Puglia vacation – Day 8: Celebrating Halloween in Matera

We were so excited to walk around and “hike” Matera during the daytime. But first – breakfast. Locanda di San Martino serves an amazing breakfast. Let’s face it, this was actually the first hotel we’ve stayed in for this vacation and there are actually many people staying here (it’s not just the Rosenbergs anymore). So, we have, as Josh would say “a very large, very rich” breakfast with all kinds of choices. For me, I went straight for the bran if you know what I mean.

After we had breakfast and the kids messed around in the lounge for a bit, we set off on our hike to see the Sassi of Matera. The surrounding area is very geologically dramatic. There is a large gorge and a river runs through it. We started by visiting two cave churches and a monastery/convent dating back to the 11^th century. The churches, Madonna delle Virtu and San Nicola dei Greci, are completely dug out of the tufa rock and one is overhanging the other. The frescos in these churches date from the 14^th and 15^th centuries. Above the churches were two typical cave homes.

Thus, one might get the impression that this is how people lived in this area back in Medieval times – taking advantage of the geology. Not exactly. Sassi became the name of a people who lived in these cave dwellings. Just up the road from the “Rocky Complex”of churches, we visited a typical Sassi dwelling called a Casa Grotta. This cave was staged and furnished to illustrate the way the Sassi lived. The bed was in the center of the room (cave) just next to the alcove where the horse, pig and chickens lived. That must have smelled nice. Furthermore, these caves had no plumbing so there was a ceramic pot just next to the bed used for “waste.” Drinking water was kept in a cistern. Also in the center of the room was a small table – the size of a kids’ play table – used for serving food for the whole family. The meal was prepared in an alcove off to the side. The chest of drawers doubled as small beds for the younger children. It was not uncommon for couples to have six children living together with them in this one room cave home – even though the infant mortality rate was 50%. The guide pointed out that the bed was high so that chickens could also live underneath the bed.

It looked very much like living in the “wild west” might look in America. So, we’re thinking, based on the accoutrements here, that we’re in the 1800’s. Nope. Here’s the punch line. There were 15,000 Sassi living here in this way. They were evacuated in 1956!!! The evacuation to move all these people to “modern” dwellings took almost six years. Mind blowing isn’t it? Josh’s observation was “It’s the South.”

We continued our tour around Matera – the Sassi side; and then we made our way over to Matera’s centro storico; finally, we found the “modern” section of Matera. Each part of this town was beautiful in a completely different way. Consistent were the steep, winding, limestone-cobbled streets, and the stairs!

Avery had had it. It was naptime, and he practically collapsed in our cave room. I had bought just enough prosciotto, bread and cheese to tide the kids over lunch. We put Charlotte in charge as head babysitter with Olivia as her assistant. The babysitters watched a movie while Avery napped and his parents FINALLY had a few moments alone. We went down the block to have lunch and talk. An hour or so later, when we returned to the room, Avery was still napping so we decided to join him.

In the evening, we went on another “hike,” this time climbing the stairs up to the Piazza del Duomo and visiting the beautifully lit Cathedral. The weather here has been drastically different than it had been in Puglia. We are at some xxx in elevation and the temperatures have dropped 20 degrees. We had to keep breaking up our evening “passeggiata” with coffee and cookie breaks. We even did a little grocery shopping for car snacks for tomorrow.

It was our last night of vacation. It feels like we’ve been out of Rome forever. After a week of eating out, I am ready to start making my own food again, my way. I feel like I could eat steamed broccoli and arugula salad for a week and be completely satisfied. Strangely, I think the kids feel the same way after so much pasta and pizza.

By our last night, we’d become true Italians, or so we thought, going out to dinner at 8:30pm. We went to a pizza place near our hotel and when we arrived, we were the only ones there. Yet, we were asked if we’d reserved a table. It was Halloween after all. The restaurant was decorated with carved pumpkins and fake bats, etc. We had our pizza and beer, and by the time we left not much later, the place was packed. Still more were pouring in to enjoy the Halloween party. We weren’t eating alone; we ended our vacation with party!

Just a brief comment on Halloween: We were quite surprised at how pervasively it is celebrated here in Italy. I already touched on the celebrations at school before the break, but in Rome tonight there are all sorts of parties going on for Halloween. Furthermore, here in Matera, we a handful young “trick or treaters” and they seemed to have a good bit of candy in their pouches. For the most part, it seems to give the Italians an excuse to don their pointed witch hats or ghost masks and go out and have a good time. Like they need an excuse.

Puglia vacation - Day 7: Gallipoli and Matera

We woke up in time to milk the goats, but once the kids saw what was involved they were a little less excited about it. Only brave Avery gave it a try. We had breakfast and then Josh was off to visit the Peugot dealer nearby. Apparently, the car is drivable, which is a total relief, but the clutch pedal is stiff because the spring is broken.

We’d heard from some German guests at the Masseria that the beaches just south of Gallipoli were lovely and since it was a warm day, we decided to check out Gallipoli, on the Western coast of the heel. The old center of town is located on a promontory with beautiful views of the Mediterranean sea.

The town itself is not so pretty, but the Germans were right about the beaches. The Baia Verde, as the strip is known, had nice sandy beaches and perfectly clean water; and we were the only ones there. Apparently 75 degrees and sunny –although it was a bit breezy—does not qualify as beach weather in Puglia. The kids were so excited to get in the water that Avery completely stripped down and Olivia took her pants off. It was cute seeing them run around on the beach and play in the shallow waters.

We had to have fish for lunch – and it was delicious. Again we were the only patrons in the restaurant until about the time we were leaving at 2:15pm. The drive to Matera would be over 2 hours so we settled the kids in the back with a movie.

Just before arriving in Matera, we witnessed some serious drama. All of a sudden, the car in front of us on the road had stopped behind the car in front of it. The man in the first car got out and was yelling and gesturing wildly to the man inside the car behind him. Then he returned to his vehicle and the car behind him followed him off the road. Then the man got out of his car again, this time with a knife. The man in the second car pulled a knife as well. Holy cow! At least they pulled over and didn’t hold up traffic. Josh wanted to call the police…but then he just chalked it up to being in the South. We weren’t in Puglia anymore. Matera is in the region of Italy called Basilicata.

