while I ate him. Dessert was delicious so the eye forgotten I soldiered on. We thanked and paid for lunch before searching out neighbouring points of interest. In the park across the road from the restaurant was a waterfront park. Larger than life size sculptures added to the cultural encounters that we

enjoyed that day. Music, mirth and art. This place had it all.