Having been on lockdown for more than a year, never venturing out to eat and rarely meeting friends except at a respectable distance, Tom and I felt that it was time for a change of pace.
We decided that if we couldn’t go out to lunch, we would bring our lunch out with us. We promptly bought a picnic backpack for two, with comfortable straps to go over Tom’s shoulders and off we went.
The Ostuni coastline is magnificent, just 15 to 20 minutes drive away depending on which beach we visit, and we have always walked there a great deal. This time, being springtime, with warm sunny weather, we extended our walks to include a picnic.
It was a lifesaver. A few days a week we would plan our outings carefully and I would put sandwiches, potato crisps (of course!), some wine and water in our new picnic hamper and off we would go. The beaches were mostly deserted; not like in summer, when they are usually packed with visitors.
Here are some photos of the places we managed to visit in March before Lockdown was made stricter and Puglia went from being an “Orange” zone to a “Red” one just before Easter, and we must stay closer to home for another couple of weeks.
Now we wait for this severe Lockdown to change back to “Orange” or even “Yellow” when we will promptly resume our picnicking on Ostuni’s magnificent beaches.
As we will both receive our first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine within the next few days, we can hope for a resumption of some sort of normality in our lives before too much longer.
In the meantime, we will continue picnicking along the idyllic coastline of Puglia.
Orna O’Reilly
Ostuni, Puglia
Orna O'Reilly: Travelling Italy 
Excellent!!
Stay safe
Dxx
Thanks Dermot. You too! O xx
I am glad that you are having some kind of fun. We had our first outing yesterday and went to Clogherhead and had coffee sitting looking at the harbour .All the fishing boats were out but must have been due in as the seal lions were swimming about waiting for them.,also dozens of sea gulls who were making a frightful din . Love to you both, Diana Sent from my iPhone
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It’s many years since I’ve been in Clogherhead, but I remember it as a lovely spot. Very different to Ostuni! We changed from a red zone to an orange one, starting Monday and I have already planned our picnic! The beaches here are fabulous and I can’t wait to get back. A long walk, followed by a picnic lunch with a beautiful view. What could be better. Love, O xx
What a splendid idea, Orna, and wonderful views. Hopefully it won’t be too long until you can go out somewhere else. We’re looking forward to eating out again too. Just re-read “Bella Tuscany” recently and thought of you two. I’ve read it and “Under the Tuscan Sun” many times.
janet
Last night we had great news! Puglia has now been “upgraded” from a red zone, where we couldn’t go anywhere unless it was essential, to orange. It will change on Monday and I am already planning our picnic! Orna
Exciting news, Orna. I’m thrilled for you and look forward to the next picnic post.
Cheers from San Diego, California. Orna your photos are stunning. Yes it is important to get out. Our county is about 70 percent vaccinated and life is getting back to normal. It is so fun and exciting to go out to restaurants, parks, shops. etc. How are your olive trees? I’m planting a few here along our driveway along with some cypress. I am missing trips to Italy…(I lived in Florence for three years back in the 80s. My olive trees are fruitless as I just want the beauty and we have no place to take the olives here to be pressed which is a shame because in the first half of the 1900s this area where I live in San Diego County was all olive and citrus groves and there were several presses for olive oil production. Things here in California change an change and change. That’s what I love about Italy…the history, the permanence of the cities, architecture and art. Looking forward to your next post.
Roberta
Thank you for your comments Roberta. Sounds as though you are really missing Italy! We have since received our first vaccination and are looking forward to our second in early July. Our olive trees are looking healthy, but we won’t know how many olives we’ll get this year for a few months yet. Harvest here is in late October/early November. We’re now looking forward to summer by the pool. Best, Orna
Dear Orna, writing from Schriesheim, Germany, I am kind of envying you. I follow your site for quite a while, purely out of interest for learning about parts of Italia I have not visited. We rarely go further than the Toscana,and therefore have to live with the touristic challenges that come with it. having just received our second dose we hope to visit our friends in Liguria soon again. I would love to visit the Tropea to Pompeii area, but am afraid to step on a plane at this time,( COPD) everything else We do by car (yikes) . this morning on RAI 1 I saw a report on the Food -Museums around Parma. I wanted to cry. To you all the best ! Tanti auguri da Schriesheim , e possa andare al diavolo la maledetta pandemia ! Peter Steil
On Thu, Apr 15, 2021 at 4:29 PM Orna O’Reilly: Travelling Italy wrote:
> orna2013 posted: ” Mezzaluna Having been on lockdown for more than a year, > never venturing out to eat and rarely meeting friends except at a > respectable distance, Tom and I felt that it was time for a change of pace. > We decided that if we couldn’t go out to lunch, we” >