Palazzo Tour

July 18, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / 3 Comments

There’s something lovely about breakfast on a terrace with a beautiful view. Do you agree?

Today we sat on the terrace and had coffee and planned our day.

We planned a trip to the beach but before we left we spoke to Sonia our host at the Palazzo. I asked could we have a tour of the house as our Swiss friends had yesterday and told us the owners were happy to show guests their house.

She was lovely and organised her father to take us.

We had to walk out our door No 27 and along to No 39 -they own it all. We re entered and Luigi Senape was there to greet us. He guided us through their private Palazzo. Too many rooms to count. All very luxurious. He explained the family history – all in Italian and we understood almost all.

Luigi Senape in one of the tooms of the Palazzo

The Palazzo has been in the family for 300 years. Luigi grew up in this place and like his father was an advocat – a lawyer.

There are many old valuable items in the house including 3 pianos, one a grand which Luigi plays.

He was so charming and at the end told us he was 88.

In the library Steve saw a Dan Brown book he had just finished. He pointed it out and said (in his best Italian) that he had just read it.

Later in the afternoon, after our trip down the coast I saw his daughter and she asked if my husband was Dan Brown!

Lost in translation!

So after the Grand Tour we left for the rest of our day…….

A drive down the coast road to the tip of Italy. A little seaside place called Santa Maria da Leuca.

To get there we drove past : hundreds if not thousands of Italian beach lovers with their umbrellas, plastic deck chairs, buckets, spades, blow up play things. And all the women wear bikinis. Young, old, thin and not so thin. I’m definitely overdressed.

It’s a colourful scene and proves its not just Australians who love the beach!

We stopped for coffee at a little beach side cafe. All blue and white tables and a smiley, friendly nonna served us – but it was very windy so we didn’t swim.

We passed trattorias, osterias, cafes, apertivi bars, camping grounds, holiday homes with shutters down against the heat or …..perhaps they were empty?

We arrived at SS d Leuca in time for a lovely swim and picked a place for lunch right on the beach. The place in the photo above the blue umbrellas.

Once again simple delicious food

We watched the swimmers and soaked up the atmosphere.

Naturally we finished with a gelato – just a small one! As we walked also the promenade.

We arrived back at Gallipoli and our Palazzo Senape and decided to take another swim. This time at the beach at the end of our street.

I love the blue mats running down the sand so when you get out you don’t have to get sandy! This beach unlike many of the rocky beaches has coarse sand.

We’re back at the Palazzo writing and preparing for dinner at Bastion a lovely looking restaurant recommended by our hosts.

More later!

Otranto

July 18, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / 2 Comments

Yesterday we drove across the tip of Italy. The heel.

I had agonised on which seaside town to stay in and opted for Gallipoli over Otranto.

Gallipoli sits on a little island so is surrounded by water. Little bays for swimming, small boat harbours. It sounded more laid back than Otranto. So I found our Palazzo and sealed the deal.

Then Simona, our guide in Lecce said although they were both lovely she likes Otranto ‘A little more sophisticated ‘she said knowingly. Oh dear I thought had I made the wrong decision.

So yesterday we spent in Otranto. It’s different. It had a wide blue bay for swimming and a little boat harbour on the side. It’s old town is charming. But it’s very touristy. Very crowded.

We did enjoy the beautiful mosaics in the Cathedral. Magnificent.

The castle perched squarely on the edge of the harbour has been restored and is used for exhibitions. We saw a wonderful photographic exhibition by Steve McCurry. He takes great photos of people in remote areas. So beautiful photos of people living in India, Cambodia, Pakistan , Africa. Such faces.
We had lunch and a small opera and continued walking along the sea front. It has more clothes shops and restaurants than Gallipoli but not the secret charm.

So as we drove back to Gallipoli I was happy with our decision.

Sunsets over the water are always breathtaking and we loved the one on show tonight. Almost the same colour as my Aperol Spritz!

Another lovely dinner at Tre Sorelle and a limoncello on the terrace of our Palazzo chatting and sharing stories with some Swizz travellers.

Oh I forgot to mention I still love vespers!

And so to bed. The room has a wonderful ceiling!

An Italian Opera

July 17, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / 4 Comments

No we didn’t get to an Opera last night. We went out for dinner in a local osteria. It’s almost the same.

