We are sitting there with more than 100 tulip bulbs on the lap at the Italian notary's office listening to the overheated neighbor, or actually looking open-mouthed, because we have no idea what this is about. The neighbor is a butcher in Ceglie Messapica. With his impressive build, he commands respect. He also likes hunting, there are plenty of patterns in the forest around the house as proof of this. This man would like to keep you as a friend. It is already the second time in a short while that we have arrived at the notary's office in Fasano. Let's start from the beginning.

Procrastination
We are in Puglia and are waiting for Pierdonato's redeeming phone call about the notarial settlement. It has been postponed for a few days because a number of documents were missing.

In the meantime, we fill our days with day trips. We admire the colorful frescoes by Francesco d'Arezzo in the church and monastery of Galatina just south of Lecce. Eat the pasta dish by the way: this oval cream-filled pastry comes from here. You will find this pastry at all bakeries around Lecce, but you have to be at Pasticceria Ascalone. We have lunch in Gallipoli. This historically important city is located on a small peninsula and is mainly focused on fishing. It has a Greek appearance. The white houses stand out beautifully against the blue sea.

Puttignano carnival
We also visit the carnival, after all, we are Misterree people and do like a party. The exuberant carnival procession of Putignano with masked and richly dressed men and women on colorful floats is unparalleled. We forget the notary problems for a day and immerse ourselves in this heritage festival. The Puttignano carnival has been around for almost 650 years.

There are developments
The hangover quickly disappeared when Pierdonato invites us to the office the next day. There are developments. It is Monday morning, we drive from masseria Genovese in Ceglie Messapica to Cisternino where the market is slowly being cleared. On our first visit we did not immediately notice how beautiful this place is with its characteristic butcher shops, which are also restaurants.

Seventh owner
At the office, the monkey finally comes up. When the notarial deed was drawn up, a seventh owner of our trullo and the surrounding land surfaced and he is not a member of the six-person family from northern Italy. This person is currently supposed to be over 100 years old and may have become co-owner because he worked on the estate for more than five years.

The cave
The cave attached to our Trullo house is the cadastral property of the neighbor behind, the butcher from Ceglie Messapica. Another point of attention, so to speak. We can just let the deed pass, Pierdonato says, but a paragraph will be added. After all, the house was sold to us including the cave. And so it happens: we are at the notary in the knowledge that we will be here again in a few weeks. The female notary reads the deed aloud. We listen and try to read. The Italian family is represented by two family members; the rest have given a proxy. Signatures are set after the entire deed has been read out again in English.

Six weeks later we are in Puglia again. With the thriving neighbor, who, as a favor to the previous owners, gives up the cave for free. His anger is focused on the valuation formally assigned to the cave. He does not want to pay taxes on something for which he never receives money.

The bag of tulip bulbs
The tulip bulbs provide the sunbeam that is needed in the notary's room. Nicole had handed him the bag of tulip bulbs, because she saw from his body language that he was not going to draw. With the bag of tulip bulbs in his hand, the rear neighbor decides to call his accountant. This guarantees him that the tax authorities will not claim any money he has never had. Then he tacks and tells us to go back into the notary's room. With a final curse before the pin comes down, the big butcher's hand is then shaken.

We will never forget his smile when he received the tulip bulbs. We have a sweet, happy neighbor with a blooming tulip field when we go to Puglia again in April. Ooh tulipani, grazie mille.