In the Shadow of the Olive Tree
In the Shadow of the Olive Tree
A trullo, a palazzo and the Pugliese blue serve as the backdrops for Orna O’Reilly’s second turn with the contemporary fiction quill, and it’s a good one: In the Shadow of the Olive Tree. On the heels of The Blonde in the Gondola, it’s a brilliantly paced read that’ll have you on the edge of your seat and keep you there. With more plot twists than a white-knuckle roller coaster ride, Orna brings…
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More Abandoned Abodes of the Valle d’Itria
More Abandoned Abodes of the Valle d’Itria
Ulysses, Christopher Columbus, Sir Galahad, Don Quixote and Phileas Fogg, among others, all had one thing in common: The Quest, a perilous journey toward a specific mission or goal. And, me? Well, all I want to do is meander close to home in search for more abandoned abodes that pepper the rustic landscape around the Valle d’Itria of Puglia in southeastern Italy. According to some archeological…
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Up and at ‘Em: Reclaiming our Coastline
Up and at ‘Em: Reclaiming our Coastline
The onslaught of tourists that held our adopted hometown of Ostuni hostage throughout the summer have finally departed. And, that means our nearby Adriatic coastline, in the Alto Salento of Puglia, is now free and clear of loungers, umbrellas and traffic. With Orna behind the wheel of her panna cotta-colored Cinquecento, we cruised down to the impromptu carpark at Fontanelle, laced ‘em up and…
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Villa Allegra for Sale
Villa Allegra for Sale
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In Taranto: The City of two Seas
In Taranto: The City of two Seas
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Up and at ‘Em: Lago di Brina
Up and at ‘Em: Lago di Brina
Just down our dusty lane, about 500 steps away from Villa Allegra, sits Trullo GamberoViola, the home and exotic park-like setting of Daniele and Margherita — he the Gambero, she the Viola — two of the nicest neighbors anyone could wish for. Filled with olive and fruit trees, countless flowering plant life and a greenhouse built to house and nurture their collection of hundreds of orchids…
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Abandoned under the Pugliese Blue
Abandoned under the Pugliese Blue
When I’m not in my wellies tending to our two-acre plot of olive trees, tucked inside the Valle d’Itria of the Alto Salento sub-region of Puglia in the southeastern reaches of Italy, I like to lace up my hiking boots, grab my camera and walking stick and head out on long, photo-shoot treks around my ‘hood. With an abundance of sunshine cascading down from the incredibly blue Pugliese sky, I’m…
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Up and At ‘Em: A Walk Through Paradise
Up and At ‘Em: A Walk Through Paradise
I don’t want to jinx the weather, but we’ve been on a roll here of late with sunny skies, warm temps and no tree-bending winds around the Valle d’Itria of Puglia in southeastern Italy. In the words of Eddy and Patsy, “It’s absolutely fabulous” out there. The changing of the seasons is definitely in the air around La Terra dei Trulli (Land of the Trulli) and also in my giddyup, as I logged 13k…
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