We joined the local passeggiata at apertivo time and enjoyed the atmosphere of Gallipoli. The village seemed quiet, but after siesta the whole town woke up and got onto the Main Street which of course is for pedestrians only.

We saw couples walking arm in arm. Babies sitting alert in their strollers learning about being Italian. Children scampering around and swinging on the chain fence surrounding the church. People sipping Aperol, Campari and wine red or white. And nibbling on olives.

We saw a young, just married couple walking through the town accepting all the well wishes from the locals. The husband, a policeman, was resplendent in his uniform with several friends looking equally wonderful.

Then we found a little restaurant that looked good. It had a crowd – which at 8.30 is amazing in Italy. And they weren’t tourists. So I went in and asked for a table to be told no. I decided to book (in my very best Italian) for the next night and used the name Francesca. Then the owner, who looked a little like an actor from a TV series, came over and said they would bring the table in from outside for us. Much scrambling around and …….. we were seated.

We had a wonderful meal. Probably the best (except of course the special one from the Grotto on day 1). We shared fritters of seafood so crisp and light they were delicious, along with grilled vegetables. Then Steve had sea beam baked in the oven topped with crisp mashed potato. I had fresh tuna with rocket and tomatoes and cheese. Yum!

No room for dessert or even gelato tonight. Though we did enjoy the limoncello offered with the bill. And then went out and bought a bottle for the room. Another addiction from my trips to Italy. Somehow it always tastes better here?

We were in a prime position to observe our fellow diners. There was the young couple obviously in love but also very hungry. The birthday table for a young woman’s celebration. And the table of fakes. I called them that because there was a lot of Botox going around. And fake boobs. Oh boy.

They went to leave and stood at the pay table where the own Mr TV series sat like mission control and I’m sure he strung out the farewell so he could have a good look.

So our night out was both delicious and entertaining. What more could we ask for?

Our little courtyard outside our room.

Gallipoli. No not we’re not in Turkey. We’re in Southern Italy!!!

July 17, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / 1 Comment

Antonio came to wish us goodbye. Really it was to make sure we hadn’t wreaked havoc on his place and to retrieve the keys.

So we decided to head south. Gallipoli is only about 45 mins from Lecce but we decided to visit a few places on the way. So we headed south to a rather uninspiring place called Maglie. We wanted coffee so headed onto Scarrano and drove into a piazza filled with activity. There were cranes and men all working to take down amazing lights. Like Christmas but even more! It was to celebrate a Saint – St Dominica. I love these Italians and their zest for a festiva.

We headed for the coast and found a lovely spot – Porto Tricase , where a swim could have been great but the weather had turned windy. So we went further south to Novaglie. A little port with lots of rocks and people sitting all over them. We decided to have lunch then take the 2 hr boat trip for 15 euro to several of the natural grottos in the area. Fortunately the weather improved.

We boarded at 2 pm with 2 Italians in their 30’s and 9 Polish people. Three couples and 3 children. It turned out well. They were all lovely people. I understood most of what the boat captain was saying. He had no English and the Polish had no Italian, so Luna, the 30 something Italian girl did most of the translation.

We motored down the beautiful coast line and saw various grottos with descriptive names. We got to one where we were told it was very dangerous but we could swim through a blow hole to an inside pool. It was all in the timing. Well off we went and naturally I got the timing wrong and bumped my head as I dived under to go through the arch. Fortunately no blood! I got out ok though so all is good.

Then another grotto to enter. You had to swim then climb rocks over a hill to a fresh water lake. It was also described as dangerous. So sensibly Steve and I decided rock climbing dressed only in a costume was not for us. We swam in the outer grotto instead.

Back to shore and emails exchanged with our new friends and off we drove to Gallipoli.

Gallipoli is named Gall meaning point and Poli meaning city – and is a fishing village with the old town over a bridge to a small island.

We found our B&B – Palazzo Senape Pace just as a big windy storm broke. That certainly cooled things down.

Our room is on the roof of the Palazzo and I think the Grandad of the family-run business checked us in. It has lovely seating areas out side the three rooms on this level. It’s charming and the room itself really old world comfort. I love it!

We prepared for dinner. It was dinner with theatre as well. Not really theatre, just Italians being entertaining. A whole separate blog post!

View from our terrace.

Me enjoying the terrace.

