Walter,
Among the most valuable of our wartime experiences, surely the most long-lasting must be the mental "snapshots" we carry of sudden glimpses of something or someplace so beautiful or so colourful or so impressive, as to stay with us for the rest of our lives. In my case I can cite the huge red, rising sun over the ship's bows as we were running in to Bombay at dawn, and the sight of Nanga Parbat, also at dawn, from Gulmarg in Kashmir.
At 9,000 ft we could look down on the Vale of Kashmir, still shrouded in darkness and full of mist. But 40 miles to the North stood this lone Himalayan giant - seemingly almost close enough to touch in the pure mountain air - with the first rays of the sun lighting the top few thousand feet of the 25,000-footer, as dazzling pink and white as any coconut ice.
Spent over three years in India - but never bothered to go to see - the Taj Mahal. Silly me ! It's in the news today, hope they see it again in moonlight - it's really
something then, I'm told.
In your case, the castle of Pepoli must haunt your dreams. In such places must King Arthur and his knights revelled. Sir Walter Scott would have had a field day.
...where we spent time exploring...
With due regard to life and limb, I hope ! (no "elf'n pastry" in those days).
Him again ! The bane of my boyhood (and many other boyhoods, I would think). Could never take to the goody-goody prig
Pius Aeneas - Caesar ? now that's something else !
Cheers, keep it coming, Danny.