A few final photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157626827038230/
7:15pm: Resting for a bit after my last day in Italy. Can't believe it's gone by so fast. Don't want to go home.
Woke up around 8 and met Angelo at 9. Drove to Conversano where we met up with Annalisa (I hope I'm spelling that right), another guide based there to show me around for the day because Angelo is busy with a new wine business he is setting up. Walked around the old center of Conversano a bit and saw the part of the Castle that's open to the public. Interestingly enough, most of the castle is privately owned. People actually live in parts of the castle and there is a pizzeria! But part of it is open and has a little art exhibition and it's pretty neat.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Day 20 - 5/27/11: Castellana Grotte, Locorotondo, Ostuni, etc.
First, make sure you see the videos I added from yesterday's Patron Saint festivities - at the end of this set
Today's pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157626820352974/
10:15pm: woke up really early today for some reason but anyway, met Angelo at 9:30 and set off for Castellana Grotte, a famous set of 90 million year old (!!!) underground caves and caverns with lots of rock and water formations. We got my ticket then went over to nearby Putignano, which is famous for the taralli crackers. Went back to the Caves for the tour and it is pretty mindblowing. The long tour is almost 2 hours long and you walk deep into these caves with room and corridor after room and corridor filled with stalagmites, stalactites, and other formations of various colors. It's so humid and wet down there that the floor and railings are wet. The culmination of about 1.5km in is the white grotto which is just full of white formations (see this link - not mine - no photos were allowed today past the first room). On the way out, the light was coming in the hole at the top of the first room (this was originally the only way in) and I snapped an amazing photo!
The tour was English and German at the same time and it could have gone much faster if repeating wasn't necessary. also she had these silly little jokes about Italian culture and the rock sculptures (for example saying one that kind of looked like rabbit ears was the playboy bunny?). But regardless, it was really cool.
Today's pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157626820352974/
10:15pm: woke up really early today for some reason but anyway, met Angelo at 9:30 and set off for Castellana Grotte, a famous set of 90 million year old (!!!) underground caves and caverns with lots of rock and water formations. We got my ticket then went over to nearby Putignano, which is famous for the taralli crackers. Went back to the Caves for the tour and it is pretty mindblowing. The long tour is almost 2 hours long and you walk deep into these caves with room and corridor after room and corridor filled with stalagmites, stalactites, and other formations of various colors. It's so humid and wet down there that the floor and railings are wet. The culmination of about 1.5km in is the white grotto which is just full of white formations (see this link - not mine - no photos were allowed today past the first room). On the way out, the light was coming in the hole at the top of the first room (this was originally the only way in) and I snapped an amazing photo!
The tour was English and German at the same time and it could have gone much faster if repeating wasn't necessary. also she had these silly little jokes about Italian culture and the rock sculptures (for example saying one that kind of looked like rabbit ears was the playboy bunny?). But regardless, it was really cool.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Day 19 - 5/26/11: Trani, Castel del monte, Gioia del Colle
Pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157626812953348/ - videos will be coming
11:50pm: Woke up just before 8, right after which some fireworks went off. Had a smaller breakfast and met Angelo at 9:30. Set off for Trani a more working-class seaside fishing town with a very important historical significance. The immense cathedral sits right on the water, as does the town's castle. Wandered the historical center a bit, including the gorgeous public park, and the neat bay of a port mostly used for fishing boats. Some of the fisherman were selling their catches right on the waterfront. Angelo showed me a beautiful little ceramic shop where the woman makes everything right there. Trani still has a little Jewish community and many of her ceramics are Jewish themed. I bought a gorgeous mezuzah and a little dish that you grate garlic on. I love buying things in little shops like that where the person who is there is the owner and the person who makess everything.
11:50pm: Woke up just before 8, right after which some fireworks went off. Had a smaller breakfast and met Angelo at 9:30. Set off for Trani a more working-class seaside fishing town with a very important historical significance. The immense cathedral sits right on the water, as does the town's castle. Wandered the historical center a bit, including the gorgeous public park, and the neat bay of a port mostly used for fishing boats. Some of the fisherman were selling their catches right on the waterfront. Angelo showed me a beautiful little ceramic shop where the woman makes everything right there. Trani still has a little Jewish community and many of her ceramics are Jewish themed. I bought a gorgeous mezuzah and a little dish that you grate garlic on. I love buying things in little shops like that where the person who is there is the owner and the person who makess everything.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Day 18 - 5/25/11: Altamura, Polignano, Alberobello
7:20pm: relaxing in the room for a while because later I will go out and see the town's patron saint celebration. I'm excited!