We arrived in Matera just before the sun went down (that’s around 5pm these days) and checked into our cave (hotel). Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage Site well known for it’s Sassi. The Sassi are the rocks and boulders from which dwellings and churches were carved. An enormous section of this town is cut out from these rocks. Our hotel, Locanda di San Martino (www.locandadisanmartino.it) is one such dwelling where the entire hotel is embedded in the side of a cliff and many of the rooms are cave-like. Our room is a duplex with a sleeping loft – like a real cave -- where Olivia and Charlotte will sleep. Avery will sleep with Josh and I downstairs in another alcove that was also carved into the cliff. Each of the 30 or so rooms at this hotel is unique and the English speaking staff is delightful. I explored the cliffside before dinner and was just amazed at how cool the whole place was.

At night, the town is lit up and while the only windows in our hotel room were in the doors, there was a great view of the other side of the canyon and more Sassi dwellings.

Having admittedly not taken our hotel receptionist’s advice about where to eat, we were disappointed with our dinner. By the time we parked the car (we had to drive it to a remote parking lot), everyone was so hungry we just went to the first place. It looked very cute, but in fact, the food was not fresh. The next morning, the receptionist would make a face when Josh told her where we ate. We’ve been spoiled to think you can’t go wrong in Italy; but you can. Again, we were the only patrons in the place. Charlotte and I recounted that aside from the first night of our trip when we ate in Ostuni, we’d eaten dinner alone every other night. In some sense, it’s a relief because then we (read: Avery) can be as loud as we want, but Charlotte felt it was lonely. I guess there are pros and cons of vacationing “off-season.”

Puglia vacation - Day 6: Otranto and Santa Maria di Leuca

We had actually planned to stay at Masseria Santa Lucia in Alessano during our stay in the Salento (the Southern-most region of Puglia), but the day before we were leaving, Josh received an email from the proprietress, Luciana, explaining that they’d had a huge rainstorm and that there had been such damage to the property that they didn’t expect to have everything cleaned up prior to our arrival. She wanted to recommend a neighboring Masseria. When Josh spoke with her the following day (while we were driving to Puglia) he explained that we had wanted to stay at her Masseria because we had read so many great reviews about it on-line, but that ideally, we would have wanted to be closer to Lecce and Otranto. Did she know any Masserias that would be good for kids (ie. with animals just like Santa Lucia) and yet further North. Luciana recommended Masseria Sant’Angelo, and that’s how we ended up here. It’s funny how fate takes you places.

Olivia was really disappointed when she woke up at 7:50am this morning because she had wanted to be up in time to milk the goats. Charlotte was still sleeping and could care less, but during the commotion of getting Olivia dressed and out the door, Avery woke up. He sat up with start and the first words out of his mouth were “Are we going to milk the goats now?” So off they went to the barn with Josh. Apparently, the goats were already milked by the time Olivia and Avery arrived, but there was plenty more to do. By the time they reappeared at the caseta, Olivia and Avery were muddy and messy and having the time of their lives.

Soon enough we were all hungry for breakfast. Our table was set in the “mess hall.” Later, the cook would tell us that all of the foods we ate were made here at the farm: cheese, tomatoes, bread, jams and even biscotti. We had an ample amount of coffee and milk and juice.

Even on the farm, it was hard to take the “city” out of us and so Josh and I sat down on a rock in a field where the owner thought we might be able to get a wireless connection so that we could download our emails. Then we left to explore Otranto.

Otranto is the eastern-most point of Italy; a town on the Adriatic coast that had once been invaded by Turks. So abhorrent was the thought capture by the Turks, that 800 inhabitants became martyrs by committing suicide rather than turning themselves over to the invaders. The town was less picturesque than we’d imagined. The church where we’d wanted to see the crypt was closed when we arrived. It was altogether a disappointing experience.

We decided to take the time to drive down the coast to Santa Maria di Leuca, the southern-most point of the heel of Italy.

We quickly discovered the Amalfi coast has nothing over the Salento – not in terms of beauty and certainly not in terms of the challenge of driving it. The coastline was rugged and completely unspoiled, and yet the road was well-maintained and even lined with gracious stone fences. We stopped at a cove just a few kilometers south of Otranto to have a picnic. There was one fishing boat anchored to a rock, otherwise we were alone. The fisherman from the boat waved to us and asked if we wanted to share their wine. Very kind, but no thank you. After eating our sandwiches, the fisherman from the boat once again invited us, this time for coffee. We accepted and hiked down the rocks to board the boat.

The three fishermen were wonderful hosts, especially Mario , and made a mean espresso. The kids asked them all sorts of questions (and Josh translated) about the fish, and the fishing nets, and they even fed some of the “bait” swimming off the back of the boat. Mario offered us a ride out to sea but we thought it was better from a timing perspective for us to hit the road. Still, it was a real treat to have met these fine men – hardworking, genuine and warm people.

Back in the car, driving down the winding road, each curve presented another “wow” moment. One of my favorite towns was Santa Cesarea Terme. We thought, “forget Positano,” we’d love to come back here for a summer break! We stopped a few more times to take in the scenery from various overlooks as we pushed on to Leuca. Once there, we enjoyed a dramatic 270degree view of the Adriatic and the Bay of Taranto coming together. Just at this point, there was also an amazing grotto and several caves in the stone formation dropping down to the sea. Avery and then Olivia gave us a scare as they peered over the edge.

The town of Santa Maria di Leuca was also pretty. The entire region, of course, is very seasonal and thus we did not have too much company on our tour. On our way into town, I spotted a sign for a “parruchierre” or hairdresser. And, on our way out of town, we decided to swing by and check it out. Avery was in desperate need of a haircut and Olivia’s hair, while not an emergency, could use a trim too. So that is how we ended up at Claude e Anna’s this afternoon.

We couldn’t talk Olivia into a haircut, but Avery volunteered that he needed one because he couldn’t see. Claude was an excellent hairdresser and for 8 euros, Avery got the haircut of his life, complete with blow-dry and styling gel. Again, we were pleasantly surprised by the warmth and generosity of Southern Italian hospitality. The idea of Americans traveling these parts, particularly at this time of year seems to be intriguing to many that we meet.

