South Italy at Last
We made excellent time last night but as
usual the last bit was a bit mad coming off the highway. We had
cleared the higher inland mountains and looked for a small village to pull into for the night. We feel most secure in
these as nothing much is happening and everybody looks at you as if they
check
everything out. The people we asked about a place to park were really
friendly and welcoming as we had been told the southern Italians would
be. The local resturant owner pointed towards the back of a building to
pull in.
In the morning we were beside some building works so had to move a bit, but
were the focus of much bemused attention. We decided to make a move as
soon as possible to somewhere with shops. Mike packed up and while I
took the kids for another walk I noticed a huddle around a little white
van. On a hunch I investigated
and found it was a bread van. We had breakfast and then I noticed a
little shop opening so was able to get hotdogs should we need lunch
before the next town
stop.
We found the landscape that greeted us very different from Tuscany and
also not what we had been expecting. It was a bit like what I believe Haute Provence looked
like in a movie called Mannon de Source, but was a sort of mixture:
rocky Israeli colours, with bog, and rolling hills, Olive groves, scattered scrub
trees, and stone
huts bigger than Irish beehive ones. The stones are really striking in both colour, light pinky creams and some volcanic, we think (at least holes
like a swiss
cheese). There are lots of them too. The fields look like someone is
growing them like spuds and there are dry stone walls everywhere. These
are square compared West of Ireland versions.
Detour
We rang our woof host and arranged a 4pm meet in Matera. We thought
we'd get there early and look around, but found the isolated mountain roads hard to
navigate, so got lost. We headed into a nearby town and seemed to
approach it from a back road. There were some crumbling walls, rusting
iron bits, apartment blocks and lots of stray dogs. I asked Mike if it
felt like Italy and he replied no more like the west bank. I had been
thinking something similar. When we entered the town,
we realized it was market day and traffic was diverted. None of the
places we wanted to go were on the signs. We sat perplexed looking at the
map when a
friendly Italian with no English stopped to help. There followed a very
bemusing ten minutes where he decided to turn about and drive us round
the market to
the road to wards Matera. However, when he stopped to chat before seeing
us on, he discovered that we were not meeting anyone until much later
and insisted
we go visit Castle de Monte, a world heritage site. There was no arguing
with him and we had to follow him to a different road. We left him,
smiling at the
eccentricity.
Castle de Monte
The castle was well worth it, build by Frederic in the 1200's, it is
referred to as a magic castle because it was built as an octagon with
particular
mathematical ratios and equations. Apparently Fred was into ancient
maths from the Islamic world. Unlike other castles he build for hunting
and defense this
one had no obvious function and was without servants quarters and
according to some, loos. Its true function remains a mystery. We all enjoyed exploring it upstairs and downs
in the Octagonal
courtyard as well as the displays inside the encircling rooms. As we
walked back to the car park some old men told me to mind the children as
they came down
a slope. One spoke some English which he had learned in Brooklyn, and Mike whispered that he sounded just
like the Godfather. I continued taking with them. They showed me a funny
little
fruit we could eat on a bush and quizzed me on our plans, origins, and
religion. We decided to picnic on the hotdogs in the car park and clean
ourselves and
the van up before meeting the family. I went back over to the old men to
see if they could help with directions they informed me they were not
locals but
Sicilians, I had to smother my giggles all the way back to Mike.
Meeting Domenico and family
We found Matera after a few more turnabouts and had an exciting time
negotiating some tiny roads we accidentally went down before parking. Mike got himself an Italian
sim for his phone, and in the back of the
shop the kids found two chiwawas which they have talked about since.
Sammy has them in his games and Eli wants one for his
birthday.
We got our co-ordinating phone call and headed for the Piazza principal.
We were delighted to finally be in a town where everything was open
again after the
afternoon break we'd been hitting consistently. As we entered the night
lite square we felt like we were in a movie once again with all the old
men in hats
and long coats ambling about as if posed carefully by the director as
extras.
