Each year in Barga at this time, the Barghigiani breath a huge sigh of relief – the festas are over and life can return to normal. The marathon of Christmas, New year and then the Befana has been run – those still on their feet can now get back to the serious side of running their lives in a small medieval walled city in Tuscany. Today was the second Sunday in the month and this always means the monthly market in Barga Vecchia. A sparse crowd moved through the city afternoon browsing the stalls and buying very little. The recent bout of influenza still keeping many people confined to their beds .The grumblings of the stall holders could be heard above the crowd – there is so little money floating around after the Christmas holidays and its too soon in the month for those paid monthly to have any spare cash.
