A Day to See Cheese and Ruins

Saturday: the early bird gets the cheese! Our guides picked us up at 6:30 a.m. and we were off to see how buffalo mozarella & ricotta is made! Yes, it really is made from buffalo milk, but the herd is up in the hills ... not down below where they make the cheese. So we did not get an introduction to the buffalo.

The cheese making process is fascinating... we stood in the back and watched it all being done by hand. And then it goes out to the case in the front of the store. They make small batches, and it all sells out by noon! Eating the fresh cheese, and the still-warm ricotta was totally amazing, and delicious.

Following "cheese", we drove down the road a bit to the Roman ruins at Altilia and had a lovely walk-around and a look at their little museum. It was quiet and peaceful. The area dates back to the 5th Century and is just lovely.

Next: back to LaPampa for a little rest, and then off to to the town of Beneveneto for a walking tour, immersion in witch culture and an evening at the witch festival. (we must admit, the festival was very crowded and busy ... but it was really just a street fair. Not very "witchy". That part was disappointing. But we DID have a good time!

Legend of the witches: first: they were women who continued to worship the goddess Isis (fertility) even after Christianity was introduced. So... they had herbal potions, hence the witch culture became very ingrained in the area. The fun part about the witches, is that every home needs to have a broom behind the door. If a witch comes in the night, she is required to count the straws in the broom. This takes so long, that morning will arrive before she has a chance to do any mischief to the home.