Trulli's, rainbows and my birthday :)

Every Saturday we set out for a different town around an hour to an hour and a half away. We rely on Daniel's driving and his language skills to make it a more enjoyable trip. On Saturday the 23 of July we went to Alberobello to see the Trulli houses. In brief, they are made of flat stones layered on top of each other without the use of mortar or concrete. There are varying ideas as to their original intent. One idea is that at the time house taxes were so high that when they knew the tax collector was coming they could just take the house down/apart and not have to pay the house tax because there wasn't a house :) Eventually they were built as temporary shelters or storehouse for the crops that were grown in the country.The roofs are conical in shape and the house is cylindrical, and are not very big. They look like something out of Snow white and the seven dwarfs. We had a great time taking pictures, looking like giants in front of the trulli's. As is expected we had a good time shopping. Daniel didn't stand a chance with his wallet and 3 women :) Johanna and Sarah bought some bracelets from a leather smith shop. I bought a table runner(the only thing I could afford)from a craftsman who weaves his own linens. It is too good to be used on our regular table, so I will save it for when we get back home.Well the adventure ended up as most do, us getting lost on the way home lol. But in our wrong turns and back roads all in the rain, we witnessed for the second time in our lives, a double rainbow. We drove closer and closer and then finally close enough for me to get out in the rain and take some pictures. You would have thought that we found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow by how excited we were :) One of the pictures will be blown up and hung next to the other double rainbow shot that we took from our Turnbull Canyon home. The 26th was my birthday so time to celebrate!!!!! Started off with Jaime treating me to a cappuccino and pastry at the cafe. Then there were the usual stops: bakery,butcher,deli,and vegetable stand.Walked back home and pretty much relaxed till dinner time. From dinner we went to a local restaurant the Braseria Escosazio that was recommended in one of our guide books. You pick out your meat from the counter display and then they supposedly bbq it for you, but it was more like it was grilled for you. The meat was ok, but I longed for an Outback steakhouse experience. Oh well, the company was great and we ended the night with gelato. Sarah hand embroidered on a kitchen towel"home is wherever you are" and gave it as a gift to me :). Daniel,Joshua, and Samuel gave me a Swarovski necklace with a large butterfly charm. Johanna is waiting till we go shopping to have me pick out something that I want. I will never forget my first Italian birthday :)