As we were leaving, the sun was setting. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to drive to the West side of the heel now to see the sunset. Torre San Giovanni was the town, and the sunset glowing in red and orange -- did not disappoint. While the drive to our Masseria was only 30 kilometers or so on the direct route, the next half an hour with the kids in the car seemed like an eternity. Even though Avery had practically fallen asleep in the barber’s chair, he wouldn’t nap afterwards in the car. Olivia had “the sillies,” and Charlotte was just utterly annoyed and annoying. To make matters worse, just outside of Corigliano d’Otranto, the pedal for the clutch broke. We made it back to the Masseria – barely –and while Josh figured out how we were going to drive the car tomorrow, I put Avery to bed. Only six pm, but a long day.

I never imagined when we checked into our caseta yesterday that we’d be making use of the kitchen. But tonight, after Josh made a quick run to the grocery store, I cooked dinner. And it was perfect to stay in, relax, watch a movie and make it an early night…so that tomorrow, we can milk the goats.

Puglia vacation - Day 5: Lecce (and Corliglino d'Otranto

WE LOVE LECCE! What an absolutely beautiful town. It’s the only town with Baroque and Rococo architecture in all of Southern Italy (affectionately referred to as Barococo Leccese) But there’s more. Just after we parked the car and strolled into the centro storico, we stumbled across a piazza where a Roman amphitheater from the 1st or 2nd century had been excavated. This square was also lined with caffes, bars and upscale shops like Cartier and Bulgari.

We continued to walk through the historic part of town. The Piazza del Duomo was spectacular. Too bad the Campanile (bell tower) was in the midst of restoration; without the scaffolding, the Piazza would have been all the more majestic. Most of the cathedrals, churches and other buildings of the “Leccese” style were from the 16^th and 17^th century, including those in the Piazza del Duomo. It appeared that much of Lecce had been recently restored, that the town was wealthy –especially by Southern Italian standards, and that the people were interesting – not provincial by any means.

Many locals were riding bikes through town. There were several book stores (one where I spotted a flier for yoga), and unique shops like one with goods from India, and another with Arabic items. The whole place had a great vibe.

We had a great lunch with some unique dishes like pureed fava beans with chicory. The orecchiete with broccoli and sausage was very flavorful, and the polpette (meatballs) had a wonderful tomato sauce. Next door to the restaurant was a gelateria where Olivia and Avery enjoyed their first gelato of the trip. Charlotte, with her sore throat, instead chose a hot chocolate but of the pudding variety. It was so thick and chocolately, unlike anything we’ve tasted. WE LOVE LECCE!

As we drove out of town, we thought this would be the perfect place to retire (but wait, we ARE retired..,). Lecce is such a beautiful town with a lot to offer culturally, and just a short drive from the sea. When Josh asked the proprietor of the restaurant which beach he likes, he replied “it depends on the wind.” If the Scirocco is blowing he goes to the Adriatic, if the Tramonto is blowing he goes to the Med. It’s always nice to have options.

It was only a 20 minute drive and we arrived at Masseria Sant’ Angelo. We were deep in the country now at a real farm where we’d be spending the next two nights. Unlike Boezio (which was more an upscale, chic Masseria) Sant’ Angelo was a real working farm. The kids were happy to see three (new) dogs, several cats, three horses, two donkeys, chickens and a herd of goats! Goats the kids could milk tomorrow morning before breakfast. Our host gave us a tour of the property including an open-air “museum” where he’d relocated and recreated items important to farmers and indigenous peoples centuries ago.

Our accommodations are rustic, but clean. The property is full of stone cabins or “casetas.” Ours is a two bedroom with a kitchen and a porch.

We drove literally around the corner (how could we be on a farm just around the corner from town?) to Corigliano d’Otranto to find a place to have dinner. The place we found, Antichirio, was once an old olive mill and had a great ambiance, an antipasto buffet, a wood burning pizza oven, and an indoor barbeque for grilling meats. A great find. After dinner, we ducked around the corner to the Piazza and what did we find? A castle! Castello de’ Monti was originally built in 1480 but has just recently been renovated. It had a moat, a bridge, and the door was OPEN. Once inside there was first a courtyard, and then a large ballroom (?) with coffered stone ceiling where there was an art exhibition. Upstairs, there was a bar. This was the coolest contemporary-use castle ever.

Who has ever heard of Corigliano d’Otranto? It’s certainly not on the tourist track. Yet it’s a fantastically charming town; and that’s the beauty of traveling throughout Italy – you run into one amazing place after another. The country has so much history, it’s not difficult to uncover some.

Puglia vacation - Day 4: Ostuni, the beach, and Torre Santa Sabina

While we’ve been staying just outside of Ostuni, we had not really visited the town aside from our dinner the first night we arrived. So today, we decided to explore Ostuni. The city is perched high upon a hilltop with sweeping views of the valley and the sea below. It’s a white-washed town --very Greek looking -- with many cathedrals and churches for such a small community. The kids viewed it as a giant maze. Each white street wound its way around to the next, and it was easy to get lost. We had our hearts set on getting pizza for lunch today (not an easy task in Italy where pizza is generally eaten for dinner) but not only were we unable to find a place serving pizza for lunch, we had a hard time finding a place that was serving lunch at all. Ostuni is a very seasonal town. Extremely popular and crowded in the summertime, the tourists had thinned out considerably and so apparently many of the locals were, themselves, now on vacation.

Even our new friend, Giovanni, was puzzled as he walked with us to try to find a good establishment for lunch. Tired of walking in circles, we finally drove to a “cafeteria” style restaurant. No pizza but everyone was satisfied.

We are not having the best of luck with the weather so far this week. In the mid 60’s with a cool breeze, it hasn’t kept us from doing anything we’ve planned so far…except visit the beach. But today would be our last day in this region of Puglia so we were determined to check out the coast. We found it very rugged and unspoiled. The shoreline is very rocky with small coves offering little sand for a beach. But the action is out on the rocks where the wind was howling, causing the sea to spray ashore. I imagine it’s quite nice in the summer for those seeking a more rustic beach experience. No comfortable lounge chairs or food stalls or any facilities for that matter – just the trees, the rocks and the sea.

