To market, to market

Today was all about the Ostuni market day. We'd planned to start early, but not quite as early as this one gets going, 7 am.

The amount of traffic, an increase of people walking with bags and baskets, and then cars parked higgelty piggelty anywhere they fit...all signs we're in the right place!

We love street markets, and split up so we can both explore at our leisure. The energy is high, people are browsing through piled clothes on tables where we entered. It's busy, but happy busy, not frantic. Vendors call out their wares, cinque euro, signora, Bellisimo, Vero lino. There are indeed piles of second hand linen dresses for five euro.

Once as I pass between tables on both sides, the vendors called out the exact same phrase at the exact same time, and burst out laughing. That's the friendly competitive background noise, as women at the clothing tables sort and sift through the offerings. They assess rapidly with much animated discussion with friends.

The food market is a sensory feast, colourful and fragrant, and the busiest part. Fraagola, fragola sings out a woman at a table heaped with bright red strawberries. The crowds around her table call out the amount they want to spend, and she expertly wields her giant scoop, filling paper bags. For our 2 euro we get a big scoop of fresh sunshiny warm berries.

Brad strikes up conversation with a man taking photos, who turns out to be from Toronto. We're joined by his wife and enjoy a conversation with Glen and Patti. They live here part time, and love it. There's family background that brings them here, but they admit too that life is far more affordable here than in Canada. That's not the main draw - the slower lifestyle, the time to enjoy life, food, family, that's an immense appeal. We will perhaps meet up with them again in a few days.

A short wander through Ostunis old centre is today not to sightsee, but to enjoy a real, made on site, authentic Italian gelato. Cremaria alla Scala is famed for their quality and they definitely do not disappoint. I have the recommended nociella, hazelnut, and a pear that is like biting into a creamy soft real pear. The flavors are perfect.

And home for lunch! A joy of adulthood, where dessert before lunch is perfectly appropriate. A spread of our mornings acquisitions makes for a glorious al fresco meal. And a leisurely midday meal is followed by a lazy sunning at the beach afternoon.

With all the compelling beauty and history around us beckoning, it's important to remember there is no joy in exhaustedly ticking off some mental to do list of travel. We need this down time, and luxuriate in it.Read more