Flayed Alive

It’s all part of the European heat wave going on here.  Heat to make you gasp. There's a cycle sportive going on in the area and this beautiful carbon fibre Bianchi has deposited its rider in the cafe for a quick espresso. 


But no worries – there’s a pool at the hotel. A dip every hour or so wrapped around walks in to  the old city. The city pass gives two days to visit the main museums and climb the tallest tower.  The museum of sacred art has some gorgeous treasures. 
 
The old town hall has some fab wall paintings. There’s a picture of  St Bartholomew  being flayed alive. Gruesome and graphic. The torture and it’s agony is depicted in great detail. Much more horrifying than the Riberas which were in a show at the Dulwich earlier this year on the same theme. And more extreme than my sunburn.
 
I beat a hasty retreat back to the pool. And by the end of the day, having stretched out in the sun for too long I could feel the saint’s pain as I survived my chest – all bright red.