Bari

Today would be a very special day: for the first time, Simone's father-in-law would be taking his children (and grandchildren) to visit the city where he came from. The drive fr

om Sant'Agata to Bari would take over three hours each way, provided nobody got lost, but, filled with a sense of adventure, the group of 13, using two cars, went from one coast in Italy to the other. The scenery was breathtaking, filled with golden hues and splashes of green against a crystal blue sky. Given that the temperature, the BASE temperature, reached 40 Celsius that day, Simone blessed the air conditioning for working so well and amused herself by watching the natives putter around on their scooters. By and large, nobody used helmets; it was not unusual for a family of four to travel on one scooter (still no helmets); some riders wore flip flops, including the driver; nobody wore pants, opting instead for shorts and skirts; dogs and cats rode the scooters as well. One notable car driver was seen moving her standard vehicle out of a parking spot with a baby on her lap and a cigarette in her mouth and NO seatbelt. In spite of these (by North American standards) hazardous rules of the road, the group made it to Bari, father-in-law's hometown, without any mishaps. They drove through the city, searching for a restaurant, finally settling for a waterfront location that overcharged but did provide a stunning view of the sea. In fact, several party members climbed the rocks outside the restaurant in order to dip their feet in the lukewarm salt water. The group then headed to the very part of town where Simone's father in law was born. They saw the house where his mother died when he was just a toddler, the monastery that his father put him into (obviously to no avail) and met some of his family members. Before attempting the trek back to San'Agata, the group purchased a series of fans that would serve a dual purpose: they would make the still night air in their villa circulate AND, with any luck, drown out the sound of baying dogs.