5 November 2024: We are at Le Palme delle Dune in Porto Cesareo, Puglia, Italy for a few days. The beach is just four doors down from our unit, and this is the Ionian Sea. Additionally, and best of all, my cousin Paola Carzoli lives in Porto Cesareo, so after two attempts, we are finally able to visit with each other today! We walked on the beach in the morning to the cafe nearby for breakfast. There is sand, not stone, and the sand reminds me of the beaches in Naples, Florida. It is not white, but it is light, it is not fluffy nor gypsum-based, but it is grainy like the sand at Naples Beach or perhaps even Vanderbilt Beach in Florida. The water is extremely calm. Paola tells me that it is always that way because of the many protective inlets along this coast. It is clear and light blue, with a very shallow sandy entry. One could see by the furnishings on the beach, and some of the decorations at the bar/cafe, for example, that this area would be a prime tourist attraction in-season. At this time of year, although it was about 70F and sunny, most of the B&Bs have closed, and only the hotels remain open. The little bar/restaurant on the beach stays open year-round, I am told. Today, we only spent a little bit of time on the beach because we plan to visit with my cousin this afternoon. Tomorrow, perhaps, we’ll spend a little b it more time here. Unfortunately, my cousin’s husband did not feel well today and could not visit with us. We hope to see him, if even for a coffee, before we leave this region. However, my cousin Paola picked us up and drove to her house. Getting there is a circuitous route, but it really is only about a five-minute drive away. It is a beautiful house, with a tropical garden, some turtles, a parrot named Ugo and that talks, and a small dog named Kevin. The parrot calls for Paola or Papa or Damiano when he feels ignored, has not seen them for awhile, or when he wants a little bit of whatever they are having for dinner. It’s hysterical! Kevin is on Viagra because of the oxygen saturation issues that he is having. And Paola? Well, Paola made a homemade meal for us, including lasagne with homemade pasta (so light and delicious, one could really taste the difference between this homemade pasta and the store-bought kind), a meat stew, and peas (I thought of Logan, who absolutely loves peas). Dessert was a pasticciotto, one of the specialties in Puglia. The best part was an opportunity to spend some time together and to begin to get to know one another better, even though both of us are about the same age (about a year-and-a-half apart, and I am the older one, of course), and even though the last times we actually saw each other was perhaps in 1968-ish. Dad does not speak Italian, and Paola does not speak English, so once again, Dad demonstrated his usual kind patience that he has shown in Italy this entire trip. But, Paola and I thoroughly enjoyed this visit and appreciate this incredible opportunity. Perhaps we will be able to share a coffee, this time including Damiano, so that we could at least have met by the time that we leave Italy. He is my cousin-in-law, after all!
Our Travels 