The entrance to our Palazzo

Lecce you are Lovely

July 15, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / 7 Comments

Today is Friday and we are feeling sad about the terrible tragedy in Nice. Travel is wonderful but these days there is an element of danger. But we won’t let it stop us.

So today we met our guide for the day. Lovely Simona. I found her website and booked a three hour tour. It’s great going with a local and as it turned out she lives around the corner from our apartment.

We set off and she began to tell us about life in Lecce both now and in the past. She is a born and bred local, though her partner Tim, she described as more English than the Queen !

We walked and she pointed out the features on the buildings. This was a wealthy area in days gone by due to production of wine, olives and tobacco. There are a number of large Palazzo, now either privately owned or broken into apartments. In this way it’s like the very lovely areas of Rome.

We looked at the markings above the doors, the churches, Cathedral and Basillica. They all have a story.

The really interesting thing about Lecce is the use of Cartapesta or paper mâché as as an art form. Used to make statues, it is particular to this area. It’s used in Venice for making masks but here it’s in the churches. You can hardly tell the difference between the statues made from Paper mâché , wood and stone. Such craftsmen.

We visited one shop in a quiet area behind the Cathedral and had a nice talk with the owner. A lovely lady named Stefania. Ginetta – you and Em would love this work. Her more modern work is also amazing. She had made a bustier you would love and a dress. And a mermaid!

We looked at the altars of different style – Baroque and Renaissance.

Baroque

Renaissance

Such beauty in one place.

We had to stop for a refreshment. A coffee over ice with a dash of almond milk to make it sweet. Delicious. It’s called ‘Cafe in Ghiaccio con latte Di Mandorle’.

More walking and talking and noticing things we would otherwise have missed – including the drain cover marked with the city symbol of the she-wolf and the oak tree; and the fascist symbol from the 1930’s.

Significant symbols everywhere.

We retreated to our apartment for a piccolo siesta and to catch up with the Tour de France

Then it was time for our passeggiata. We walked, we shopped, we had a glass of wine and we watched others doing the same.

Dinner was at Osteria 203 recommended by Simona. It was a beautiful meal with a gorgeous bottle of local red. To make it more special we watched a parade go past our restaurant. It was to take St Carmine back to her church. Accompanied by a band. Steve thought the band almost unique – not because of the typical Italian playing con gusto and slightly off key – but of the 40 or so members, no three of them were in step even with each other!

After dinner walked some more and visited another lovely shrine – the most popular Gelateria named Natale. What a place.

Buona notte my friends

Please leave a comment about something you love when you travel

Road trip back to Puglia

July 15, 2016July 15, 2016 / brisbanefrannie / 4 Comments

The big swim is over so it’s back in the car to cross back to Puglia.

The drive along the coast was lovely. The water is such a beautiful blue.

So Thursday is an observation day.

How Italians drive is one observation I could go on about for ever: but just a few ……

They love speed…… It’s nothing to do 120 in an 80 zone

They overtake whenever they want. Don’t worry about lines crossed, safety, another car coming in opposite direction. They just assume they can poke back into the line of traffic and everyone will be happy.

They always drive with one arm dangling out of the window. Perhaps they don’t like air con as the window is open for the dangle.

The roads here are lined with oleander bushes. Pink and white and they look beautiful.

To finish our drive to Lecce we saw the funniest thing. We’re driving along doing about 100 and a car whooped by doing at least 130, and as it passed us we both gasped and laughed. It was a hearse, and the back door had opened up so you could see the coffin inside. It was a very nice brown teak and we thought it would come flying out at any moment.

About 500 metres down the road the driver must have realised and pulled over. Two mins later the same car went past at 140 this time the back lift up door was closed. May they RIP!

This is not a 2 lane road. It is someone overtaking with a truck coming towards him!
We arrived in Lecce around 3.30 and I had messaged Antonio. Yes another Antonio. This one is the landlord of our air BnB. It’s great. Typical Italian apartment. A little door on to our Vico (small street) with a sitting room, larger bedroom kitchen and bathroom. In quiet, but in the old city, with real neighbours around us.

It will be perfect. We had a siesta for a short while but I gave up and went out walking by myself to get a feel for the city as siesta was finishing and all the local businesses were opening.

