LAST DAY IN MATERA [31] June 22, 2008

As advertised, today is my last day in Matera. We are still at the hostel, but our bus does not leave for Tito until this evening. The group has been very busy the past few days and I have not had the priviledge to update you.

The story about the train to Ferrandina from Rome's Termini station: The train leaves at 7h19 (yes, that ungodly morning hour) and we have seven people to coordinate. Laura Minore was late coming down the hostel stairs, for reasons unknown but probably reasonable. Zeyd waits for her. At the station waiting, Mike, Jess, and Chris stand in line to get MacDonald's for breakfast. Laura and Dave stand by all the bags and watch as the station clock approaches the departure time. Then Laura Minore and Zeyd come into the station, Mike is still in line at Mickey D's and there is no more time left. The trains on the station board start to clack as new ones arrive and others depart. The group, together makes a break for the train. I wave wildly at the conductor to wait, and, rushing down the platform to car number 5 at the end of the train, only Chris and I get on the train. I have Dave's ticket.

Six hours later we arrive at the Ferrandina station. I have learned some Italian from the nice couple (Maria and Antonio) sitting next to me, and they say they live near Tito and I should visit them when I arrive, which I probably will. They also say I should host Maria when she comes to Canada when I will teach her English. I am not so sure about that one.... At Ferrandina station, we meet up with Kiff, Tanya, and Jen, a few of the other students from the group, and we take the nausiatingly twisting and writhing bus to Matera. It only clost 2.70 Euros.

Professor Colivicchi meets us at the bus station in Matera and we slowly trudge with our suitcases and backpacks up the hills to our hostel beneath the Duomo (or 'the Dome', as Professor Colivicchi says).

And then: The next week is spent in one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. Perched between two Sassi (Caveoso and Barisano), Matera has been inhabited for hundreds, even thousands of years. There are churches cut into the hills and medieval wall paintings everywhere. And the best is at night, when the whole city wakes up from their afternoon siestas, which generally last from 13h00 to 17h30, to walk around the city all night. In couples, in families, in groups of friends, with gelato, with beautifully heeled shoes, with sparkly belts, and Italian style mullet haircuts. The works!

Most of the day is spent in the classroom learning the methodology behind archaeological excavation and the site histories. We need to know comparatively what has been found in the area and the history of its people. It seems the people in the area built Greek-like cities and were even sometimes Greek colonies, but rejected democracy style rule for small groups of aristocracies, where the main leader was depicted/buried more like a warrior-king/emperor than like a Greek orator/politician. This would explain the mafia (which are not in the Basilicata region, but are strong in nearby Campania, Calabria, and Appulia).

We usually start at 10h00 and break for siesta at 12h30, then rejoin after a nap at 15h00 and are busy untli 17h00 or 18h00. In the evenings we walk around the city too. Unfortunately, all of the beautiful lights with which they are outfitting the city streets are for the Madonna festival, which we are missing by a week.

Friday we went to Metaponto and Heraclea. We also fit in a little side trip to the beach near Metaponto to play soccer and swim with the jelly-fish. Only Andrew was stung. I freaked out because a sizable blue neon thing was floating next to me in among the waves.

Saturday we went to Venosa (where the poet Horace was born) and Melfi. Both cities are in the mountains, though Melfi is perched particularly precariously way up on top next to the inactive Mt. Vulture volcano (last errupted about 750,000 years ago). It was fun squeezing our vans down the steep narrow streets filled with parked cars (sometimes on either side) and old women with their washing. Professor Colivicchi said the old women were softer, so he would prefer to squish them if he had to (it was a joke!).

Today we leave for Tito, as I may have said before, so no internet unless I take the bus to Potenza, which I probably will not.

I miss you all a great deal. Especially my furry little friends.

Yours Cheerfully,

Laura