I woke up early again and went for a walk in the silent, still morning. It’s cool and quiet and there is no one but roosters and bees making any noise. The fields around the Villa seem so uninhabited, but as I walk through, there is a small Trulli here, and a little farm there, and a tiny vineyard someone must be tending. It is all so ancient and I keep wondering what it was like 100 years ago or 1000 years ago — probably not much different. I found dried olives on an very old stone wall under a tree, fig trees everywhere (we eat them every day), and desolate paths that all must lead to somewhere. It is enchanting.
Before breakfast we got in the car and decided to see the surrounding towns, Alberobello, Locorotondo and Cisternino. Each were beautiful and had their own personalities. Alberobello is the Taormina of Puglia — Disneyish, lots of tchotchkes, and perfectly restored Trulli by the hundreds. It was lovely, but a bit manufactured. Locorotondo is a precious little town built in a circle. Cisternino has a real Southern Italian vibe with tremendous little restaurants and a very earthy food scene.
So you know which town was my favorite. We bought fresh foccacia stuffed with Proscuitto and cheese, eggplant parmigiana and the famous Santoro sausages in Cisternino and had lunch together.
Life is good in the country. After our big lunch a storm cloud came in and it started to rain and broke the heat. I’m on the covered terrazzo writing, listening to the rain and watching the valley. Dolce far niente.
Civilized Cross Many Countries 