travelswithalice

August 24, 2023

Gallipoli, Puglia

Wednesday, 23.

We were driven in 3 coaches from Gallipoli to Lecce for a gala dinner in beautiful Torre del Parco.

It was an interesting hour-long drive through the countryside dotted with trulli, the dry stone field shelters with conical roofs that feature prominently in this agricultural landscape.

However, the more significant feature that blighted the landscape and made my heart break was what has been called “olive tree cemeteries”. Row upon row of dead and dying olive trees.

A bacterium called xylella is killing precious olive trees all across Southern Italy and is threatening those in Greece and Spain as well. The deadly disease has been called olive tree cancer and to this day, there is no known cure.

Our tour guide gave an optimistic ending to this sad tale though.

A strange thing is happening, she said. A miracle. There are dead trees that seem to be sprouting new life. And there is hope that maybe the new growth is not infected too.

I do love happy endings!

We arrived back on board at 10 to a beautiful moon and a lovely dessert buffet. They really do know how to spoil guests on this ship!

posted by Alice Dimalanta Jones # August 24, 2023

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