🇮🇹 Rich arranged a private e-bike tour in the Puglia region of Southern Italy with Andrea of PugliaOnBike, and it was an awesome experience. Andrea's uncle and business owner, Luca, met us and shipmate friends Bob and Steve K at the port and drove the 40 minutes to their shop in Locorotondo, stopping to show us around the beautiful old towns of Martina Franca before and Locorotondo after the ride. It was cold and windy today, so Steve who was getting over a bronchial bug opted out of the bike ride. Luca generously offered to tour “Stefano” around in his van and meet up with us at our Alberobello destination. We were prepared for the chilly ride with layers and gloves, and there was no rain, so three of us took off with Andrea on his top notch e-bikes. We rode on sparsely trafficked back roads lined with ancient stone walls past vineyards, olive groves, cherry trees and the regional architectural 18th century Trulli huts. It was a superb ride, and we reached the UNESCO village of Alberobello whose center consists of blocks of continuous Trulli huts, now containing vacation rentals, shops and restaurants, typically overrun by tourists in the peak season. We walked around the town with Steve, then biked back to their shop. After the 27 km ride our hosts laid out an elaborate fresh Italian picnic of delicious meats, cheeses, focaccia and local wine. On warmer days we would have had the picnic along the route. They then drove us back to the port in time for the early 3:30 on-board time. Meanwhile, Luca had spoiled Stefano, treating him to cappuccino and pastries, showing him a unique "masserie" food store in a private home, some Locorotondo strolling in the amazing old town, and to his own property and vineyard where he showed him around and gave him a bottle of the estate wine that we later shared with our friends. An unforgettable action packed Puglian day with two wonderful locals, at a cost of about €140 each.