Far from a seaside town that even by nineteen-seventy-four only came to life during the brief English summer, Rob stands on a sunlit strip of pavement marvelling at the vibrant street life around him. A row of small shops occupies the ground floor of the apartment block opposite the tram stop, striped awnings shading the produce displayed in windows and either side of open doorways. A colourful canvas of fruit, vegetables, bread and pasta tempt pedestrians to pause, while aproned vendors call out enticements in melodious dialect. Further along the row, he can see garments strung on wires beneath awnings, flapping in the light breeze, multihued fabric rivalling harvest brilliance. A complete contrast to the lacklustre vistas of wartime streetscapes: Bomb damaged buildings supported with ro
