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Our last day riding with Puglia Cycles, and it was a very hot 65km. We travelled inland from the coast and then with a sudden climb after leaving Otranto, we headed north to Lecce.
The little bit of altitude seemed to make all the difference to the countryside. Thick carpets of wildflowers all the way, and the first dairy cattle we have seen the whole time, although we have smelt them at times as we rode past the farms.
The roads were almost void of traffic all day, and most of it was on dedicated bike paths or back roads.
Around 1:30, the heat was starting to take its toll so we pulled up at a cafe in a small town called Melpignano to have a snack.
We found a cafe that was open, with the only sign of life being a girl behind the counter and a very large policeman perched on a bar stool. It was quickly determined that they didn’t have anything in the way of food, so the policeman pulled out his phone and made a couple of calls to see if there was anywhere else open, but sadly no, siesta had hit.
Not being a country to see anyone go hungry, he asked me what I wanted. I said the usual, prosciutto, cheese and tomato panini. No prosciutto but would tuna be OK. Yes I replied and off he went and came back with two of the above and two deep fried zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese a couple of cold drinks. Gladly received, we sat in the cool of the cafe and enjoyed the hospitality and took the opportunity to recharge the GPS as well. We did not want a repeat of our experience on the first day when it ran out of charge part way through.
Two other noteworthy items, the policeman’s brother emigrated to Australia many years earlier and the previous Sunday in the village, the road was blocked with hail and snow as captured on the policeman’s iPhone.
The last 15kms into Lecce was all that remained, and soon we were in our hotel enjoying a very welcomed cold shower.
Another day, but this time it has been categorised as a “rest day” devoted to scoping out the trek to the train station in readiness for our early departure tomorrow (very manageable) and a wander through the old city.
Lecce is referred to as the Florence of the south and it certainly lived up to that reputation. So many palazzi, piazze, and Chiese, and a Roman amphitheatre thrown in for good measure.
What really makes it the jewel in my crown is that there are NO STAIRS.
Today was around 30C and made walking the narrow streets a bit uncomfortable, but we managed to clock up 10km walking so an early meal tonight and that will bring the curtain down on Puglia.
It’s a 6:00am start tomorrow for a 7:00am train to Ferrara.
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