La Pizzica-Pizzica!

The Pizzica-Pizzica is an element of the Salentino culture. Salento is the region of Puglia that we are in. The Pizzica-Pizzica is therapeutic music that accompanies the Tarantella dance. The Tarantella is a ritualistic and therapeutic dance. It was traditionally danced by one who had been "bitten by a spider," the tarantola. The bite would cause the person (always a woman) to become severely ill with strong abdominal pains and fatigue. When they could not find a cure for the suffering, the family would call the orchestra and the person would listen to the music and begin to dance...

This was our Pizzica-Pizzica concert in the courtyard of our compound and school. It was almost therapeutic watching, listening, and dancing to the music. Once one person began to dance, everyone joined in.

Italia!

We are in Lecce which is in the Southern province of Puglia. We are not quite on the coast but there are many wonderful beaches around. On the Adriatic Coast, the sea is rougher and there are larger waves due to the tramontagna (wind from the North) while the Mediterranean Coast is a lot calmer. We decide where we're going to the beach depending on il vento (the wind).

Cruise in Leuca!

Cruise in Leuca, Italy! Leuca is the very Southern tip of the heel of the boot of Italia. This was just one of the many sailboats that we saw. The water was the most beautiful aquamarine I had ever seen. We swam in hidden caves along the coast. I had a very Planet Earth moment, as if I was being narrated by David Attenborough himself, when I saw the freshwater leaving the cave and the salt water entering. There was a visible difference in that the freshwater was blurry, cold and remained near the surface while the salt water was crystal clear, warm, and remained near the sea floor. Che figo!