Puglia, a lovely week

I’ve just returned from a lovely peaceful week in Puglia, near Otranto. The weather was very hot and dry, and the air was full of the sound of crickets. I shared my cool room with geckos; I swam in the warm, salty, gorgeous Adriatic sea; I saw thousands of olive trees, they all seemed to be old, gnarled and many were twisted, growing like corkscrews; and I realised each tree is an alchemist, transforming the red dust of Puglia into golden-brown-green olives. The local olive oil bread, called puzza, is wonderful. On waking, early, I walked about inside the yard of the masseria. The early morning air smelled delicious – smoky, earthy, pungent. Redolent for me of early mornings in southern gardens with pools, kingfishers, enormous angel trumpet flowers, terrapins, goldfish.

I visited the 9th century tiny Greek Basilica on the hill-top of Otranto, saw amazingly beautiful 9th century frescoes of Christ washing the feet of his disciples, and the Last Supper.

One night I had a dream in which an old friend visited me. She was wearing a black dress, very fine and thin, silky, embroidered. On her lap was a cheetah. She was speaking and many people were lsitening. When she had finished speaking she placed the cheetah on my lap, she gave her to me. Later that day I saw a wildcat crossing the wall near the Masseria. It looked so wild and alert. It didn’t seem to care that I was also there.

The world inside the olive tree.
The world inside the olive tree.
The interior of the Basilica of St Catherine of Alexandria, in Galatina. Beautiful!
The interior of the Basilica of St Catherine of Alexandria, in Galatina. Beautiful!
Outside the Basilica, Otranto
Outside the Basilica, Otranto
A fine old olive tree at the Masseria
A fine old olive tree at the Masseria
Inside the church, Carpignano
Inside the church, Carpignano