Today we left from our familiar little Hotel Pennile, and hopped on our tour bus, with Carlo, our faithful bus driver, for our week and a half tour of southern Italy.
Diana, boarding the bus. 
A rest stop on the road, it was a long trip, maybe 5 hours? I forget.
At the rest stop, everything was meaty, and semi-scary looking so I grabbed a Nutella snack pack with lemon tea (limone the)
We stopped at a coastal city called Trani on the way down to Matera. This is the harbor.
The church in Trani (St. Nicholas Cathedral) wasn't built into the urban grid of the city as many other churches are, but instead was isolated, and freestanding right next to the coast. It was also built on top of a crypt that was built above ground instead of under the ground as most are.
Jessie and Lewis walking the pier in Trani
The crypt!
While finishing my sketch of the Cathedral, it started raining on us, so we ducked inside for lunch.
Accordion player on the streets of Trani
After a brief few hours in Trani we hopped back on the bus and headed for Matera, on the way we drove past many olive farms that had been there for centuries, and there were Trulli, small domed dwelling or storehouses, scattered every so often.
When we arrive in Matera, we are overwhelmed by its amazing layout and use of space. The Sassi area (where we stayed) it completely carved and created from the mountain sides. This was a one of my favorite stops on the trip. Here is our "more bars in more places" AT&T commercial. Too bad reception was horrible.
Matera by night, with a long exposure.
Matera by night, with a normal exposure.
That night was our first group dinner, there were about 20 (small) dishes served to us that night, it was amazing. The city of Matera was the sight were much of The Passion of the Christ was filmed, and so Mel Gibson and his crew often stopped at this restaurant.
For dessert we had this giant bowl of fruit for our table. delicious.
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