We Are Off to Italy

The next day we head to Corfu, the last Island in the Ionian Sea. I am delighted to take them around and show off all my favorite spots. We have dinner at this great restaurant that serves the best Gyro’s in Greece for 1.50 euros each. Across the street we get fresh baked bread and some sticky treats for breakfast the next day. Then down the road to one of my favorite Gelato stores around. The streets are still crowded, but not as much as last time I was here. All the tourists have packed up and headed for home. It is just the locals and a few stragglers like us. We wander the shops and pick up a few memories. It is almost midnight and the streets are still teeming with excitement.

The next day, we get up early and start the crossing to Italy. It is a clear day with some good winds. The sea is a bit unsettled, but nothing to worry about. We are able to sail most of the way over. Last time I made the crossing, the sea was smooth as glass. This time we were bobbing up and down with the swells. It makes for a much more tiring day. Hard to lay out on the trampoline and soak up the sun and a good book. We manage to entertain ourselves by playing some cards and a little Yache in the saloon. In the early afternoon, we once again see land and soon are safely tucked away at the port of Marina di Lucca. After telling the crew about how beautiful Lecche is, we decide to arrange for a car to rent the following day and head for dinner. It is fun returning back to the small family run trattoria that so welcomed us on our first trip through. The food is incredibly good, and everyone is more than ready to begin chowing through Italy with all of its anti-pasta, first plate, second plate and dessert. The Italians love to eat, and love to cook, and we love to sample all they have to offer. Steamed clams, baby octopus, all kinds of pasta, fish, veal and a whole array of other options. We eat way more than we should and don’t have an ounce of guilt. I think one of the best parts of this trip is sharing dinner with family and friends, taking a couple of hours to eat a fine meal and enjoying the flow of conversation back and forth across the table. The Europeans do it so much better than we do in the states. It is a tradition I hope I keep the rest of my life.

The next morning we are off to Lecche. When we get to the car rental place, we realize that there is no way all 6 of us are going to fit in these little cars. So we end up getting a second one. On our way, we stop in Gallipoli and wander the narrow streets in this ancient city. It is Sunday and things are pretty quiet. We are drawn in by the architecture and patina of the buildings that have weathered for centuries. When we get to Lecche, everything is pretty much closed up. Even the churches are all closed. They will open again in the late afternoon. We wander around, recording the crazy baroque architecture with our digital cameras. The narrow roads and three story buildings seem a little less like a giant maze this time around. I have a few key touchstones to remember where I am and how to get to where I want to go. Much to our delight the bakery that sells delicious snacks mostly stuffed into bread rolls is open. We order food that we have no idea what is inside. Whatever is hot coming out of the oven gets the most attention. Everything is delicious as we sit in the warm sun trading bites of our choices. Then just down the street is a wonderful gelato store. We choose between all of the flavors that one can ask for and enjoy to strong sweet flavors that only come from Italian gelato.