Make New Friends

Day Eleven: Make New Friends. In Amazing Abruzzo , you can be from the seaside to the mountains in half hour. So, you can hike in the Appenine in the morning and swim in the Adriatic Sea in the afternoon. Or you can just make Sunday the day of rest that it was meant to be. Caesar has been following a British couple on Insta and FB who are doing a reconstruction on a property in Abruzzo (Brambletye) and he was adamant that we should meet them during this trip. Okay, Caesar, that’s not weird. Nonetheless, we traveled to Guardiagrele, which also happens to be the DeLuca hometown, to meet them for coffee in the morning. We didn’t get home until nearly 9PM. There was a marching band that didn’t march, church bells that never stopped, a MotoGuzzi rally that was attended by a Cardinal and a long afternoon of sharing stories, good food and wine with Lynn, Steve, Katja and Andrew and a sweet dog called Button.

The Tremiti Islands

Day Ten: Excursion to the Tremiti Islands.

We drove to the Molise region, about an hour away to Termoli where we traveled by ferry for an hour to Isole Tremiti. Wow! This archipelago of five islands has been inhabited since the Iron Age (4th century BC) and was through various periods of history used as a place of confinement. During the Fascist regime, homosexual men were rounded up and confined here. So, the beauty of the place is tempered by the loneliness and hardship endured by those who visited here in other circumstances. We rented a Zodiac boat and Caesar piloted us around all the islands, where we could see fish in the crystal clear water at a depth of dozens of feet. We had rough sea in a few places and it was as scary as it was beautiful. Enjoyed lunch on the island of San Nicola and a cool dip in the water afterward. That’s the story we’ll tell you in person. We ended the day at the dock in Termoli where we watched Italy lose in the Euro Cup. Think Eagles losing in the playoffs. Sad sight indeed. 

Beach Day in Abruzzo

Day Nine. Beach day in Francavilla. Night stroll through Pescara. The province of Pescara was carved out of Teramo and Chieti by the fascist regime in the early part of the 20th century. The town, specifically, the port and railroad, was heavily bombed during WWII so there are very few old buildings, most built after the war. Caesar’s parents were around 10-12 years old during this time and their farm was raided for food/wine by the Germans during their retreat from Allied forces. Around sunset, we drove into the hills around that area to watch the sunset over the Gran Sasso, part of the Appenine mountain range. We were also up there to get the best of the local dishes, arrosticini. It is so simple but so amazingly delicious. It is lamb, specifically mutton, on a stick and grilled and salted. This is not something I would expect to like and I was reluctant the first time I tried it. This is the simple food we miss so much at home.

Arrivederci Giovinazzo. Benvenuti Francavilla al Mare.

Day Eight: Travel to Abruzzo. Arrivederci Giovinazzo. Said good bye to this gem by having early morning coffee overlooking the sea as the locals set up their beach day on the rocks below. Headed to home for Caesar, a couple hour ride north along the sea. Bella Italia! First stop was a visit to his beautiful Aunt and and cousin (visiting from USA also) in Francavilla and then late night “cena”with Caesar’s amazing niece and her partner in the city of Ortona, an important defensive port for Allied supply route during WWII. The Air BB here is a newly restored apartment with a big terrazzo and lots of room. Feels good to spread out and extra nice to have a washing machine since we are pretty much out of clothes now. We have an extra bedroom and bath here too, so if you’re so inclined, come join us!

