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It is time to review what we did and saw during the last three weeks. After many visits to various parts of Italy since 1969, this trip included some different experiences. In general, we loved all of it (except Jim’s fall).

The first week in Sicily was very similar to the week my daughter and I enjoyed two years ago. We loved all of our guides, who were knowledgeable, helpful, and became friends in the end. Of course, the fact that our group consisted of us and one other couple didn’t hurt, either. Taormina is an absolute favorite, about 45 minutes from Catania and just south of Mt. Etna. The amazing coincidence was that we went up Mt. Etna only one day before it blew its top with one of the craters caving in during the eruption. The next day, as we drove by it on our way to another destination, it looked like nothing happened at all!

All the cities in Sicily are unique and special. Even Palermo, which is a large industrial city, provided a good visit. We would recommend the tour company we used twice, Sicily Adventures, which we found through Tourradar.

After one week, we were ready to fly to Naples to begin our cooking school experience. Casa Gregorio provided a wonderful time and a learning experience that even Jim (not a cook) enjoyed. They have specials often, two for one, and have two locations, with a third coming online early next year. The main one, where we were, is in Casto del Volci, one hour from both Rome and Naples on top of a mountain. They also have a second location on the coast, and a third opening up in Venice. Whether you are a foodie or not, you will love this adventure. Our group of eight Americans found that the location, the staff, and the food was beyond our expectations.

Our last destination was Puglia, the area in the “heel” of Italy. It was a self-drive tour, with the company (TUI), providing the car with all insurance, and the hotels, for us. We were then on our own to explore the various towns and areas in the region.

Many of the towns offered different cuisines, topography, and experiences. Alberobello was amazing. Otranto was unique, and Lecce, which probably would have been a favorite if we had more time, came and went too quickly. Driving in the countryside can be challenging, and not for the faint-hearted. Had we done a tour, it probably would have been more relaxing and informative. We tried it, but would not do it again. This trip was also through Tourradar, and we commend them for their responsiveness to our questions, variety of offerings for trips, and good deals on their tours.

It has taken longer than I imagined to complete the blog for this trip. Our next one begins in August for another three weeks. However, with two cruises, one in the Greek Islands, and the other on the Danube River from Budapest to Prague (in my home country), we should have a much more relaxing vacation. One lesson I learned is not to rely on my iPad Mini to keep up with the blog. It was difficult and time-consuming. Next time, I am taking my laptop and even though it is fairly light, it is still heavier than the mini. Oh, well… At least I hope to keep up to date with the photos and descriptions as we travel. Thanks to all of you for telling me that you are enjoying traveling with us.

Our flight to Mexico City and then on to Guadalajara wasn’t leaving until almost midnight, leaving a full day in Rome to explore. We purposely arrived early to meet our guide for a tour of the Coliseum and the Forum in the morning, and a TukTuk tour of other well-known sights in Rome. Both Jim and I visited many of these amazing sights many years ago, but wanted to get an in-depth view of these ancient areas one last time with more information than we had in the past.

We took the Metro from the airport to the Coliseum, only two stops away. We found a place to stash our luggage at the airport and off we went. It is wonderful to navigate public transportation that functions so well.

We arrived at the Coliseum and met our guide and the other travelers in our group, about 15 in total. What was overwhelming was seeing hoards of tourists all around the area. This was the first time on this trip that we experienced this phenomenon, considering that lately we read that many European cities are demonstrating over the influx of tourists taking over their sights, roads and AirBnB’s. You may have read that Barcelona, Florence, and Venice, among others, are posting signs telling people to “GO HOME.” This is occurring even in Mexico City, so it isn’t just a European issue. Adding to that, the temperature was about 97F, with the impending heatwave starting in full force.

The line to get into the Coliseum for those not with a tour group was nuts. We scheduled a tour and got in quickly. Our guide was very knowledgeable. We were able to walk all around the inside, viewing the interior where the animals (lions and ??) used for fighting with the gladiators. There was a floor that covered the lower levels at one time, but no longer. That allowed us to see the many rows of rooms that housed gladiators and more.

After spending time inside the Coliseum, we met a different guide to tour the Forum across the street. This area houses many ancient buildings, as well as segments of buildings that have disappeared over the centuries. By this time, the temperatures have reached over 95F and Jim’s leg was feeling rather sore. However, we still managed to see a lot in the Forum.

It was time to get lunch after our busy morning. There were a number of restaurants between the Coliseum and the Forum. Although touristy, it was the best option. We ordered our final pasta carbonara and Aperol Spritz, which was perfect. The couple at the next table were young and fun. We chatted all through lunch, until we heard music, megaphones, and started seeing crowds of people coming. We had no idea what was happening, until we saw banners and microphones telling of pro-Palestinian support.