With the time change, it is now getting dark by 5pm…that’s a full 2 ½ hours before the earliest dinner is served in Italy. Thankfully, our children were so happy to play with the Boezio dogs. Bianca and Alli were good babysitters while Josh and I took a rest (why weren’t the kids tired?). Still there was time for a movie before dinner.

Our hosts sent us to Torre Santa Sabina for dinner – a seaside village just down the road. The town is one block long with three restaurants and a gelateria. We randomly chose Miramare – the only place right on the water in the harbor. We were their first guests. In fact, by the time we left at 8:45pm, we were still the only guests…and not just at Miramare, we were the only guests in the entire town of Torre Santa Sabina. The other two restaurants were completely empty. So now we can sincerely say we ate pizza in an Italian ghost town.

Puglia vacation - Day 3: Monopoli and Castellana

(Day 3 is also known as Stalagmites, Stalactites and Scarpi!)

I think they got the gist of the American style breakfast at Boezio . This morning the table was set with all kinds of goodies: Croissants, breads, jam, cream cheese, peach juice, apricot juice, a plate of cold cuts including salami and prosciutto, and a bowl of whole fruits. Then we ordered a couple of omelets and coffees and a chamomile tea for Charlotte whose throat was not well.

Today, we were going to see the famous Grottoes of Castellana– the second largest underground caves in Europe (the largest being in Slovenia). First, we drove to see Monopoli. Having played the game throughout my childhood, I thought it was fun to see the town! It’s an old port town, but with a fairly new town square where lots of folks were just hanging out. We walked along the water of the fishing boat harbor and old fortress of Monopoli. Once there, we discovered a major regatta was taking place. It was the Italian National Championships for Lasers. We watched for a bit. Then, we visited the ancient Piazza with its old Cathedral built in the Southern Baroque style. The juxtaposition of the Church and the square lined with palm trees was truly Southern Italian.

When we arrived in Castellana and found the entrance to the grottoes, we panicked. Not a soul was to be seen, and the posted sign indicated that in low season, the last guided tour of the caves was at 12:30pm. It was now 12:40pm. We had been unaware that there were pre-set guided tours to see the grottoes. What a shame! Josh jumped out of the car to see if we might be able to catch the last tour that departed. He discovered, in typical Italian style, that the information posted was incorrect. Thankfully, there would be another guided tour starting at 1pm and it was in English. Perfect. Also, this would be the short tour – 1 km in duration – the one we would have wanted for the kids anyway.

For the second day in a row, my expectations were exceeded. The grottoes were vast. We walked down to the first cave, the one that was initially discovered due to a small hole in the ground, it was 100 meters in length, 50 meters in width and 60 meters in depth! But this was just the first cave, there were many more. In fact, we found out that the “long tour” is 3 kilometers meaning that these underground grottoes, full of stalagmites and stalactites were over 1.5 km in length. The caves were discovered in 1938 but they are between one and two million years old! The guide pointed out some of the more interesting rock formations – those shaped like animals, which the kids really enjoyed – but in reality, the whole place was very cool.

We’d come to the conclusion that the best way to eat authentic, very good food, and cheaply is to eat in restaurants that are off the back roads. While we are always interested to see the towns, their historical centers, Piazzas and cathedrals. The quality of the food (yes, we are in Italy so it’s all relative but..) is more uneven and many of the restaurants cater to tourists. But on the outskirts, on or near the farms, and where many of the restaurants produce their own products, we’ve had very good luck. Today, we followed the signs to a place called La Piatta Fuminata (the smoking plate?). Again, when we pulled up the driveway, we discovered a play area for kids: nothing wrong with that.

What was wrong, is that shortly after Josh and I were seated and ordered inside, Charlotte came in to tell us that Olivia was missing a shoe. OK, so we asked her to help Olivia find it. But, according to Charlotte, they had already looked for it and came up empty-handed. So one by one, first Josh and then I, were all out in the parking lot looking for Olivia’s shoe. Suspicious that Avery had hidden it somewhere, we offered him a gelato to find it. That didn’t work.

Olivia was very distraught; not because her shoe was missing, but because it was preventing her from playing in the play ground (pebbles on the ground). We were all perplexed. So were the restaurant staff and guests when Josh carried Olivia in with one shoe and one bare foot.

Still we enjoyed our lunch: the antipasti, the fresh grilled fish, the pastas and salads, the wine. After lunch, we looked around again for the shoe. Nothing. Even though she denied it, the shoe must have fallen off her foot as she got back in the car near the Grotto. So back we went to Castellana in search of Olivia’s missing shoe. Much to our surprise, when we returned to the spot where we had parked, no shoe was in sight. The whereabouts of the shoe remain a mystery!

We still wanted to walk around Ostuni. But now we were losing the light, and Charlotte, who had not been feeling well since yesterday, was feeling worse still. Time to head back to the Masseria, but by taking the back roads, the views of the countryside and the Trulli made for a very nice drive.

Puglia vacation - Day 2: Fasano and Alberobello

We were wondering what was up with breakfast before we were reminded that the clocks were set back an hour last night and we were asking for coffee before 8am on a Sunday. We thought it was 8:50am but it was actually 7:50am. Still, it was sort of an odd breakfast as we had to keep asking: do you have this? Or, is it possible to have that? We ended up with a plate full of hot croissants -- like a dozen of them –- along with some jam and nutella. We also were served one omelet for the 5 of us (later we found out that a carton of eggs was dropped on the floor so that was all for the eggs), a basket full of rolls, cream cheese and a plate of prosciutto. There was also a bowl of whole fruits and we asked for water and several coffees. We were the only guests having breakfast although we heard there was one other couple staying at La Boezia. It was a strange but friendly breakfast, and we were trying to go with the flow.

Meanwhile the kids made friends with Bianca, the dog, and were running around the courtyard playing with her. Olivia was having so much fun she asked if we could stay at the hotel all day and play. Didn’t she want to go to the ZooSafari? No.

But off to Fasano and the ZooSafari we went – with everyone in tow. First we drove to the shore. A 5 minute drive from the Masseria and we were on the Adriatic. It was windy, and rocky and wonderful. Then we drove to the Zoo. We didn’t know what to expect, and when we arrived, it looked too gimmicky and touristy to be good, and with a hefty entrance fee of 18euro per person. But here we were, so in we went. Once inside, the Safari was super cool. We were really very close to the Lions, Tigers, Elephants, Camels, Giraffes, Ostriches, Bison, Rams, and more. The kids had a ball. The Giraffes and ostriches licked and pecked at our car. The lambs and rams sat in the road and wouldn’t let us by. It was great…and smelly.

