Friday Five: Music to my ears

The last ice cream van at the edge of the world by Curly

The other weekend we went for a run in what turned out to be the heat of the midday sun. We weren't deliberately being Mad Dogs and Englishmen, but various events meant that was just the way it was. It was the middle of a heatwave (five days of temperatures over 37 degrees) and we ran out of water. It wasn't meant to take so long, but the last two kilometres took me 20 minutes. I was breaking out in a cold sweat and felt nauseous and dizzy. 

When we returned to the carpark I was guzzling the water we had in the car when I heard the tinkling of an ice-cream van. At first I thought I was hallucinating but no, the vehicle appeared playing a distorted version of Greensleeves and I was soon eating a cool, sweet treat that picked me back up and refreshed me after my endeavours. Never before have I been so happy to hear that ghastly tune, and it made me think there are certain musical interludes which have special connotations and for which I will always be grateful.

Yes, the photographer chopped our heads off, but see how we look like we know what we're doing!

5 Tunes I will never tire of hearing:

1. The Gay Gordons - I'm not a fan of bagpipes unless they're played in Scotland and played well. This, however, was the first dance I ever danced with Him Outdoors as we met in Edinburgh and went to a ceilidh at Hogmonay, and so it was our wedding dance. I insisted that my sisters get everyone up dancing as soon as possible as we didn't want to be left out there like a pair of numpties and I figured that however drunk you are, you can dance to this, even if your waltzing is appalling.
2. You'll Never Walk Alone - goosebumps for obvious reasons
3. The British National Anthem - when they play that as they raise the union flag, my heart stirs. I know some people (i.e. Billy Connolly and all his disciples) think it's a dirge and would prefer the theme tune to The Archers, but I feel pride in my country when I hear it from military honours to medal ceremonies.
4. The theme tune to The Archers - reminds me of my mum and the happier aspects of my childhood.
5. Debaser by The Pixies - my best mate and I had a pact at university - whenever this came on in the club we would have to dance no matter what we were doing. I got so much whiplash from that song and I love it!

Florence AM

I love seeing a city wake up – the blare of horns as folk head off to work; cyclists and pedestrians negotiating the traffic, while an old man serenely pushes his wife under rugs in a wheelchair down the main street.

Shutters rattle up and the wise buy bottles of water to see them through the day, which is deceptively cool at present.

Gloves are displayed in windows; the sharp smell of leather beckons on the crisp air.

The gold glistens behind heavy wooden shutters; the papal bankers are keeping their secrets hidden in a private, hedonistic confessional.

The duomo and the tower of the Palazzo Vecchio cut cleanly into the pale blue sky; their precise incisions not yet blurred by the midday haze.

A man stands at the counter of a tripai eating lampredotto; hot chilli sauce drips from his fingers and he snorts from his nostrils and shakes his head violently in a semblance of penance.

The crowds have not yet formed between the solemn alcoves of the Uffizi where the sightless marble statues stare past tempestuous humanity.

The faded Italian flag shades of the cathedral are pastel and sharp like the tangible flavours of the mounds of ice-cream; tantalising pyramids of pineapple, strawberry, lemon, raspberry, chocolate, pistachio studded with fruit and labelled with exotica. Their geometric lines will melt to puddles of kaleidoscopic colours by afternoon.

As I rub the shiny snout of the Fontana del Porcellino I see its clouds of white breath evaporate in the morning air. Grazie! I will return to Firenze!