There were tens of thousands of people surrounding the Coliseum area. We watched for a bit, but had. to go to the other side of the Coliseum to connect with our Tuk Tuk driver for our next tour. It was impossible for him to meet us because of the thousands of people who were a part of the demonstration. Ultimately, we were able to reach the driver via WhatsApp and he suggested that we take the Metro two stops away to meet him. We were on our way now…

We enjoyed our tour to all the famous places in Rome. We hit the Trevi Fountain, which had an hour-long wait to get in front of it to throw a coin (no, thank you). Circus Maximus, the destination for the amazing chariot races of old still stands, although a shadow of its former self. Casa Marzio is a huge compound that sits on top of a hill overlooking hundreds of churches and beautiful landscapes. The family that owned this property was wall-known as designers of very pricey pens and other items. They have stores in Rome to this day (which I never visited).

The two churches of Piazza del Popolo, the “People’s Piazza,” actually came from the poplar trees planted nearby. It was the site of public executions. Thankfully, this is no longer the case. It is an iconic destination in Rome.

Our next stop was the Saint’Ignacio de Loyola church. It is possibly the most elegant and beautiful church in Rome. The ceiling painting looks like it is three-dimensional, but it is just the way it was painted. The art is incredible, withstanding the. test of time.

At the end of the tour, on our way to the train station, I saw a market with the most amazing peaches. I should have purchased some, but we had no time if we wanted to make our flight from Rome to Mexico City. The picture will make you drool!

The twelve hour flight went smoothly, and it was easier to sleep on the plane because we flew overnight. The food, by the way, was horrible. Good thing we were tired and ignored the meal service. We arrived in Mexico City very early in the morning and finally arrived in Guadalajara around 9:00 AM. Planning and going on a fabulous vacation is fun, but coming home to our Lola and our home is better.

We had heard about the charm of Martina Franca from Ajijic friends, but experiencing it today was even better. This small town couldn’t have been more charming. As soon as you drive in, you see the amazing sculpture that leads you through the typical arch to the center of the town. Across from the sculpture, locals gather in the park and shoot the breeze.

The sculpture of hands clasping in various ways is the focal point of the town. Each set of hands has a different meaning, all promoting peace and love. I wish they had offered a table-sized version of this to sell. Of course, it wouldn’t fit into my carry-on bag, anyway.

The main arch as you enter is reminiscent of most of Italy’s towns. Inside, there are lovely streets, the main plaza with their church ( one of many), fountains, and charm galore.

One thing that seems to be common in most of the places we visited, were heavily tatooed people. Usually, it is a sleeve (arm tatoos), or a few here and there. There was one woman who was pierced and tatooed everywhere that I had to capture.

Now, on to Otranto. Our hotel/spa had a huge pool and facilities to have massages or other services. We wanted to spend our time either by the pool or seeing as much of the area as possible. It was lovely, though.

We took a walk into Otranto, where we were greeted by booths selling candy, many restaurants, a boardwalk and beach, ancient walls around the town, an arched entry, shops and so much more.

One of the shops had a dress that really caught my eye. The handwork on the dress was especially unique.

Once the sun went down, Otranto took on a totally different look. It became a bustling town, with families enjoying the sights and sounds, filling the restaurants, and generally changing the energy of Otranto.

We had a nice dinner and adjourned to our hotel to get ready for another day of touring…

Today, we drove to the ancient town of Matera. This beautiful hill-top city is layered with white stone buildings that are tucked into caves. The cobblestone streets are shiney from centuries of use, which is good, and bad.

The bad part is that Jim slipped and fell. His right leg bent under him as his left leg went forward. (No, I didn’t get a picture of him in this precarious position!) He was sure that he may have done lasting damage to his artificial knees. And because this was a few days before the end of our trip, we didn’t seek medical attention. Fortunately, he was able to walk, albeit slowly and with some pain. The next couple of days, we walked over 12,000 steps each day, and he was a trouper about seeing everything in the final cities of our trip. The plan was to see his orthopedist once we got home, unless he was in severe pain. The good news was that he was more uncomfortable than in pain.

So, we went back to Alberobello and relaxed at our hotel, sitting by the pool, and enjoying a nice dinner. We were hoping that he didn’t hurt himself too badly for the last few days of our trip.

We drove to Gallipoli today, another seaside town. It has a beach, although small, and lots of boats to take visitors all around. As you enter the town, you see a large fort that commands attention and maintained the town’s safety.