After the “Safari” portion, we parked our car and walked in to Zoo portion of the park. Our tickets included a train ride around the zoo where we saw polar bears, rhinos and hippos. Then we boarded a different train to go out in to the baboon park (it was more like a dirt field). In this train, the windows and door were like cages in and there were ledges on the sides. This way, the baboons came up and sat next to us on the train and waited for someone to feed them crackers. The kids thought the whole thing was a riot. Definitely worth 18 euro per person.

Now, in search of nourishment, we took the back roads and followed signs to a restaurant called La Arcate. It sounded good. When we pulled in and noticed the children’s play area out front, we knew it was a good pick. But inside, it looked like they were having a private party. Yes, it was a baptism celebration but others were welcome. In fact, there were a couple of other tables having lunch that were not connected to the party.

We ate well. Absolutely delicious antipasti were presented on the table. Then we had two different pasta dishes and a salad. To finish, we all shared a couple of chocolate soufflés. The folks at Le Arcate could not have been nicer. We wish we could go back for their Halloween festival menu on the 31st…or any other time. The whole experience was a delight – playground included.

By now, we were feeling a little tired. But we had Alberobello on the itinerary. Alborobello is know for the Trulli structures that dot the landscape in Puglia. Josh had fond memories of Alberobello and the conical roofed Trulli. Unfortunately, he found that things had changed in 20 years and the quaint town had become a tourist trap. The Trulli were all turned in to souvenir shops. Still, even for a first-timer, the density of Trulli in this town were interesting to see. We did a quick walk around and then headed back to Masseria Boezio.

It seems everyone was as excited about the enormous bathtub as I was. After I enjoyed a relaxing bath, Josh jumped in with Olivia and Avery, then Charlotte decided to take a bath as well. Since it’s been too chilly to swim here, I think everyone enjoyed the small pool/large tub as a substitute.

We ate dinner at the Masseria. It’s a perfect place for the kids to run around the courtyard and the olive grove and play with the dogs while the adults can sit and enjoy a meal. Who would have thought that Avery, so afraid of every dog in Chicago, would now be begging to go and play with Bianca and the other big dog at the Masseria, Alli. Better yet, who would have thought that we’d be listening to our children, running around yelling commands in Italian: “vieni qui!” “vai!” “seduto!” and “aspetta!” What a trip.

Olivia, especially, developed a real connection to Bianca, and Bianca loved Olivia. Intermittently, Olivia would run over and ask Josh how to say something in Italian. Because the dog would understand her if she spoke in Italian. Very cute, indeed!

Still full from lunch, we asked for not too much food. We ended up with pork chops, and french fries and salad, along with beans and cheese.

Tonight, for the first time since arriving in Italy, we watched American TV! We watched 30 Rock and the Tonight Show. Just like old times.

Puglia vacation - Day 1: Ostuni

One of the best things about driving to a vacation is that you don’t have to stress about making a flight. So after we woke up Saturday morning and had breakfast, we packed up and hit the road for the journey to Puglia. The exercise of departing did take us four hours but we didn’t forget anything!

The drive to Ostuni was scheduled for five hours, but with several pit stops and refueling etc. it took us 5 ½. We drove on the Autostrada for four of these hours and the tariff came to just under 27 euros. Can you imagine driving for four hours on a highway in the States and then paying the equivalent of a $40 toll to get off?

We drove through a rain shower on the way to the Adriatic Coast and just as we were reaching the Sea, the rain subsided and we were treated to a magnificent rainbow. The kids went crazy. It was truly beautiful, with a slight double; a nice omen for our vacation in Puglia.

It had just become dark as we approached Ostuni, so it was not easy to find the Masseria Boezio. When Josh called the owner for directions, he offered to drive out to the main road to meet us and guide us in. Masseria Boezio (www.masseriaboezio.it) was recommended to Josh by his friend, Genny’s, friend, Giovanni who lives in the Ostuni area (did you follow that?) It’s a lovely, small, Masseria with only four rooms one of which is a suite with a large living area. We booked the suite since we thought it would be best to have everyone together, but upon taking a tour of the property, I fell in love with the traditional rooms off of the charming courtyard, which had characteristic stone walls, and massive, domed ceilings. One even had an enormous bath tub – a small pool, really – that had been used for crushing the olives previously. So we’d stay in the suite tonight and move to two rooms tomorrow for the rest of our stay.

We were all excited to see the town of Ostuni. We saw how beautiful it looked lit up at night, up on the hill, as we drove to the Masseria. So we ventured to Ostuni for dinner. Josh had planned to meet Giovanni at his wine bar for a drink, and then he would recommend a place for us to eat. By the time we arrived at the bar, just off the main square in Ostuni, the Indians were getting restless so we had to skip the drink and go straight to dinner. Giovanni walked us to a ristorante that was tucked down a tiny alley. The place had only six tables and a very refined yet unpretentious ambiance. Should we chance it with the kids? There were no other guests yet so we decided to give it a try. The hostess did mention that the cook hadn’t arrived yet but would be there within 15 or 20 minutes. It’s 7:15pm!

The dinner started with a series of antipasti. Melanzane with ricotta and tomato, ravioli stuffed with artichoke, and veal “polpetine” (meatballs). All very yummy. Then we had an assortment of pasta: one with melanzane, one with artichokes and one with just tomatoes and ricotta cheese. For secondi, we shared a bit of lamb, capricola (a pig’s neck, and apparently a specialty of Puglia) , and chicken. And, we enjoyed a nice bottle of wine. The restaurant, called Sparacima, used to be an enoteca before becoming a restaurant so they had a large variety of wines and our hostess recommended one for our meal. Do you think we were stuffed? Apparently we were because we passed on dessert.

It didn’t take long for everyone to hit the hay back at Boezio.

