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Can we turn the getai season into a tourist attraction?
Why not, says the writer, who visited the Italian city of Siena during its famous Palio horse race, which was full of pomp and festivities.
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The working-class appeal of the getai festival can offer travellers a contrast to the flashy sophistication of Marina Bay Sands, says the writer.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
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Travelling has its moments, especially when you land smack in the middle of a city as it is going about its festivities.
I arrived in Siena, Italy, as the city geared up for its annual horse race, called the Palio. The first inkling we had that something was afoot was when we got out of our Airbnb accommodation – a lovely one-bedroom apartment in the walled mediaeval city that is closed to cars. We walked up the steep flight of stairs onto a passageway, straight into a line of long tables with tableware laid for a meal. Along the street, blue and white flags fluttered.