Their main church was very basic, compared to so many we saw all around Italy. I broke down and bought another sun hat, to add to my collection at home.

We really enjoyed Gallipoli, but were ready to drive to Lecce, across Puglia to the east side of Italy’s “heel.” We took highways instead of narrow, winding roads and zipped along at breakneck speed! Of course, we still got passed by every car and truck like we were standing still!

We arrived to our hotel, which wasn’t actually in Lecce, but about 3km away. That was a bit disappointing because we had to drive into town to experience what Lecce had to offer. It wasn’t a big deal, although remember that Jim is still walking on a leg that he damaged in Matera. He still made it okay.

After parking just outside one of the seven gates surrounding Lecce, we walked into town and found it to be just as charming as we heard. The first destination was the incredible historic centre, one of the most beautiful in Puglia. The Piazza del Duomo, the Basilica of the Holy Cross, and its Palace of the Celestini, as well as all the Gates of the Old City, are the greatest examples of Baroque architecture in Italy.

It was overwhelming to think about how the builders of these beautiful buildings could create something so special. Also, the excavation of ancient buildings continues. There were several digs occurring as we walked around, with ancient ruins unveiled.

However, as we walked to all of these buildings, we were overwhelmed by the crowds of tourists that met us at every turn. It seems that busloads of people, both on tours and from cruises, wanted to see Lecce as much as we did. So, as much as we wanted to enjoy the city, we didn’t stay as long as we had hoped.

Finding a restaurant for an early lunch was our next goal. After passing a number of restaurants, filled with lots of people, we ended up at a small place that specialized in typical US food. It was a hoot. The sign inside said it all. We shared a sandwich, fries, and it was a fun change of cuisine. Notice the packets of Heinz ketchup and mustard!

Now, time to return to our hotel to get ready for our very early morning trek of 1.5 hours to return the car at the Brindisi Airport and then board a flight to Rome. I wish we could have stayed longer to explore other areas besides the touristy ones, but maybe on another trip!

This was another day to visit another UNESCO World Heritage site – Castel del Monte. This castle was built in 1240 by Emperor Frederick II of Swabia (who ever heard of Swabia?). In 1266, it was repurposed from a normal castle to use for military needs and even a place of detention for illustrious prisoners.

Sadly, after being looted multiple times since it was abandoned in the 17th century, many of the marble appointments, mosaic floors, and sculptural details no longer exist. In the arches around the main door, you can see the marble details. In 1876 the Italian State acquired the castle and it was declared a World Heritage site in 1996. Its octagonal shape is repeated throughout the entire structure, a sign of perfection. There are eight rooms on each of the two floors and the interior courtyard is also in an octagonal shape, based on an ancient crown design. The remnants of the splendor in the castle are visible in the marble columns, but not much elsewhere. When built, it was equipped with amenities unique to the times, including plumbing, bathrooms with a sink and latrine, ventilation systems, and fireplaces.

Time to head into Bari, one of the larger cities in Puglia. We wandered around to find a good place to have lunch and finally found a restaurant that had a lot of US-like foods. So, for a change, we had a pulled-pork sandwich and some of the best fries we have ever had. Okay, we are in Italy, not in the US, but it was a nice change from the typical Puglia cuisine.

By the way, the name of this area in the “heel” of Italy has been called Puglia and Apuglia. We were wondering which was correct and found that either is acceptable. Italians may call it Puglia (silent g), while English-speaking people may refer to it as Apuglia. Culturally, Puglia is steeped in history, with influences from the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Normans, among others. This diverse heritage is reflected in Puglia’s architecture, archaeological sites, and traditions, providing a rich tapestry of experiences for visitors and locals alike.

Time to move on to Matera, an incredible ancient city that has been occupied since the 8th century BC. The oldest part of Matera is called the Sassi, which consists of approximately twelve levels spanning the height of 380 m, connected by a network of paths, stairways, and courtyards. There are streets where buses and cars drive, but also original “roads” that probably were used by horses or donkeys. As the cobblestone roads wend their way down from higher areas, they consist of a step, about two meters of angled downward slippery stones, then more steps. Jim fell on the stones and was scared that he may have damaged his artificial knee. His right leg bent back under him. As uncomfortable as it was, he continued to walk for the balance of the trip. (He went to the orthopedist once we were home and found out that he tore a muscle just above his right knee. He wore a brace from mid thigh to mid calf for two weeks and then slowly was able to bend the leg. Fortunately, he was in pretty good shape before the fall. It looks like he will be okay.)