Happy Birthday and screw you too

We are starting to get the drift of the Italian youngster birthday party. They all seem to follow the same format. Invite your guests, aged 7 and under, with their parents or caregivers for at least 3 hours. The party will undoubtedly be held over a mealtime, but only token finger sandwiches will be served --- alongside heaps of chocolate filled croissants, profiteroles, cookies, candies, and chocolates. Hire an entertainer that will use a headset microphone to address (loudly) an audience of 15 children and play very loud music. Also, you must have someone painting the little ones’ faces. Then, when you’ve tortured the adults sufficiently and the children have had it with the loud entertainer, serve cake! Napolean style.

We attended a party at AquAniene tonight for one of Avery’s classmates. The whole family was invited and of course Charlotte had swim practice there anyway so it was very convenient. Perhaps it’s only our children that go crazy at a sweet table, and by the time Avery and Olivia grabbed their third profiterole I tried to put a stop to it. Later, Olivia would crawl in to bed with us and complain of an upset stomach. Needless to say, they were not too hungry for dinner at 8pm when we got home.

The most unfortunate part of our visit to AquAniene this evening occurred when, on our way out, Josh stopped to get an update on the swim meet schedule for Charlotte ie. Did they have one yet? It was then that director approached Josh and informed him that he was very sorry but the Italian Swimming Federation would not grant Charlotte, as a non-resident, a swimming license to compete in Italy. Our jaws dropped. A long discourse followed. The “Federation” does grant some 70 licenses to non-residents each year. But, we were told, all of those had already been granted to water polo players. Much more discussion in Italian where all I kept hearing was “the Federation” “the Federation” “the Federation.” It’s the old Italian “pass the buck” it’s not our fault refrain.

Could Charlotte possibly spend a year training in Italy and not be allowed to swim in a single meet? That would be devastating for her… and her parents too. The recommendation was that we make a personal appeal. Perhaps we’d have better luck. They’d get back to us with the best person to contact at “the Federation.”

A few minutes later, at home, and still in disbelief. I had found the name of the President of FIN (Federacion Italiana de Nuoatacion) Paolo Berelli. Also, I found the names of the members of FINA (The International Swimming Federation) including the U.S.A representative, Dale Neuberger. A few minutes later, I had both Mr. Neuburger’s home and business telephone numbers in Indianapolis and Josh was dialing. Mr. Neuburger was returning from a business trip but would be back in Indianpolis next week.

To be continued, but this could be our Italian saga. We could be staging rallies in front of the Federation’s headquarters at the Stadio Olympico with posters of Charlotte (as a childish eight year old) with the caption “let the 12 year old race.” Or “Italy, are you afraid of a 12-year old?” Or, “let the kid compete.”

Or, maybe we just offer a bribe. That should work.

Ambitious dinner

It rained this morning, so once again I didn't ride my bike to my Italian class. But it was a lovely walk home through the Villa Borghese. There is an area, along the southwestern road of the park, where you can see all of Rome. It is really a very happy place for me. After the rain, the park smelled fresh and the scenery was fantastic.

Once home, I ate a late lunch and began preparations for dinner. We were to have three shifts tonight. First Olivia would have a little something before going to her Halloween party at school at 5pm (more on that later). Then Charlotte and Avery would eat before Charlotte had to leave for swim practice at 6pm, then Josh and I would eat with Olivia when they returned from AquAniene at 7:30pm.

The menu I had planned was a breast of Turkey and risotto con funghi. I don't think I'd ever made risotto (except for the frozen Trader Joe's variety which is actually quite good) but I needed to find something to go with the delectable mushrooms. The tricky part, of course, was preparing it so that it would taste good in three separate seatings. After all, I don't have restaurant training.

One good thing about taking Italian, is that I can just barely make out the Italian instructions on the box of "riso arborio." Still, I had to use the dictionary to supplement. Then there were a lot of preparations. Slice the mushrooms, grate the cheese, peel the garlic, make the vegetable broth, chop the onion, season the meat, etc. Finally, I was ready to cook. The instructions on the box said "una decina di minuti" like around 10 minutes. Come on! Everyone knows you can't make risotto in 10 minutes. Truly, you need to stand and stir for at least half an hour.

But it's worth it. Charlotte said "this is the best Italian thing you've made." That was in second shift. Josh, too, liked the risotto a lot -- in the third shift -- and had a second helping. He suggested I make it for my parents when they visit. I'm so pleased to know that I can pull it off!

One thing we weren't expecting in Italy was Halloween. We thought it was largely an American invention. Furthermore, we knew the kids were on break from school during October 31st and that we'd be on vacation somewhere. We were wrong. The spirit of Halloween lives in Rome. So that the kids don't miss out, classes at RIS are having celebrations today and tomorrow before the break. Not only do you get to dress up, you get to do it on October 22nd (Olivia) and 23rd (Avery). We left so many wonderful costumes at home, so now we'd have to be creative. I wanted to make Olivia a ghost (that's about the limit for my creativity), but she decided she wanted to be a cat. OK. We got something together with black and orange and whiskers and pig tails that was close enough. Grades 2 through 6 were invited to a Halloween "disco" at the school gym this evening. There were all kinds of games and treats and Olivia had a great time. Tomorrow will be Avery's class party and Halloween parade. He wants to be cat too. What would he be like without his big sisters?

Testaccio or "Tombs and Thumbs"

Dale and Don returned from their brief visit to the Amalfi coast last night, so today, once the kids had gone to school, we decided to visit the Testaccio neighborhood together. This area used to be full of slaughterhouses....now it's full of restaurants and galleries. It's the equivalent of the "meat-packing district" in NYC; once upon a time just warehouses and now a hip and trendy neighborhood.

Testaccio is also home to Chechino dal 1887, a fabulous restaurant in which Josh and I dined during our honeymoon in 1996. It comes as no surprise that the restaurant is well known for it's preparations of...meat, and tripe. We didn't eat here today, but it was nice to take a trip down memory lane.

This area of Rome is also known for it's landmark Pyramid. The Pyramid stands 118 feet tall and was actually erected as a tomb for Caius Cestius who died in 12BC. Haven't heard of him? Not many have. His claim to fame was he was wealthy so he could afford to build himself a pyramid on the Aurelian Wall. The Pyramid is seen from the surrounding busy streets, but around the corner, tucked away on a side street is the entrance to the actual grounds where the Pyramid is built: "The Non-Catholic Cemetery." Read: where pagans rest! We are in Italy, afterall.

