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Part 6: TRAVELER DISCOVERIES OF SOUTHSIDE ITALY’S ANCIENT ORIGINS – SORRENTO

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Growing cactus must be one of the reasons there are so many varieties in Southern Italy.

In Part 5, we discovered Lecce Baroque is an attitude as much as an architectural style and that certified organic wines go down easily with a farm-to-table fresh meal wonderfully prepared.

The last city on this two-week Odysseys Unlimited tour of Sicily and Southern Italy came sooner than it seemed possible. That’s the way it is with all vacations, I expect, but sometimes the days melt faster into the next depending on activities and on the group’s personal dynamics. This 18-member group has been exceptionally harmonious, so the shared experiences have flashed by. Nonetheless, we are headed to Sorrento, a city Russ and I visited with Odysseys four years ago. Then we had mere hours in Sorrento, but an unmistakable allure demanded a lengthier stay.

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Part 5: TRAVELER DISCOVERIES OF SOUTHSIDE ITALY’S ANCIENT ORIGINS – LECCE

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Lecce Baroque styling means artistic flourishes carved in white limestone.

In Part 4, we discovered conical roofs of flat rocks not bound with mortar can be quite useful to thwart a King’s taxman and in today’s market, bring in the big bucks.

what we learned:

Barocco leccese is an ornate artistic style developed in Lecce and in Terra d’Otranto allegedly between the second half of the 16th century and the end of the 17th. It was developed as a thanks to God for protecting Christianity from the Ottomans. Lecce Baroque style leaves no empty spaces. The thinking was that empty space lets in the Devil. The 2,000-year-old city is considered the “Florence of the South” for the breadth of the fanciful designs of human figures, flowers, and animals carved in white limestone materials encouraged by Charles V, King of Spain, instead of the marble used in Naples. In Lecce, elaborate corbels appear under railings. Classical sculptures of women line the sides of doorways. The point of Baroque design is to wow!

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Part 3: TRAVELER DISCOVERIES OF SOUTHSIDE ITALY’S ANCIENT ORIGINS – MATERA

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A one € house might be yours.

In Part 2, we explored the historic Valley of the Temples in Agrigento and hiked on Mt. Etna. We also enjoyed sumptuous meals near both those famous landmarks.

We left the island of Sicily for the mainland region of Basilicata, Italy, aboard a 20-minute ferry that docked in Villa San Giovanni, Calabria. Calabria (old Italy) means “place of the bull.” Ninety percent of Calabria is mountainous.

Enroute to Matera, a city of growing fascination the more we learned, we pass by isolated run-down buildings along the road called “one Euro properties.” That’s the price anyone can pay to own one of these crumbling, likely medieval times-built homes. Here’s the backstory. Small villages desperately need restoration of abandoned homes that might entice new residents. However, remaining villagers are likely impoverished and unable to tackle repairs of a second home.  Anyone can apply to buy one of those homes for one € with the pledge to restore it to historical accuracy. Applicant must also commit to five – 10 years ownership (depending on the area) but is not required to live there year-round. The property must remain a personal home and cannot be turned into a B&B or other money-making business. Not caring which homes qualified for a one € sale did not stop our 18-member tour group from pointing out luxury homes for the remainder of the two-week trip and yelling out, “One € house.”

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Part 2: TRAVELER DISCOVERIES OF SOUTHSIDE ITALY’S ANCIENT ORIGINS – TAORMINA continued

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View of the coastline from Parco Florence Trevelyan, the public gardens that began as a private park.

In Part 1, we survived an arduous journey to Taormina for the first leg of our two-week Sicily-Southern Italy tour. We learned about the city’s discovery, its shames (eliminating Jews), and folklore stories woven into today’s culture, from pinecones to pottery heads of planted basil.

what we did:

At the top of the pedestrian-only hill from our hotel, Eurostars Monte Tauro, is the serenely peaceful Parco Florence Trevelyan. The beautiful public gardens were originally created as a private park by Lady Florence Trevelyan Cacciola, a Scottish noblewoman married to the mayor. She styled her sanctuary as a typical English garden with an infusion of colorful varieties of flowers and plants from all over the world, but it was her passion for ornithology (bird watching) that inspired many of the park’s fanciful brick structures. The one most used as a backdrop for photos is called “The Beehives”. Taormina’s government now maintains the quiet manicured respite overlooking Mt. Etna and the coastline.

