What a lovely last few weeks in bella italia! Feeling very sad to leave and to farewell friends & our wonderful family. We'll be back! The pouring rain and cold weather have hit in the last few days & that's making a little easier to leave. We even saw the fresh snow on the mountains from last night. We have "scored" an extra 7 hours at the Florence airport thanks to a strike. I was wishing for more time in Italy, but this wan't quite what I had in min...

Oggi, siamo andati a Santa Croce....finalmente! Yuppi! E' una paesina verramente carina! Sono molto orgolosa mostrarla a Adam e i bambini. Dopo un buonissimo pranzo con famiglia (Nino, Maria Pia, Antonella e bellissima bambina Chiara), Nino ci ha portato alla casa delle mie mamma e nonna!! Questa volta, era possible entrare anche. Molto, molto speciale. Anche abbiamo visto la casa di Zeoli. C'era una bellissima panorama perche tutti gli alberi hanno avuto le fogl...

Siamo appena ritornati da una bellissima serata con Gianna, Santino, Paulo, Sonia, Addolorata e Lisa. La famiglia di Zio Umberto che sono molto, molto simpatica. Abbiamo visto per la prima volta la casa di Anna e Pepp, Umberto, Angiolina e Nadia! Che bella! Grande, spaziosa, e quasi nuova. Era buio sfotunamente ma speriamo ritorneremo durante il giorno Martedi per vedere il giardino e fattoria. Abbiamo visto anche la piccola macchina blu di Peppe, ....che carino....

After a tiring, full day's drive from Calabria into Puglia, we arrived at dusk in pretty Otranto. Now on the opposite side of Italy...on the heel of the boot. Yet another lovely coastal town, full of charm & history. Each one is has been quite different. White stone streets, castles, ancient churches & a torquoise harbour. The cathedral had an altar room dedicated to the 800 martyrs beheaded by the Turks and all the skulls were stacked up in glass cabinet...

Stayed in another bargain spot right in the historic centre of Lecce....known as the "Florence of the south". So excited to finally have somewhere with a little kitchen!! Felt like such a novelty. Cooked (!) tea & settled the kids for the night before I popped out to explore. Arriving on a wet Sunday afternoon, the city seemed deserted with all shop shutters down. However, at 8pm it was like stepping out onto Rundle Street (well, not quite!). Cafes, buskers...