The four of us spent quite a bit of time strolling the grounds of this beautiful cemetery where we found the graves of the poets Shelly and Keats as well as Storey, the sculptor among others. Resting here are many citizens of U.K. origin who chose to spend their time in Rome. While largely a cemetery for Protestants, we did find a handful of Jews that are buried here -- but only one with a Jewish star on the tombstone. Set on a hillside, the graves and their adornments really made for a lovely and setting, and the ancient walls around the cemetery made it seem like we were in another world and not in the center of a hectic city.

The other interesting thing about this cemetery is that it is a home for stray cats. Apparently, cats have been living on these grounds since the first tombstone was erected in 1738. They keep the souls company.

Once we departed from the Non-Catholic Cemetery, we found the covered market in Testaccio. All kinds of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, fish, nuts, etc. were on offer. We arrived around lunch time as the market was getting ready to close for the day. You have to get there early to get the "good stuff" but it was still interesting to walk around.

Now sufficiently hungry, we chose a local Osteria -- Degli Amici --for lunch before hitting the road and heading back to Parioli. We had to get back for an important appointment.

This afternoon, the tuner finally came to tune the piano. Although we've only had the piano for little more than a week, listening to the kids practice on a piano that probably hasn't been tuned in a decade made it feel like we'd had it a year. "Be careful what you wish for" we kept telling ourselves. It was tuned just in time as the girls each had a lesson later in the day.

Having a piano here does make me want to get one once we return to the States. Even untuned, it has made a real difference -- in just a week-- in how the girls can play. Perhaps all the practicing is just a novelty at this stage; we'll see by the end of our stay if their interest is as fervent.

Tonight, Dale and Don wanted to see Charlotte in action at the pool so everybody headed over to AquAniene to watch her swim, and to have a bite to eat. Olivia and Avery were running laps around the bleachers, as usual, working up a real sweat. But suddenly, we heard a wail. Avery somehow managed to slam a door on his thumb. Now we had blood, sweat and tears! As a result of this episode, we discovered that there is a first aid doctor on site at AquAniene. We all tried to get Avery to ice his thumb, but he refused. The only thing that seemed to make him feel better was the licorice he was awarded in the cafeteria. Poor little guy is definitely going to lose his fingernail. But somehow I doubt that is going to slow him down.

Driving in Rome

Even for me, it's hard to believe I'm complaining about 50 degree weather. But given the humidity in Rome, 50 feels much colder. That is how I came to drive into the centro today for my Italian class. While my back has fully recovered from whatever ailed it, I now have a head cold, so blazing downhill on my bicycle in 50 degree weather just didn't seem appealing.

So there I am, driving into the centro without a permit (you must have a special permit to drive in centro between 8am and 6pm), which hasn't stopped us before. But, this time, it wasn't so easy to find a parking place. Had my luck run out? Finally, on my third giro around the Piazza di Spagna, I found a spot. Right on the corner, as well. So imagine my surprise when I returned three hours later to find another car sitting just in front of mine, touching my bumper... a small car that decided there was certainly room for one more vehicle before the intersection. It took a while, but I managed to pry myself out. At least I didn't get a ticket!

Later, I was driving the kids home from school. I was driving straight ahead with the green light in my favor, when, all of a sudden, a bus coming in the opposite direction tries to squeeze in a left hand turn -- right in front of me! How crazy is that? A bus trying a maneuver that maybe a Porsche could pull off. I held my ground and moved forward into the intersection causing the bus to have to stop short of completing the turn. Then I let the bus driver have it -- in English. Josh always says if you really want to piss someone off, yell in English so they have no idea what you're saying. I think it worked.

Parioli

At last I decided to take a stroll in my own neighborhood, Parioli. Not that we haven't been around, but it's been by bike or by car. I walked to the Viale Parioli to see what I could find. First, the Street Market. It seems if you want a deal, you have to buy your shoes, clothes, toiletries, books, etc. on the street. The quality of the items for sale does not appear inferior to the store variety. I spotted some nice suede boots (made in Italy) for 79 euros.

I was looking for the "covered market" selling fruits and vegetables and meats and cheeses on the street. I'd heard that every neighborhood has one, but alas, I could not find one in this section of Parioli. However, I did find a cool "bar" for caffe, as well as a few nice-looking, little restaurants. I also found a "Beauty Point" selling all kinds of cosmetics (for ridiculous prices) and toiletries, as well as a stationery shop and a shoe repair....all of which may come in handy at some point.

Josh and I had lunch together at home, and shortly after, it was time to take the "American Brownies" to the International Food Festival at RIS. The lower school was beginning it's International week where each grade studies a different country. Olivia's class, with three Americans, chose to study the U.S.A. Avery's class, with the teacher from South Africa, chose to study South Africa. Each class (meaning the parents) was to prepare a dish typical of the country they were studying. What's more American that Brownies? (Apple Pie, but I couldn't find the crust and I wasn't going to make one). The American table at the Festival had the most amount of food including cookies, cupcakes, candy bars (?), carmel corn, popcorn and of course, brownies.

The event was well attended by parents and, once school was dismissed, kids as well. Represented were Sweden, Spain, France, Germany, South Africa, Afghanistan, America, Australia, Israel, Argentina and Russia. Each item, cost one euro, and all proceeds were being donated to a children's charity to help fight hunger. Our kids each got to choose two treats, and Josh had a sausage from the German table.

In other news, AquAniene reopened over the weekend and so both girls were back on schedule for swimming at the new facility. That meant they had an early dinner of pasta bolognese and they were off. (Actually the exit didn't go very smoothly but that's another story). Avery napped and ate later with Josh and I.

When Josh was at AquAniene, the coach asked that he speak to the director. The director needed him to complete some paperwork for Charlotte to get her "teseramento" which is her license to swim in competition. However (and the conversation is always circular) it appears that if Charlotte swims in meets with preliminary heats, and she qualifies for the finals, she may not be allowed to swim in the finals (as a non-resident) according the the Italian National Federation. But of course, they still do not have the "final answer." Hmmm. It's always somthing. It's life in Italy.

