Artists in Italy: At the Beach in Nardo August 5

I don't exactly understand what Salento is compared to Puglia, but this is where we are.

The start of our day at a beach side caffe

The beach at 9:30 a.m.

Views from our spot in the shade

Sales people on the beach

This girl decided to have her hair braided. It took the two women over two hours. This was her day at the beach. Her family left as soon as they were done. Later we saw her at a cafe looking cool.

There is a desert quality to this place.

These pictures were taken from the car as Rolf drove us along the beach.

After lunch and a nap we set off to explore Nardo while Kristan painted.

This is the building where Rolf and Kristan's flat is. Super nice inside. More about that later.

Unusual plant life

Dream car.

It is hard to see this t-shirt but it says, "you are my number one, evergreen"

and has a picture of a green fiat like the car above.

View from caffe

One of the gates to the city.

Random church

Another dream car

Italian Rosie

Shells for dinner? Ma no, snails.

Nardo architecture revels the different cultural influences of its people

The little thing that looks like an upside down pine cone on the top of the wall to the left is an important symbol of the city. You can buy ceramic ones in many sizes with different amounts of decoration. They are a symbol of a good life that is blooming. Probably it really is a hope that you will have lots of kids.

This memorial commemorates all those who have died in road accidents.

It is one of the best monuments I have seen.

Cool stuff that I know nothing about.

Today I learned from Rolf that they only use tempera paint on the houses in Italy because an acrylic paint would not allow the plaster to breath and the stones would start to push out. So here is an amazing exterior wall with many layers and different kinds of peeling.

Can you believe the sky is so blue? but it is.

Inside one of the many churches in Nardo.

I think these people are in hell.

Amazing, alien lamp holders

Bull symbol of Nardo at the commune.

This could be Annie.

Notice the lion on the right has been completely weathered and the one on the left is not. I think the individual stones must be inferior. There are places with this kind of weathering all over the city right next to stones that are perfect.