Just a short post to say that we are actually in Mantova at the Festivaletteratura.

The sun is shining; the food is exceptional; the people are nice; I’m playing chess with Boris Spassky tomorrow night! Oh yes, it’s true.

Now, what I know about chess can be written on the back of a postage stamp. It starts at 9.00 p.m., so I expect to be at the bar having a beer about…..oh……say……9.05 p.m.

Still, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which can’t be missed.

And this isn’t Hay-on-Wye. The rucksacks are probably D&G; the hiking boots don’t exist here, but if they had them they would probably be Prada; the glasses are only for the sun – and they would mostly be Dior or somesuch!

I’ll try to write more later. A beer in the sun is calling…..