Open on Sunday

Poor Josh. It was rainy and cold this morning for his Sunday ride. I woke when Avery bounded into our bedroom, and I didn't want to get out from under the covers. That is sort of how the whole day went. Josh had been up earlier with his mom and Don who were off to the Amalfi Coast for a few days. I had breakfast with Avery and Olivia, and then a second shift when Charlotte got up. And then, I started making the chicken soup for lunch. What's better than chicken soup on a cold, rainy day?

Once he was back, Josh took a hot shower to thaw out. We tidied up and the girls did their homework -- Olivia begrudgingly. After lunch the boys took a nap. The girls practiced piano and listened to music.

So it wasn't until about 4pm, when Avery was still sleeping that the girls actually left the house for the first time today to go on a walk with daddy. Once Avery woke up, I drove us over to meet them at the local Pasticceria, Il Cigno. Everyone was able to choose one treat. Afterwards, we stumbled across a grocery store in the neighborhood-- and this on was open on Sundays, until 8pm no less. Moreover, we discovered it had an underground parking garage (I had already doubled parked down the street beside the trash cans - a Roman favorite). This was like hitting the jackpot!

Our outing for the day turned out to be combing the isles of the GS on Viale Parioli and discovering that either no one else knows that the store is open on Sundays (doubtful), or that Italians don't shop on Sundays. Very good to know. Sunday could be our new day at the market. I suppose the food must not be as fresh as it is on Monday though (our local GS grocery store is always packed on Monday mornings). We also noticed that at this GS, when more than two people were waiting to pay, another clerk opened up new cashier line. This would absolutely never happen where we'd been shopping. It doesn't matter if a dozen people are lined up, there never seems to be anyone else available to take their money.

It had become a real running discussion between Josh and I. When is the best time to go to the grocery store? You have to weigh the fact that it's crowded in the mornings but with more cashiers on duty, against the luxury of having no line at the fish or deli counter, but then waiting FOREVER to pay for your provisions. When you end up going to the store four times a week, it's helpful to get the timing right.

So at least we got a little fresh air today. I grilled whole fish for dinner -- Branzino. I've never seen the kids fight over fish! Let alone fish that just might have some bones in it. Not only did the girls especially like the fish, they fought over who gets to eat the cheeks and eyeballs off the head! Can you imagine??

We finished the evening off with a screening of Ratatouille. There is nothing cuter than seeing the three kids snuggled together on the love seat, watching the movie on the big projection screen, in the dark, just like at the theater. Maybe we'll make it a Sunday night tradition.

Castel Sant'Angelo

Today, we decided to take the kids along with Don and Dale to the Castel Sant'Angelo. Right on the banks of the Tevere, we'd driven past countless times and seen the castle-like structure illuminated in the evenings. Now it was time to explore inside. This monument was originally constructed at the behest of the emperor Hadrian in 135 AD as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The tomb went on to serve as a prison, a papal palace and then a fortress for the Pope during attacks on the Vatican. Once up on the top floor terrace, you can see a long brick wall with a passageway on top that runs all the way from St. Peter's to the Castel Sant'Angelo and was the escape route used by the Popes.

But first you have to begin the climb to the top. The kids enjoyed running up and around the circular ramp. Once up on around the third level or so, there was an interesting exhibit displaying Italian art and artifacts that had been stolen and then subsequently returned to Italy.

We continued by viewing a "water sports" exhibit which showcased the role and style of swimming and diving over the centuries. This was unfortunately not too interesting. We continued climbing upwards and were rewarded with 360-degree views of the City of Rome. Further still, after a narrow staircase, we found ourselves on the terrace, and next to the winged angel at the top of the monument.

Since there was ample opportunity to run amuck (I mean, around), the kids were happy. Plus, I brought rice cakes! After we made our way back down, it was definitely lunch time.

Josh had the idea of driving over to Prati so that Dale and Don could see another neighborhood. His sense of direction exact, he drove us straight to the lunch place we had visited our first week in Rome on our way to Fregene for the afternoon. The only difference, is now it was 58 degrees and overcast, instead of 110 and sunny. Still, lunch was finished off with a gelato. This time, it didn't melt.

It was time for Avery to take a nap before going to a birthday party later in the afternoon. But first, we dropped the girls with their grandparents for a stroll around Piazza del Popolo and Via del Corso. They made it back to the house on foot through the Villa Borghese -- great navigation by Charlotte.

Josh and I had left to take Avery to the party. The party was being held at another of Rome's exclusive private clubs called the Circolo Antico Tiro a Volo. Again, it was a huge affair. Unfortunately, since the weather was not as nice as last weekend, the party was all inside in a smallish room. Kids were being entertained by a group playing LOUD music, making balloon animals and putting on a puppet show. There was also a seriously professional make-up artist turning children in to monsters, lions, and exotic female characters. None of this "face painting" business like putting a lady bug on your cheek. This was serious art at work.

Avery, still a bit intimidated by the Italian, didn't want to participate much. No make-up for him, thank you. But, he did like the snacks. Little finger sandwiches, and tiny pizzas and...croissants with nutella inside! Josh and I met a few nice people: one Dutch family with twins in Avery's class, another set of Italian parents who spent the past year in Australia, and the swank hosts themselves. But Avery decided he'd had enough and it was time to leave. Too bad the cake had yet to be served, but we weren't going to tip him off to that fact. Still, he was leaving with chocolate eggs (with a surprise toy inside!), lollipops and balloons to share with his sisters so he was happy.

Once home, Morris was cooking up burgers for the kids as the adults were going out to dinner -- a belated celebration of Dale's birthday. We were going to an "up and coming" neighborhood called Pigneto where several restaurants had been written up in the New York times. We chose Pigneto Quarantuno and enjoyed their thoroughly interesting menu. Classic Italian pastas were on offer, but they also had some more unusual and interesting dishes. We ordered a bottle of Barbera d'Asti and shared a focaccia with radicchio and taleggio cheese as well as stuffed violet artichokes to start. Then we shared two pasta dishes including the Roman classic: caccia e pepe. For a main course, we chose a traditional filet and a more intricately prepared dish of lamb rolled with egg and some green leafy vegetable. We had broccolini as a "contorno" and to finish, an apple torte with raspberry sauce and a creme brule. Good food; good wine. We were all happy.