Brindisi, Lecce, Otronto and Friends!

After.  Just a little taste of how I've spent my time here.

Before

My absolutely, unexpectedly FANTASTIC seafood dish in Lecce!

Lecce at night

Me in Otronto

Sneak attack picture of Jess in the water

Me in front of the beach in Otronto.  I wasn't saluting, just trying to keep the sun out of my eyes.

A random Roman amphitheater in the middle of Lecce we stumbled upon

A picture to capture the detail that went into all of the architecture during the Baroque period.

The breath taking interior of a church in Lecce.  St. Francis needs to up its game.

An arch in Lecce

The inside of one of the many cathedrals

One of the many baroque style churches in Lecce

Maurizio pouring champagne for his friends and any guests that happened to be downstairs.  What a guy.  I really need to figure out the manual flash on my camera...

The workerawayers playing cards with a couple of guests.  I'm sure I was winning at this point...

Mija, an Australian guest, Susannah and Jess

This is me with Rufus, Maurizio's pride and joy.  We are really riding in style in Brindisi.

This was a coffee desert thing we had after lunch that tasted like vanilla pudding mixed with coffee.  Needless to say, it was amazing!

Our lunch consisted of what Italians would typically have as an appetizer before their meal, but it was PLENTY of food for a whole meal.  Very good!

The other side of the table.  Maurizio's family and the three of us workawayers.

Maurizio's 50th birthday in a really cool restaurant! Maurizio's the one in black, and his family is surrounding him.

Barbie pose on the naval castle.  I just had to.

A castle in Brindisi that was turned into a naval base, thus it being closed to the public:(

Brindisi port

Chicks, one of the many varieties of birds sold at the festival.

All the fresh food sold at the festival.  Far from fried twinkies and funnel cakes

yeah, that's what it looks like. A pig with an onion in its mouth.

The phenomenal accordionist at the festival

Downtown Brindisi

The festival!

Susannah's arrival!  We took celebratory tequila shots naturally!

Jess sitting at the check in desk.  This is where all the action happens folks.

The best pastry we've (Jess and I)  had in Europe!  It was a chocolate croissant. 

Two of the three giant dogs that live in the hostel, Kaiser and Tiger.

This is the famous monument in Brindisi and it honors the patron saint of Brindisi, St. Lawrence, and it's supposed to protect the sailors.  It's shaped like a rudder, which I think is very cool. 

My future sailboat in the Brindisi port.

This column stands erect in the port of Brindisi and marks the end of the Appian Way, the most famous road in ancient Roman civilization.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appian_Way