Lecce

 19,500 steps

Woke up this morning and started a load of laundry at 7AM, missed the rapido button so laundry was done at 10AM.  What laundry takes 3 hours to wash only?

Got an email that our free walking tour was cancelled, booked another one for tomorrow afternoon but we don't have much hope that it will actually happen, so we will do our own walking tour today.

Started off by going to the ticket booth outside the Duomo and bought tickets that get us into 5 different places for 11 Euro per person.  We started off by visiting the Duomo and the Crypt.  Like all these cathedrals in Europe it was beautiful.  From there we visited the little museum for the church.  

On our way to the ticket booth we also went in to see the exhibit that is here for this week to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Italy.  It was a really nice exhibit set up in a beautiful old palace.

From here we just wandered the streets.  Going into little shops, churches that were open.  Stopped at a tiny little spot for lunch that is just open for 3 hours a day for lunch.  They had all kinds of different things to sample.  After lunch wandered a little more then it was time for a aperol spritz break.  We sat beside a young family from the UK and had a nice visit.  They had 2 young girls that were playing cards, what we call 31, they call tap.  Andre of course needed to show them his one magic trick, they were impressed.  

After our spritz break decided it was time for a break back at the apartment, our first climb up those 60 steps today.  

We had seen posters around town about a procession this afternoon at 5:30.  Everything was in Italian but Andre figured out where he thought they would be going so off we went to see the procession.  Nothing really starts on time in Italy so we were able to walk the entire way back to the start point even though we left the apartment at about 5:30.  We aren't clear what the procession was about, but it started with a band, then ladies dressed in black with black scarves covering their heads, then quite a few clergy, then some men carrying Mary on a platform on their shoulders.  We went ahead to a couple of spots we knew they would turn up, finishing our stalking of the procession at the Duomo square.

We walked around a little more.  Visited 2 of the 4 gates into the old town.  Watched what we are sure was a tourist squeeze his car into a very tiny street, not sure he was supposed to go there.  Not sure why a tourist would even venture into the tiny streets in old town.  On the hunt for something to eat for supper.  Finally come across a place that looks OK, and it is only 7PM so we are the first ones in.  Supper here usually starts around 8PM.  I have been wanting to try a dish from this region called Ciceri e Tria, and this place served it.  It was not at all what I expected, but I really liked it.  It is pasta with chick peas, with some deep fried pasta on top.  It is really soupy, served with a spoon.  Really good, but oh so filling.  Andre stuck with pizza.  House wine served out of a big jug.  A couple of times now we have been served this deep fried dough in little round balls as a free appetizer, mostly at pizza places do we get these.

After supper went by the Duomo square to see it lit up at night, very beautiful.  Picked up a couple of delicious pasticciotto for dessert back at the apartment, these are little cream filled pastries from this region, yummy.  

Will the tour run tomorrow, or are we on our own again for our last day in Lecce? 

Church under renovation, 

No, no and no, you are not getting a new watch

At the exhibit. what they wore in 1944

The courtyard where the exhibit was

So many palazzo aka mansion. They have beautiful doors and balconies 

At the Duomo, amazing Chapelles 

The main part of the Cathedral looking back at the organ

In the crypt

Back in the main church. A unconventional last supper painting maybe?

We then visited the seminary/museum next door to the Cathedral

There was a few modern art carving in this chapelle

I love doors and doors that have doors that have doors, even better

The top of the tower

The convent courtyard

On our walk about, a small church that is now an art gallery

The Cathedral back door, we confuse which church this was

At the Palmieri convent. Not sure if it was a Police Graduation

The public library inside the old convent

Leaving the convent

Most old mansions are now apartment building, this would be their entrance

Where we had lunch

So many beautiful building everywhere

The oblique at the Napoli Gate

A large dome the church next to the Napoli gate

Beautiful and clean walking streets

Spritz break

Shooting over the construction fence, we are staying on the top floor in one of the building on the right

Small church next to our place

Bracelet vendor gets the students shouting and gets lots of sales. Most profitable vendor in town I am sure. Lots of school groups here

One of the church that the procession stopped at. At each one they would play music and then move on to the next

The route

Another church they stopped at. They are all so beautiful

The Napoli gate at sunset

I wonder why no one is there

The procession entering the Duomo square

Porta Rudiae at sunset

Wendy's chickpea past topped with deep fried noodles, I Lecce specialty 

I opted for Pizza

the Duomo at night