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TRAVELER DISCOVERIES OF SOUTHSIDE ITALY’S ANCIENT ORIGINS

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Looking at Positano as we pass by the bus.

The last time I was in Italy, I did exactly as the 1954 romantic comedy Roman Holiday encouraged. I tossed a coin into Trevi Fountain, assuring my return to Rome. Unfortunately, the movie had the ritual backwards. You stand with your back to the fountain and toss the coin over your right shoulder (where the angels sit), not your left as the movie depicted and which is where Italian Catholics believe the Devil sits. Tossing over your left shoulder might mark your return with misfortune. Maybe that’s why on this trip to Italy

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JUNE 2022

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TradeWinds has also added the new Zing Ray Zip to its St. Petersburg, FL resorts.

NEWLY OPENED, RENOVATED, AND COMING SOON

You might say that TradeWinds Island Resorts is zipping along. After all, the St. Petersburg, FL resorts, which includes the Island Grand and RumFish Beach Resort, have added 141 guestrooms, new zip line on the beach, and a new Mexican restaurant concept at the Island Grand. The 141 rooms were part of the property formerly known as the Alden Suites, which was acquired by TradeWinds last March and incorporated into the RumFish Beach Resort. The expansion brings the

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – MAY 2022

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NEWLY OPENED AND COMING SOON

Nobu at Paris Las Vegas

Nobu at Paris Las Vegas has opened. It’s the second Nobu restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip that Chef Nobu Matsuhisa has opened with partner Caesars Entertainment to showcase the Chef’s signature New Style Japanese cuisine. Natural wood elements add to the relaxing atmosphere of the 140-seat restaurant that features fresh fish and seafood in the form of nigiri and sashimi. This restaurant opening follows the recent redesign of 182 guest rooms and suites at Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace, the luxury boutique hotel within the larger destination resort. Caesars Entertainment continues to expand its partnership with Nobu Hospitality – the global lifestyle brand founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper. At Caesars Atlantic City, Nobu restaurant is scheduled to open in the late summer of 2022, followed by the anticipated debut of Nobu Hotel Atlantic City by the end of 2022. Additionally, Nobu Hotel and restaurant in New Orleans are planned as a part of the transformation of Harrah’s New Orleans into Caesars New Orleans.
www.caesars.com/paris-las-vegas/restaurants/nobu.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – APRIL 2022

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Sea Spirit and 50 Years of Victory meet.

We have watched the invasion of Ukraine and felt sorrow, sympathy, and anger. Ukrainians’ lives are upended. Many have died. Children are orphaned. Businesses fail. We know all that because we can see it in news reports or vignettes shot and posted by shocked citizens on social media. The war may be “there”, but ill ripple effects still reverberate across the globe. Every day is still a question of “What next?” Without turning this into a political column, I will (when notified) inform you of cancellations that may directly impact you. In this edition, please see the cancellation of Poseidon Expedition cruises. If you have events or promotions impacted by the War on Ukraine, please send details.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – MARCH 2022

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Music to stir the soul while trekking in the outdoors.

NEWLY OPENED AND COMING SOON

Music to your ears on your outdoor vacation adventure? Holiday River Expeditions has added the sweet sounds of music to accompany trips down the Colorado and Utah canyons, and while river rafting or biking. “Bringing live music into the equation really takes the splendor and fun of a wilderness rafting experience to a whole new level,” says Karen Johnson of Holiday River Expeditions (Salt Lake City, UT). “Our first such trip in 2021 was an overwhelming success so we decided to expand the offering in 2022 and will likely continue to do so in the years to come.” The trips are selling out fast, and the musical groups may change, so contact the company for the available offerings.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – LATE FEBRUARY 2022

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The Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita at Quivira Clubhouse, Los Cabos, Mexico adds a spicy zip for National Margarita Day (ASK ME FOR THE RECIPE)

HOT DEALS!

Homesick-branded candles and The Bahamas have teamed up with luxury resort, Caerula Mar Club in Andros, for a four-day, three-night escape package. Enter to win. One lucky winner (and guest) will be randomly drawn on February 28. The package is worth over $2,000.

https://giveaways.dojomojo.com/

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