LECCE DAY ONE

A 3am rise, no sleep, in case we slept in for the 4am taxi to the bus, thence to the airport. The bus was full - the trams hadn’t started at that time, which is daft, as it’s the busiest period for the airport. It always surprises me that half the town is already there when we crawl in.

Security was absolutely MOBBED. Thank goodness we’d booked Fast Track (which is a bit of a mis-nomer…). A three hour flight was OK, then we had to get from Bari airport into the city. No problemo, one would think - lots of trains nipping in and out on the 20 minute journey… NO! We had to wait for the next train for almost AN HOUR!! Incredible. And what was more incredible, they played the most awful screechy loud pop muzak through the dozens of speakers set at intervals all along the platform!!! My idea of HELL. The only relief was when they stopped that for a brief, but welcome, announcement about compulsory wearing of the dreaded FFP2 face masks. We had ours at the ready.

However, the very good luck, when we eventually got here (a delay on the line caused by an accident) was that the holiday abode, chosen by JR on impulse and not really researched as to proximity to the station, was only a ten minute walk away (using the useful map feature on the phone). PHEW!

We were very tired, but after we’d met the chap with the keys, and got settled in, we had a wander. We’re right in the Old Town, with its myriad of wee winding streets, so of course our sense of direction, which isn’t good at the best of times, is practically useless. I exaggerate - JR seems to be slightly better than I am at noticing landmarks and sensing directions. This is new - she never used to be. On the other hand, I used to be quite good at it. 

We had to go and get cash, and that was a huge big long wild goose chase. We went completely the wrong direction, along big busy roads with no shops. (10, 610 steps) Why I didn’t use my map feature straight away to find nearby ATMs, I don’t know. I was absolutely stuffed when we got back to our neighbourhood.

We were very pleased to go and have a meal at a nice wee restaurant that did NOT have muzak! What a delight. We had the local delicacy - burrata cheese, our favourite, with sun dried tomatoes, chopped pine nuts and tapenade, and bread. We shared the dish - just as well, as it was huge. We then shared a pizza, which we couldn’t finish and took home in a box.

We slept the sleep of the exhausted! It’s so quiet here, but I suspect that even if there had been a wild party next door it would not have woken us!