Barletta Nicotel Bari

... and they paid up to the tune of 30 Euro ($60).

The rest of the trip was pretty un eventful, oh but we did manage to hit another jackpot on the boat. You may recall we made a purchase of some 16 cases of beer, which we are having big issues finding ice to cool down, well while at the bar last night we may have noticed a motherload of an ice stash. So before disembarking, we made sure we kindly asked the bar staff if they could give us some ice. Now we ...

... dress my salad and my cleanish clothes, grate some parmesan onto my pasta. It was the most delicious and satisfying meal I've had in a long time. Sitting on the Autostrada for so many miles I have a chance to observe the Italians performing their very best motorway driving techniques, they have perfected the art of tailgating, so much so that you see a flash of light that looks like lightning, there are no taillights visible in the rearview as the car ...

... is the lump of the back of the leg of the boot). Here, 70% of Italy´s olive oil is produced, and we drove through miles and miles of olive groves laid out before us until we hit the coast of the peninsula. A beautiful mountain road above the sea with small villages clinging precariously to the side of the cliffs, and then diving down to little bays, one of which we parked up on, and ...

Just a quick note today, unfortunately, as the internet connection is dreadfully slow. We awoke last Friday in our orange grove, 30 km outside of Messina, to a torrential downpour complete with thunder and lightning. Still fighting this on and off food poisoning, we had taken a sick day the day previous and I literally did not stray more than 5 m from our tent all day. Ainaz toughed it out and made the journey to the ...

... the number eight was important so the castle is a large octagon with an open octagonal courtyard in the centre surrounded by two floors of, you guessed it, eight rooms per floor. We're heading closer to the coast for our next stop. Hopefully the weather will improve so that we can enjoy the seaside. Here's hoping. You'll find out in our next blog! Lots of love, Caren, Jonathan and Ethan :)

... It helps to have a map, for sure, but it gives a great insight into the southern Italy of old, without the gawking, jabbering tour groups. Strangely enough, Bari is home to the relics of St. Nicholas. Yes, that St. Nicholas - the one the Santa Claus mythology comes from. It was a little bizarre stumbling upon the church playing host to them. It was even more bizarre being there with a bunch of Russian tourists (eh?), but apparently there ...

... there was a massive crane blocking the view. And Danny, there was no green flash! Our ferry travelled overnight to Igoumenitsa, Greece. Our room was larger than I expected (bathroom and four beds bunkbed style). Met a Canadian couple from Kamloops who had just spend the last three weeks on a Carnival Cruise and absolutely loved it. Talked to them until it was time for bed.

... bars to choose from and 2 restaurants as well (read: expensive, or affordable hmmm, you pick). Anything but pasta please! The waitstaff was extremely polite, mostly Polish actually, and the one kitchen guy that hit on me got yelled at by an older worker so HA. All in all, a decent ride. Kind of made me want to stay on another night or two just going back and forth across the Adriatic...but Greece is so compelling now, and I head to Patras.

This town wasn't in any of my travel guides but it was a great place. Cheap and delicious food, very helpful travel agents, and an old quarter to die for. There were lots of old churches, some of which were turned into apartment buildings. This town gave me a real taste of Italy...and on my last day too! Check out the sunset and the alleys!

... me that she was in Crete doing some volunteer project with sea turtles. She wants to teach me to SCUBA dive, too. So now I sit on a ferry bound for Patras, where I will get a train to Athens. I might sit there for a couple days before heading down to Crete. I'm not going just because she's there, at least I don't think so, but it will be great seeing her again, sea turtles and all.