The Society of the Open Rope
Our early Spring 2003 trip to the Italian coast was a welcome diversion for both the Society and the inhabitants of this most welcoming of towns. They are celebrating the feast day of their patron saint - who in days when the invaders were less friendly, saved the town from sacking by pirates by one simple ruse.
He set fires burning outside the walls during the night - the pirates assumed that the town had already been sacked by someone else and moved on the next unfortunate settlement. Simple but cunning!
