Dancing on the waterfront at sunset

The bear went over the mountain 🎶 that preschool song is running through my mind, as today's route takes us down into Castro, up t

o Marina de Marittima, down to Porto Tricase, up to.....you all know the song. He saw another mountain 😅

Luckily like any serious athlete, I have diligently prepared for this, carbonara carb loading the evening before.

Still! And we've altered the official route a bit too as that called for scaling a completely unnecessary cliffside. We'll stick along the sea. We see some other walkers, a new foursome we saw at the hotel this morning, but they seem a pretty closed unit. We see red backpack, our guide from the other day. She's Korean, and says us 3 are the only non italians on the path.

She is taking a longer but more scenic route. Which I present an argument in favour of, and Brad counters with: still scenic + shorter = ✅🎯

So on we go. In Castro we stopped at the famed Martinucci Laboratory for gelato. I have almond pesto with fig sauce and pistachio Martinucci, heavenly.

Sitting on the plaza enjoying our gelatos, I'm amused to see a preschooler and a senior pass each other, whizzing in opposite directions, both on scooters.

And our day wends along. Today bicyclists are far more evident than their motorized counterparts. At least, initially. They travel in lycra packs, serious cyclists, whip thin and racing the roads on narrow, narrow tires.

The sea is a constant companion on our left as we twist and weave ever southward. Giant sprays of water burst over rocky shores and cliffsides. No sandy beaches here, this is wild and free dramatic coast.

Elegant villas face the sea all along, and more modest homes that have likely been here longer. From these, laundry on lines blows in the steady breeze, with pants jigging and sheets tacking like sails.

And here we arrive, in Marina Serra. Our hotel proprieter is in a wheelchair with a broken foot, and her family is here to help. Her mother possibly, and I, manage to find enough common ground in French to communicate. Success!

And here I sit, with my laundry, on a lovely balcony, watching a lively sea and slow streets.

The only thing that I just will never understand, is why Italian hotel showers, appear to be designed for pygmy contortionist.

At sunset we go out to walk and look for dinner, and come across a lively group posing for pictures. Their exuberant leader draws us in, turns out they are friends that sing and dance together. They are overjoyed that they have met Canadians! We must sing and dance together! In moments, a cooler appears and small glasses of beer are handed out, a karaoke machine arrives, and it is announced the bar patio beside us had allowed us to use their space. What a joyful, wonderful, unexpected experience, as we are serenaded and taught a traditional country dance step, with much laughter. Luckily one man spoke English! Classic Italian songs were huge crowd pleasers, with clapping and gestures that were well known to all. Our group had swelled, and onlookers clap along.

One bystander turned participant came up to Brad, looked at him very seriously and said I feel I know you. I think you are Italian! This I'm sure it's a very high compliment.

We regretfully must move along and find some food. Addresses are exchanged, so we can share the numerous photos and videos of the evening.

And that is how there are videos out there of me singing and dancing on an Italian small town waterfront 😅Read more