We were easily identified by Dominico, Emilia and one of their
sons Giovanni.
They are very friendly and welcoming. We walked over to see the Sossi
which is lit up at night. Another world heritage site, we were not
expecting this
ancient view it is like looking out on Jerusalem apparently parts of it
pre-date Jericho, and Mel Gibson used it to film parts of "The Passion."
After a visit to a bakery we attempted to follow Dominico to another
town to collect their other son from his grandmother. The narrow streets
and random parking and driving made it hair-raising for me as I
struggled to go where they did. We collected PiereValdo and headed to the
farm. We had a quick look around. The building is wonderful but we were
tired and Giovanni wasn't feeling the best so we said our ciao ciaos and
headed for bed in real beds indoors.
16th November
The flat in Giavanezzo isn't ready for us due to plumbing problems
but should be soon. anyway we really needed a day of rest, which is exactly
what we did. We explored the house, and outside, just a little as it has
turned very nippy and Dominico tells us when he arrives with water that
it is the coldest Nov. for 30
years, but they were swimming in the sea just ten days ago. We look at
each other. Still the 400 hundred year old farm house is extraordinary.
The main
downstairs room is a sort of barrel vault with alcoves, old farm
tools, iron candle holders and skin rugs. It is used by Dominico as a
meeting place for
the society of philosophy he is involved in. We hang out upstairs mostly
with shuttered windows and a paraffin heater.
17th November
What a relief the good weather is back, and we are rested and some of
us showered, and the apartment will be ready tomorrow. We have a lovely
day walking
and exploring. The landscape here is less sparse there are many olive
and almond trees. (The almonds are already harvested and are lying in
the house
awaiting the de-shelling stage.) There are other woods too and we can
hear gunshots from hunters in them. There are more bits of the old farm
in ruins around
the place including a stone pigeon house as it was a postal center at
one time. There are also ancient oaks that have been studied by the Bari
university.
The highlight for the children comes when we discover that there are
lizards in the stone walls coming out to sun themselves. We have a great
time spying
them.
Arrival in Giovinazzo
We get up early to await Dominico who is coming to show us the way to
the apartment. We look for lizards when the van is packed and Eli
manages to catch
two. I put one in Cal's dish and everyone falls about laughing at me
because it runs up my arm and I scream very loudly. Mike thinks its
particularly funny.
Eli nearly gets another but it loses its tail which weirdly continues
wiggling for a while. We hurtle off to Giovinazzo and are amazed by the
warmth and then
blown away by the colour of the Adriatic. Dominico introduces us to
Francesca from downstairs as our Italian grandmother who will look after
us. Then we go
in. The apartment had all new pipes added and the workmen left it in an
awful state so we spend the rest of the day washing and rewashing to get
rid of all
the dust. Eventually it starts to look better. It consists of two large
rooms with tile floors and peeling walls, and a selection of
great paintings
and fairly decent furniture. The kitchen and bathrooms are both tiny but
adequate and we unload newbie and manage to fill the place. We head out
for a brief
look at the town and to get to a bank and get provisions from a small
supermarket. Nearby at the little harbour we find a little gelaterie or
ice cream shop with a lovely fella who tells us where to find things in
English and sells us the most delicious and huge ice-creams.
Later Dominico asks if Mike can go back to the farm because he is
expecting workers to arrive any day now to collect the almonds for
shelling. He says they will arrive at 6 a.m. if they show up and he
doesn't want to miss them as they will not show up again quickly if
missed. As its a new place the kids are not very happy letting Mike go.
We both want to help as we are really pleased with all Dominico and
Emilia are doing for us but I am a bit worried about Mike finding his
way back in the dark. This concern turns out to be warranted as he takes
ages to text me of his safe arrival and when he does he tells me he was
lost in identical olive groves like a maze for 40 minutes. I spend a
while getting to sleep as the piazza has become a football pitch and the
youngsters keep hitting cars and setting off alarms,
not to mention chatting and shouting, car horns peeping etc.