Around the World : Otranto

           Salve! So today I was feeling much better compared to the rest of the week. I slept in till the latest time possible (9:00) and woke up for class. I had a quick breakfast and then walked the fifty steps to class, (very convenient). At class we discussed more about Italian film, but focused on learning about other famous Italian films, actors, actresses and directors. I can't wait to go to the movie theaters in Bologna and watch an another Italian film. I also would like to see two Italian romance films we discussed in class called "La vita è bella" and "Vacanze Romane.."
            After class, I did my homework right away because we were going to Otranto for a tour of the city and would not get back till late. I also had something to eat and took a power nap so I would be well rested. At 16:30, the group boarded the bus and we headed to Otranto for a tour and a delicious dinner. The bus ride was an hour away and of course everyone fell asleep by the time we left Lecce.
    Our group leader, Nella lead the tour in Otranto. Out of all the tour guides we have had, Nella was the easiest to understand because she talked relatively slow and used words that we knew. The city was gorgeous. It was right on the beach, just like Gallipoli but on the East side, off the coast of the Adriatic Sea. During the tour I learned Otranto occupies the site of ancient Hydrus and was a town of Greek origin which in the wars of Pyrrhus and of Hannibal sided against Rome. Because Otranto was the nearest port to the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea it was a very important point of embarkation for the East. In the Middle Ages there was a Jewish school in Otranto and in 1480 Mehmet the Conqueror sent an Ottoman Turkish fleet to capture the city. They beheaded 800 Catholics who refused to convert to Islam and controlled the city for thirteen months until the Turks were repulsed from the city and the rest of Puglia. The city of Otranto gots its name in 1804, when the city harbored a French garrison to watch the movements of the English fleet. The french name of the city was called Otrante under the Napoleonic kingdom of Naples.
   During the tour we saw three main sights in Otranto, The Castello Aragonese, the Catherdral, and the Church of San Pietro. The Castle was built in 1485-1498 and has an irregular plan with five sides with a single entrance reachable through a draw bridge. The Cathedral has a rose window, a basilica with nave interior, two aisles, columns and a fine mosaic pavement. The mosaic is representation of the Old Testament and there are bones and relics of Martyrs of Otranto who perished in the fifteen century surrounding the high alter. The church of San Pietro, was a small church in the center of the old city with Byzantine frescoes covering most of the walls. If the name Otranto rings a bell, you might have read The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole's a Gothic novel that takes place in the city of Otranto.
         After the tour we had over three hours of free time to shop, eat, and walk around. The whole group split up and a couple friends and I went to a bar to have a drink and aperitivo. I had a cafe in ghiaccio and we split and apertivi plate between seven girls. Then we went shopping through the old city. The town was very crowded with many people in the streets and at the restaurants. I did not buy anything but I tried on some shoes and jewelry. I really wish my feet were normal and I could actually fit into the beautiful leather sandals here. Everyone wears them and I really like them a lot, but the ones I have tried on are either two narrow and small and uncomfortable. Oh well, before we know it, the season will change, and fall will arrive.
         While shopping, we were constantly looking at restaurant menus, trying to find a place to eat that was not too expensive but also had delicious food. We found this place called Il Profumo di Mare right next to where we had to meet the group at 22:30. For dinner I split two primo piattos with a friend, an antipasto di mare (squid with carrots and celery), and cocktail di gamberetti (fish cocktail). The meal was delicious and exactly what I wanted. I have been craving for some seafood since I have been here and I finally ordered it. We had ten minutes after dinner, to spare, and for dessert I bought a cupeta (leccese speciality). A cupeta is basically a bar of nuts held together by sugary and honey. I got a big bar filled with almonds and pistachios and I shared it with everyone. The bar was so big that I have plenty for me to eat while in Lecce.
           We met up with the group at the right time and walked to the pullman to head back home. I had a great time in Otranto, and I really enjoyed hanging out with new people outside of Vassar people. I can't wait for my nights like tonight. I hope you enjoy my pictures of Otranto.
Con tanto amore,
Samantha