Lecce is a beautiful town with an overabundance of Roman archeological sites, Baroque architecture, and the crowds that these justifiably attract. We loved it and plan to return to it soon for a more in-depth appreciation than we could grant it with only a 12 hour stay. We were able to spend some time at the Duomo, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, early in the morning, before any other tourists. Pilgrims get in for free. While the main church is a riot of gilded ornament, the crypt under the length of the church, that dates to the 11th century, is sparse but not severe and we could see the foundations of the original church dating to the 7th and 8th century. We had the place to ourselves and took advantage of it.
The walk to Martano was uneventful but marred by the devastated olive groves. We decided to cheer ourselves up by listening to the original Broadway recording of Hair. So relevant to our time. We desperately need an Age of Aquarius.
Walking the Via Francigena 
Hurry back — Hair is playing at Signature theatr
tom
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The “ghost trees” are so disturbing😢
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Come to Todi this summer
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Gimme a head with hair
Long, beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming
Streaming, flaxen, waxen….
Ghost trees showing some signs of life. We’ll see in a few decades.
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way back in week 6, Paula’s entertaining summary. Crocefisso is also the past participle of crocefiggere, so those mothers were so taken by the event that they named their kids “crucified”. Dio mio!
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Did you explain the cause for the devastation of the olive trees? (And did I miss it or forget it already?)
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As far as I know it’s the Xylella bacterium which attacks the roots and desiccates the trees. They just whither. They have to be uprooted and burnt. It’s a disaster for this area, in which olive oil is the main industry.
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Lecce
Honey colored
Pilgrims enter gratis
Glittering gilded riotous
Quiet
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