PAPA AND PHYLLIS IN ITALY

WELL, THIS IS MY MAIDEN VOYAGE AT POSTING A BLOG. THANK GOD I HAVE GRANDCHILDREN WHO KEEP ME YOUNG AND REASONABLY UP TO DATE ON TECHNOLOGY!!
PHYLLIS AND I HAD A GREAT TRIP TO ITALY. TWO WEEKS WITH OUR BEST FRIENDS, BILL AND SUSAN LESTAGE BILL DID ALL THE WORK, PLANNED THE TRIP, MADE THE RESERVATIONS, DROVE THE CAR, ETC. WE SPENT THE FIRST WEEK IN THE HEEL OF THE BOOT SECTION OF ITALY. IT'S ALL FARMING, THIS AREA PRODUCES 75% OF ALL THE OLIVE OIL, 65% OF ALL THE WHEAT, ETC. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL AREA WITH MILES AND MILES OF COASTLINE AND ALMOST NO HOUSE ON THE OCEAN, JUST RAW UNUSED LAND. WE STAYED IN AN OLD MONASTERY THE FIRST NIGHT IN TRANI, RIGHT ON THE OCEAN. IT WAS STRANGE HAVING BREAKFAST IN THE CHAPEL!! WE THEN WENT TO A TOWN OUTSIDE OF LECCE AND STAYED IN A PRIVATE VILLA FOR TWO NIGHTS. HAD CHAMPAGNE ON THE OCEAN, THE ADRIATIC, OR THE MEDITERANEAN, OR THE TYRRHENIAN OR IONION SEA. IT WAS HARD KEEPING TRACK. WE THEN WENT TO NOCI AND STAYED IN TUILLI HUTS, REALLY AMAZING. THEY WERE ORIGINALLY FARM BUILDING USED TO STORE EQUIPMENT OF PRODUCE AND THEN WERE CONVERTED TO HOUSING. THEY LOOK LIKE IGLOOS EXCEPT MADE WITH STONE. THEY'RE EVERYWHERE IN THIS ONE SECTION OF ITALY, NOCI AND AEREOBELLO. WE THEN WENT TO RAVELLO WHERE PHYLLIS AND SUSAN ATTENDED A COOKING CLASS WITH THE JULIA CHILDS OF ITALY---MAMA AGATA. AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL PLACE OVERLOOKING THE OCEAN AND WITH LAND ALL THE WAY DOWN WHERE THEY RAISED ALL THERE VEGETABLES, HERBS AND ANIMALS LIKE RABBIT AND CHICKEN, ETC. THEN WE WENT TO THE AMALFI COAST AND STAYED IN SOME GREAT PLACES AND ATE IN SOME MARVELOUS RESTAURANTS. POSITANO, CAPRI, SORRENTO, AND NAPOLI. THEN HOME AND AS ALWAYS, GLAD TO GET THERE!! IT WAS A GREAT TRIP. SORRY TO TAKE SO LONG DESCRIBING IT. PAPA