Stober/Murray visit and Puglia vacation

We had a very full, very fun week. We spent Monday exploring Pompei (along with half of Italy, it seemed!).  Nora had the adult audio guide and enjoyed acting as our tour guide as we visited the old baths, House of the Tragic Poet and House of the Fawn, while Caroline and Joe explored on their own with the kid audio guide.  We finished up by late afternoon and then Joe came back to our house for a sleepover while Mary Lee, George, Uncle Henry and Aunt Connie had some grownup time in Sorrento and had fun eating at the Inn Bufalito, which specializes in buffalo cheeses and meats (the Naples area is famous for its buffalo mozzarella).  Back here at the house, the kids had a blast. Joe loved being up in Caroline's bunk bed and didn't put up any resistance when she informed him that he would be sleeping next to her that night.

The following day, we spent time visiting with the Stobers and Murrays here at the the Naval Base until it was time for them to return to Sorrento for their last night in southern Italy.  The following day, the Murray/Stobers took off for Rome, and our family took off to Puglia for our first getaway as a family of 6.  We stayed in a small town called Gorgofreddo outside of the city of Monopoli (in the Puglia region) in a house called a trullo (trulli plural), which is a circular stone hut with a conical roof that is the traditional farmhouse design dotting the countryside in Puglia, especially in the towns closest to us.  Our trulli had been renovated by a couple, Marcella and Roberto, Rome residents who spent their springs and summers in Puglia.  They reside in one half of the trulli and rent out the other half as a B&B.  It was such a unique experience, and Marcella and Roberto were wonderful hosts. Nora and Caroline got to sleep in their own trullo house, since there wasn't enough room for us to fit in one together.  They loved it!  Nora took most of the photos.

During the next few days, we explored the nearby Adriatic coastal town of Polignano al Mare, which is built into a cliff overlooking the sea and has breathtaking views and cliffs.  The next day, we went to an animal park called  ZooSafari (that gets its own entry!) and finished up hanging out by the rocky shoreline near Porta Rossa.  The following day, we stopped by the UNESCO designated city of Matera, a town that dates back thousands of years and features houses built out of/into caves.  We had lunch in Matera, explored a bit, and then hit the road again for our 3 hour drive home.  It was so wonderful to get out and see a new part of this beautiful country.