To the End of April

Bon Giorno, we're back from a hectic 12 nights in Southern Italy, need a holiday to recover! For once we went on an organised trip, Saga in fact. My first Saga holiday and probably my last. Too much crammed into the time available, obviously the guides showed you the ‘hot’ spots but there was not enough free time to explore places, wander the back streets or find a ‘native’ café. 

The saving thing was the tour manager who was brilliant, not only did he talk about the tourist traps but also about the southern Italian way of life, their traditions, the culture and the politics. I wish the area was easier to get to by road or rail so we could do an extended visit and get off the beaten track.

A few words about these few images.

20-04-15 pretty obvious

21-04 Gatwick at 04-00hrs

22-04 Trani, a major fishing port where we has some super sword fish for lunch

23-04 School parties every where, this one in Alberobello

24-04 There was a whole street in Bari devoted to making pasta

25-04 Lecce, a very interesting baroque town with lots of buskers like this one being painted

26-04 Matera the hillside town where the houses are cut into the hillsides. It was featured recently in a couple of TV programmes. Again a lot of information but not much time to explore on ones own.

27-04 Cookery demo at the fantastic Barbieri hotel in Altomonte.

28-04 The pipes southern Italian style.

29-04 On the ferry to Sicily

30-04 Snow ploughs to keep the roads clear on Etna. It was quite a shock to be at 10degrees C with a high wind after the 2-4-28 degrees we had got used to. 



Tony M and Maggie