Fill My World Cup

How come the World Cup starts exactly today and you are not there? – Asked the Immigration Officer when I arrived in Italy.
- I am no good with the ball Sir. I rather have a room with a view of the Puglia’s stunning Ionian sea filling my own Cup with Italian wine. Arrivederci Grazie!
This is how the “Cup della Puglia" aka my world cup started. Don’t get me wrong, I know the World Cup in our own country is a once in a lifetime event, especially in Brazil. However, when you are not into the soccer world and find cheese and Italian wine for €5,00 you taste life dancing on your lips.
After answering the same question in five languages, I gave up telling about myself to others. Whilst everyone else was worried about the World Cup, in my mind there were wine, cheese, “Sagra” and people invoking the Tarantella’s spirits with their “watch out the spider” moves.
Summer sparkled in Italy and the yummiest parties had began. Sagras, everywhere. As I enjoy speaking to Italians, I easily found the directions that I needed. Not a good idea though if you aren’t keen on the local language, sometimes not even the Italians are keen on their own language. Look up on the Internet and you’re going to be amazed among the variety of Sagras with wine, cheese, nuts, pastas and more that Puglia has to offer throughout summertime.
To check-in to this flavoured celebration all I needed was to find the “Informazione” stand and for a few euros to buy a ticket that included: a map with all the tasting points located around the streets, a wine glass, a plate and fork or whatever you need to dig into your gastronomic treasures. Your ticket also includes a minimum of 6 wine tastes plus 2 meals. A miraculous deal or what?
The Orecchiette created by hands deepened in vivid tomato sauce, decorated with sprinkled Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Bruschettas on the side. It tastes as winning a 7x0 semifinal match against your country’s worst enemy team. And you better eat like a boss if you want to taste each Pugliese wine you come across, otherwise you might take off to another dimension. These Southern Italian people know how to do it and each sip is a shift in your senses.
Although people back in my country were devastated after losing their Cup, I shamelessly didn't care. I ate as if it was my last meal in this yummy world of mine. I danced and got drunk as a gesture of gratitude to those that dearly take care of the vineyards and I felt as a winner wandering with my wine Cup around Puglia.