Bari, Puglia, Italy

Day Seven. Bari. The capital of the Puglia region. Between driving on Italian roads and visiting churches where I lit candles and listened to hymns and attended the wedding of a stranger, I prayed a lot today. An attractive port city on the southern Adriatic Coast with about 350,000 residents. We visited here to see the various architectural styles starting with Roman ruins, Medieval churches and amazing Baroque buildings . Modernity arrived in the early 20th century with Art Noveau and stark Fascist architecture. The streets of the old town are jammed with residents and tourists and in the doorways sit women making pasta, the local orecchiette, to sell to the passerbys. The newer Corso Cavour is full of beautiful upscale shops and restaurants. Basilica di San Nicola (Basilica of Saint Nicholas) is one of the most significant local landmarks. Dedicated to the patron saint of the city, it is an 11th-century Romanesque-style church where the remains of Saint Nicholas lie. I wore the wrong clothes today and the shirt I thought was cute in the morning felt thick as a sweatshirt in the beating sun. We had a long walk back to the car and I had a choice to make, buy a 35 euro lightweight top or get a cab back to the car. We chose the seven dollar taxi. Tonight we are packing to be ready in the morning for our next leg of the journey. Tomorrow we are going to “Italy” as Caesar keeps saying, returning to his hometown in Abruzzo about two hours north of here.

Day of Rest

Day Five. Our day of rest. Giovinazzo, Puglia.

Leisurely stroll around town, a couple hours in the sun. Dinner. Soccer game. Planning our next outing.

Market Day in Trani

Day Six. Market Day in Trani. Today we headed to the market in Trani where we found fresh fruit and a roasted chicken and then to the local paneficio where we bought the iconic Pugliese bread, Foccacia Barese and a small bit of pastry. The town was hyped for Euro Cup 2024. This overcast day was perfect for enjoying pranzo at home. Bread in Puglia is like no other and one of the things I think about when I’m long gone from this place. After we finally found a place to dispose of our trash (italy’s trash woes are impossible for me to understand) we spent the evening in Trani enjoying one another’s company.

Traveling to the Salento

Day Four: Travel Day.

Leaving Naples and headed to Puglia, specifically a small sea town called Giovinazzo. Itinerary is fluid here and the intention is to spend at least one day doing nothing. We are staying in an unusual place, the old Ducale Palazzo, that was built upon a Roman building. The apartment we are in was constructed during Roman times and rehabilitated to a wonderful modern space overlooking the sea. I wonder what weird dreams we will have here.

The Royal Palace of Caserta

Day Three. Visit to the Royal Palace of Caserta.

I’ll leave a link at the bottom for history buffs but the basics are that it is larger than Versailles and was home to Maria Carolina, the sister of Marie Antoinette. Ground was broken in mid 1700s but it was not complete until nearly a hundred years later, the original king, long gone and Italy about ready to give up the king altogether.

Anyway, I came away with two thoughts especially after the Naples visit yesterday. The church and the kingdom siphoned a lot of resources while the people did without and this excess allowed for the growth of an artisan community that eventually benefited Americans when people with these skills immigrated to the US and constructed the buildings and bridges of modern America. Anyway, that was a big thought for a person who walked 30,000 steps in a heatwave.

Royal Palace History

Naples & Caserta Vecchio

Day One. Arrival into Naples.

Evening walk through Caserta Vecchia. Keeping ourselves awake until midnight to get acclimated to the time change.

Day Two: Naples

Walked 25,000 steps in 93 degree weather. Hold none of these comments against me.

First day waking up in Italia. Forgot how hard it is to move fast around here and started the day with a fall in the bathroom as a result of my speed. Reminder to slow down. I did. Naples Day. If you’re Italian, one of your first memories might be someone in the family telling someone else to “va fa Napoli” which literally means, “go to Naples” but is idiomatic for “go to hell”. Naples is not hell but it’s not heaven either, and this was intricately explained to me at a park that overlooked the Bay of Naples in half Italian and half English by a man who could have been Jesus Christ but probably just needed a behavioral health referral. So, a lot happened, including Caesar rescuing me from some truffatore (grifters) outside the train station, avoiding, according to him, a lifetime of slavery. He was very disappointed that my Darby girl senses were compromised. Did I mention that I cracked my head on the marble wall during my bathroom fall? Enjoy the photos. Don’t ask us about pizza in Naples.