yes...we're still alive and well....

We're in Agropoli now at a beautiful B&B on top of another mountain...alot like the Lemon Tree in Sicily, but without a kitchen...I'm really on vacation !

We had a wonderful week in Lecce...what a gorgeous city it is !  The highlight was attending the opera, something I've always dreamed about. We saw La Traviata by Verdi in the Lecce Opera House.  It was first preformed there 160 year ago.  The orchestra was amazing, and the singers were unbelievable...a true Italian opera where the heroine dies at the end.  At least I knew it was coming, so I didn't embarrass myself by crying (much...).  The older woman sitting next to Joe was singing along at one point !  When you walked in, you were handed the entire libretto of the opera...what a wonderful keepsake....

The opera ended at about midnight, and what a surprise we had upon leaving the theater...the streets were mobbed with people !  It was Saturday night, and I guess everyone comes to the city center to "see and be seen"...people were eating dinner, sitting in cafes, walking around listening to music by street performers, eating gelato...wow !  Quite a difference from the normally quiet daytime scene...we left the city center at about 1am, and things were still going strong...

I'll write more about Lecce later...time to get ready for our first dinner here...Mama is cooking something special for us !  Of course, we're the only people here right now...what else is new ?

Hugs and love to all...Chris and her happy to have the Internet back husband