Woke up around 8, had breakfast, and met Angelo at 9:30. First we went to Altamura, where they are famous for their bread that stays fresh 10 days and is the only baked product of italy's protected food products. This bakery was the oldest of the many in town, around since the 1400s. It's a huge wood oven that fits tons of breads of various sizes, focaccia, etc. Tasted some tomato focaccia that wasn't quite as good as the one in Bari, but still pretty freaking amazing. The town itself is also very quaint with a really nice historical center.
Woke up around 8, had breakfast, and met Angelo at 9:30. First we went to Altamura, where they are famous for their bread that stays fresh 10 days and is the only baked product of italy's protected food products. This bakery was the oldest of the many in town, around since the 1400s. It's a huge wood oven that fits tons of breads of various sizes, focaccia, etc. Tasted some tomato focaccia that wasn't quite as good as the one in Bari, but still pretty freaking amazing. The town itself is also very quaint with a really nice historical center.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Day 17 - 5/24/11: Gioia del Colle, Matera, etc.
Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157626673046975/
10:15pm: Another long day! Woke up around 8, took a nice long bath, had a breakfast of cappuccino, cake, croissant, and cantaloupe. Met Angelo at 9:30 and walked around town a bit. Toured the castle from the 11th century that was used by Frederick II and is now home to a small Archaeological museum with a few artifacts found in tombs about 5km away. Unfortunately it didn't become a preserved national site until the early 1900s, so thieves took a lot of the best artifacts. Also wandered through the historical center and in the lovely duomo.
10:15pm: Another long day! Woke up around 8, took a nice long bath, had a breakfast of cappuccino, cake, croissant, and cantaloupe. Met Angelo at 9:30 and walked around town a bit. Toured the castle from the 11th century that was used by Frederick II and is now home to a small Archaeological museum with a few artifacts found in tombs about 5km away. Unfortunately it didn't become a preserved national site until the early 1900s, so thieves took a lot of the best artifacts. Also wandered through the historical center and in the lovely duomo.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Day 16 - 5/23/11: Ah Puglia
Not too many pictures today (Bari is not that photogenic and most of Gravina was underground and in a museum), but they are here http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157626665140365/
10:15pm: Exhausted after another long day. Woke up around 7 and scarfed down a coffee and toast and made the short walk from the B&B in Lecce to the station in plenty of time for the 8am train to Bari. The train was packed and interestingly for a Monday morning tons of people had suitcases. Then more people kept getting on with each stop and it kept getting hotter. and the train kept getting delayed somehow, even though it left Lecce on time. A miserable 2 hours 10 minutes later I was in Bari 40 minutes late, where it wasn't even that warm, and could finally catch some fresh air.
10:15pm: Exhausted after another long day. Woke up around 7 and scarfed down a coffee and toast and made the short walk from the B&B in Lecce to the station in plenty of time for the 8am train to Bari. The train was packed and interestingly for a Monday morning tons of people had suitcases. Then more people kept getting on with each stop and it kept getting hotter. and the train kept getting delayed somehow, even though it left Lecce on time. A miserable 2 hours 10 minutes later I was in Bari 40 minutes late, where it wasn't even that warm, and could finally catch some fresh air.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Day 15 - 5/22/11: Lecce blog and pictures
pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/debstah1/sets/72157626656209443/
10:15: Pretty uneventful day. Woke up around 8, had breakfast delivered to the room consisting of coffee, toast, and 2 delicious croissants.Since there's not all that much to do in Lecce, I didn't rush out. Around 9:30 I went to the Provincial Museum and I was literally the only person there. They turned on the lights for me. The place is free entry and i believe it has hurt the museum. The collection is just endless cases of old stuff, not really labeled, no descriptions given, parts of it are closed and empty, and no one visits. Such a shame; it could be great.
Then I wandered up and found the big castle. That was also strangely empty. there were a few rooms exhibiting the local craft of cartapesa, which is making figurines (mostly religious) out of paper mache. It's amazing stuff and again almost no one there.
