Reflections on Italy
16th September Santa Maria di Leuca Heel of Italy

In Sicily and southern Italy all the villages and towns close off their "Lungomares" (shore roads) and other streets around the main piazzas to traffic. They become pedestrian zones from 9pm to 2am every evening during the summer, so that the locals can participate in the national past-time of promenading and chattering. They all come out - children, families, young lovers, teen crowds, old duffers sitting on benches and walls watching and commenting, and matrons clucking together over life in general. And they dress up to the nines for this - they are there to see and be seen - and posing is obligatory. This puts fashion aliens like ourselves to shame!

Leaving Sicily and we have done several "channel crossings" - long 70nm stints to get over, up and around the toe and heel of Italy. We stopped at Rocello Ionica, Crotone, Gallipoli and Leuca. We shall probably leave Leuca tomorrow and head for Othnia, the first island you hit before Corfu in Greece. Weather watching….

Crotone was a great stop - a little friendly yacht club, not expensive by Italian standards with water, electricity, wifi and a laundry room! Luxury fully taken advantage of. Its old town is typically ramshackle and workaday, but alive and thriving - the market superb and we enjoyed our stay of one day, gearing up for the next long haul.

15th /16th September, Gallipoli, Puglia & Leuca

We arrived in the dark, found a spot against a rough quay, while preparing dinner, we got moved by Port Security to another part of the harbour quay, alongside a fishing boat. And got woken and moved again at 4am to let said fishing boat out. Luck of the draw. Apart from that, Gallipoli is real and not touristy. The old town has stout walls and magnificent crumbling buildings - some are being beautifully done up which is nice to see. They all have huge doors and high ceilings at ground level - the doors or gateways open up variously to: grand entrance-ways or cool courtyards with mosaic floors, pots and wide winding stairs, or garages (formerly no doubt coach houses), or workplaces. We saw toothless old men sat together mending the nets of the younger family members who still go to sea. They work in groups and chat all day in the cool of these courtyards. Very genuine, very atmospheric and evocative of life as played out for decades, if not centuries.

3-wheeler vans / carts negotiate the narrow streets, selling produce to the local community directly, mostly fresh fruit and vegetables. People line the quay to buy their daily fish directly off the boats, or from the myriad little pescatorias lining the square adjacent to the quay. We bought some bread, sea bass and dorade for later, and set off. This is reef-strewn country now, and flat. On to Leuca and anchored in little bay off the town - still hot and we needed to cool off with some swimming.

We have been delighted to see the return of the fish. There are small boats everywhere and larger fleets too, but a sustainable size. There are dozens of fish shops, market stalls and the like all over - the fish is stiffly fresh and bought daily. It has made us think how supermarkets, especially out of town ones, have destroyed our villages and towns. The little shops (bakers, butchers, fishmongers, cheesemongers, ironmongers, repair shops, carpenters, etc) here not just survive, but thrive. There is variety and they are small and family run. The chain shops are few and far between, like mobile phones and clothes; they do not impact the local economy. It forges and sustains a community spirit.

And the promenading referred to above - the young are out walking too - not with, but alongside their elders. They are not feral or drunk. Yes they sit at the cafes and bars and drink beer and wine, etc, but they are as choosy over their ice creams, granitas and coffees which they also consume in quantity - it is not uncool to do so. Rather nice.
Here endeth the rant. Leaving Italy, have enjoyed. Looking forward tremendously to Greece. Hope all well with everyone. xx