We drove a short distance to Martina Franca, a very charming town that is captivating. As you enter the town, you see an amazing sculpture of hands that have beautiful meanings. Once you know this, the hands give you a sense of peace and hope. The area near this city center is filled with locals who catch up on the town gossip and laugh as they enjoy each other’s company. I felt that I could spend much more time here, given the proximity to other towns and the beautiful scenery. The typical arch entry leads you to beautiful streets and a city center fountain that is another meet and greet destination. One thing we did see was a woman covered in tattoos and lots of piercings. One thing we experienced was that tattoos were everywhere, and some all over the body. It was difficult to see them, when you consider the discomfort of having needles putting dyes into your skin! Yikes! Some were colorful, some mainly black, but I always wonder how they will fair as the body changes and parts drop! This is just my silly bias speaking…

It was time to go to Otranto, our base for the next couple of days. The entrance to the town, a five minute walk from our hotel, welcomed us with an arch that beckoned us to enter. As you go through the arch, the narrow streets open to a variety of shops and restaurants. Otranto is right on the water, on the Mediterranean side of Puglia. One restaurant, right at the entrance to the town, had a long line to get in. We decided to go the next night, early, to see what the fuss was about.

We went to what could be described as a cafeteria fast food restaurant for lunch. They had a variety of tasty options to try. And, surprisingly, it was pretty good. Afterward, we wandered toward the beach on the Mediterranean side of Puglia. It wasn’t crowded and the water was crystal clear. The gentle waves were very inviting, but not for us at this time.

We returned to our hotel for a little rest and enjoyed visiting the beautiful swimming pool at our hotel. It was a nice change to relax and not be going from one place to another.

Dinner was at a small, lovely restaurant, where we enjoyed orecchiette (shaped like an ear) with meatballs, a typical pasta in Puglia, and a Caprese salad. We found that Caprese salads differed in various parts of Italy. The best one so far was in Sicily, because the tomatoes were large, vine-ripened, juicy, and delicious. The tomatoes in Puglia were a tad larger than typical cherry tomatoes and the fresh mozzarella was served in small balls, instead of slices. Of course, we loved it all anyway. The sauce, salad, and the service were excellent. By the way, the stalls with sweets were everywhere, colorful and filled with varieties that we couldn’t identify.

After dinner, it was getting dark and Otranto became a very different town. It came alive with lights, children, and music. We were entranced and were pleased that we decided to stay after dark.

Candy stands are everywhere and they have so many varieties. The shops are unique, but one captivated me with a dress that I had never seen before. I had to take a picture. And, finally, sunset in Otranto was beautiful.

Tomorrow, we head to Gallipoli, another seaside town not too far away. Then we head to Lecce, a stunning town for our final night before our trek home to Mexico.

Another beautiful day awaited us. Today, we decided to go to the Grotte di Castellana. The first cave is about six stories tall, with an opening at the top that makes the formations glow. There are stalactites (from the roof) and stalagmites (growing from the floor), created by dripping water over thousands of years. We were told that the stalactites grow about an inch every 100 years.

The colors were amazing and formations looked like statues, welcoming visitors from their high perch. The history of the Caves of Castellana begins in the upper Cretaceous (100 – 90 million years ago), when Puglia was still below sea level of the ancient Mediterranean, inhabited by numerous colonies of mollusks and marine plants. For millions of years, these life forms had succeeded each other, generations after generations, and their empty shells and carcasses accumulating on the seabed, had formed a gigantic deposit of mud and sand which, with its slow but continuous growth, had gradually compressed to form a layer of limestone with a thickness of several kilometers. This is a vast system of caverns that extends for about 3 kilometers at an average depth of 70 meters. We went through cavern after cavern, noting the changes in colors, shapes, and formations.

From the caverns we went to Polignano a Mare, a charming town that is known for its crystal clear water. There are more caves just above the water that you can visit via boats. We decided instead to enjoy the town and have a lunch famous for its puccia. These buns are soft and are filled with a variety of fillings, including seafood (usually octopus). We shared one with polpette (a delicious meatball) a ragu sauce, and burrata cheese. It was a very special, typical of this town.

The day was not over. We then moved on to Monopoli, another ancient town that continued to charm us. They were getting ready for a concert as part of the Prospero Fest at the port. We didn’t stay, but it looked like a wonderful concert later in the day.

Time to return to Alberobello for dinner. A nearby restaurant, Terra Mossa, made a yummy four cheese pizza, which Jim enjoyed with a Peroni beer and me with an Limoncello Spritz. It was the perfect cap to the busy day.

Tomorrow, we explore more nearby towns. The winding roads and myriad of roundabouts make navigating a challenge, but my co-pilot does a great job! Until tomorrow…