Right behind the castle is the town's park, called public gardens. Since it was sunday morning a lot of families were going to/from church so it was quite fun to park it on a bench and just people-watch. this is quite a little park with gardens, a bar/cafe, two different playgrounds for kids, and a big fountain that was empty.
Wandered back into the town center and just browsed until lunch time. I got a rustico from La Rusticana, a bustling place on the main drag between two main squares. A rustico is basically puff pastry filled with cheese and tomato. It's a Leccese specialty. 1.50 euros of deliciousness. Then I went over to Natale and got a gelato and sat in the main square Piazza Sant'Oronzo and just people watched for a while.
Then as mid-afternoon came, the siesta started, everything closed, and the streets completely emptied again. with literally nothing to do I came back to the B&B for a while, then left around 5, wandered around and came back around 6, and then set out for dinner around 7:30. On the main street all these little vendors selling handmade goods set up every day. Unlike the immigrants hawking illegal crap, these people have badges and seem to always be in the same place. I bought a nice little pair of pearl earrings for 7 euros from one of them and then went to Nonna Tetti for dinner. I had a local specialty called ciceri e tria, which is hard to explain. basically it's wide flat handmade pasta, most of which is boiled normally but some of which is deep fried (think chinese food takeout crispy noodles?), and mixed with chick peas. Google for a picture :)
Sufficiently stuffed I came back to the B&B and now I just have to pack up to move on already. Tomorrow I join a tour of the highlights of Puglia!
10:15: Pretty uneventful day. Woke up around 8, had breakfast delivered to the room consisting of coffee, toast, and 2 delicious croissants.Since there's not all that much to do in Lecce, I didn't rush out. Around 9:30 I went to the Provincial Museum and I was literally the only person there. They turned on the lights for me. The place is free entry and i believe it has hurt the museum. The collection is just endless cases of old stuff, not really labeled, no descriptions given, parts of it are closed and empty, and no one visits. Such a shame; it could be great.
Then I wandered up and found the big castle. That was also strangely empty. there were a few rooms exhibiting the local craft of cartapesa, which is making figurines (mostly religious) out of paper mache. It's amazing stuff and again almost no one there.
Right behind the castle is the town's park, called public gardens. Since it was sunday morning a lot of families were going to/from church so it was quite fun to park it on a bench and just people-watch. this is quite a little park with gardens, a bar/cafe, two different playgrounds for kids, and a big fountain that was empty.
Wandered back into the town center and just browsed until lunch time. I got a rustico from La Rusticana, a bustling place on the main drag between two main squares. A rustico is basically puff pastry filled with cheese and tomato. It's a Leccese specialty. 1.50 euros of deliciousness. Then I went over to Natale and got a gelato and sat in the main square Piazza Sant'Oronzo and just people watched for a while.
Then as mid-afternoon came, the siesta started, everything closed, and the streets completely emptied again. with literally nothing to do I came back to the B&B for a while, then left around 5, wandered around and came back around 6, and then set out for dinner around 7:30. On the main street all these little vendors selling handmade goods set up every day. Unlike the immigrants hawking illegal crap, these people have badges and seem to always be in the same place. I bought a nice little pair of pearl earrings for 7 euros from one of them and then went to Nonna Tetti for dinner. I had a local specialty called ciceri e tria, which is hard to explain. basically it's wide flat handmade pasta, most of which is boiled normally but some of which is deep fried (think chinese food takeout crispy noodles?), and mixed with chick peas. Google for a picture :)
Sufficiently stuffed I came back to the B&B and now I just have to pack up to move on already. Tomorrow I join a tour of the highlights of Puglia!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Day 14 - 5/21/11: Lovely Lecce
10:30am: sitting on the train to Lecce, buckling down for another 4 hours of beautiful scenery through vineyards, hills and mountains, occasional ruins and olive groves. I was concerned about getting from Naples to Caserta in enough time to catch this train, so I took an early 8:40am metro-train, getting there in plenty of time. So all my worrying was for naught.
There's a wireless connection called “Passenger” but I don't have a password :( This train originated in Rome and was way more full than I thought it might be. Because of the MINI fares, I paid only a little bit more for first class than a second class ticket would have been so I went for it. Honestly everyone who says there's not much difference is right. In fact there's even less room for luggage so I had to leave it on a rack; luckily I can still see it. There's no more legroom and all you seem to get is a welcome drink and snack. Wish I'd had internet in Naples so I could have downloaded all the shows I've missed this week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)