Shepherd's Festival

Today was the Shepherd's Festival, which turned out to be one 85 year old Shepherd. He was dressed in his Sunday best and greeted the crowd. He brought a bag with him and proceeded to take out the live goose to represent the gathering of the herd. He then clothed himself in his herding clothes and ushered in the day's festivities.

Due to the decline in shepherding and the increase of industrialization, the once active livestock community has dwindled drastically. This is what the Shepherd explained to Carmella. The crowd did gather around the Madonna and when it was time, took pieces of the float home with them as their good luck totem. The group was amazed at how the entire float was dismantled in mere minutes!



For lunch the group experienced dining in the caves of Matera. The actual restaurant, Cola Cola with their Rooster Logo, was layered within the earth. First they entered the kitchen and then proceeded down a level to the dining area and there was another level beneath then with a dance floor/hall type set up. The Sassi, as these caves are referred to, were hut like cabins built just outside the earth to house the women as the men worked beneath in the caves.

Every day, Carmella goes through a thorough list of all the the wonderful meals they enjoy. There are homemade pastas, antipasti, grilled meats, fresh produce all from the region to feast on. One dish in particular was a rice salad. Maybe there will be some new items on the menu at La Campagna after this trip??? The Tasty Tomato hopes so!