It’s a lovely Baroque town sometimes known as the ‘Rome of the South’ or ‘Florence of the Baroque’. But it dates back to old Roman times and has a theatre and amphitheatre – but the period which led to town’s current fame was the 17th century. A period of prosperity led to grand developments and the wholesale construction of palaces and churches. These buildings adapted the fashionable Baroque style to the soft local stone, with decorations and cherubs extravagantly covering facades and doorways. This local style is known as barocco Leccese (‘Lecce Baroque’). And it’s beautiful.

We walked our own style of Passeggiata, had an Appertivo and went to a local restaurant for some home cooking.

We didn’t expect horse to be on the menu but it was, and we managed to avoid it. I had vegetables with grilled chicken and Steve had baked pasta then sausages local style.

Naturally we finished with a gelato and limoncello.

Top Swimming with the Italians

July 13, 2016July 13, 2016 / brisbanefrannie / 5 Comments

Swimming has brought us many friends and now we can add two more.

Carlo Francolini and Guiseipp Montesanti. They turned out to be great guys. Friendly, funny and just the right pace of swimming. Guiseipp was a little faster than Steve – and 15 years younger! Carlo was slower. So they swam together and bonded as you do when you are sharing a goal.

The Captain ran the show in his budgie smugglers, thongs and deep tan. He was assisted by two young lifeguards in a small boat like a rubber duck. There was the Doctor and the paramedic who arrived by ambulance and boarded the boat looking very professional. Well the Paramedic did, the doctor had cut off jeans and a striped shirt. He was lovely.

Lovely Italian Doctor.

We were a little concerned by all these people. Was it going to be that hard? And then the Coast Guard boat turned up to accompany us all the way!

They got underway around 9! A little later than expected due to two large ships passing through the Strait. They then set a cracking pace and didn’t stop till they reached the other side spot on hour later. Great 3.6km swim and very fast.

A quick break for drinks and a hug and then they set out to cross back. This time the wind and currents made the going tougher and the Captain altered the course. He didn’t really tell them they weren’t aiming for the red tower and they zig zagged a little; but with the change in arrival place I jumped in with just over 1/2 km to go and swam with Carlo – who had a troublesome shoulder. Guiseipp and Steve hit out and finished the total 7.5km in 2 hrs 38 minutes. Strong currents on the way back!

A great effort by all.

Carlo and Steve showing off their swim wear. Carlo has Espana and Steve Australian. Guiseipp takes on the scrum!
A lovely lunch followed – as you do after a big swim. And new friends made.

Now on the ferry heading back to mainland Italy to spend the night a a lovely beachside place called Scilla.

A little R&R for Steve and a few drinks later.

I asked the Doctor to take some photo of us when i jumped into swim and this is what he took!

On the Road

July 12, 2016 / brisbanefrannie / 5 Comments

Today was a travel day.

Thank goodness not by train. There was a terrible train crash in Puglia – but we were driving to Sicily.

Tomorrow is the big day. Steve is swimming from Torre Faro at the tip of Sicily to Calabria. And back.

When we arrived in Sicily we booked into our hotel , which claims it’s a modern resort but is more like a step back in time to Fawlty Towers. Then we checked out where the swim would start and went to meet the boat captain.

He is an Italian – a real Sicilian named Giovanni. He was a very good swimmer and held the record for the fastest swim to Calabria for about 30 years! He’s weathered and smiley and doesn’t speak English!

Carlo the rugby tragic, Giovanni the boat captain, Steve and Guiseippe

We also met the two Italian men swimming along with Steve. Carlo is in his 40’s and sports mad. He’s a Rugby tragic and only stopped when broke a bone ( through the skin) in his hip playing 7’s ! He now swims. The other guy is also a big ex rugby player who lives to swim. Both are lovely.

Carlo speaks English but Guiseippe doesn’t. So my Italian is getting a workout.

We met at Giovanni’s home and his sweet wife made us an almond flavoured drink. We had the briefing for tomorrow. He feels they will swim fast. There are winds and currents to think about, also the shark that was seen today ( but we’re not thinking about that – much!) Ge said it would be perfect.

We then piled into a small car and went to a local cafe ( Giovanni wanted to treat the swimmers) for a Granita – that lovely icy drink to wish them all good luck. No beer or champagne for them yet.

Then off to the point of Sicily to check it out and have a small swim. It was gorgeous in. Clear, blue and perfect temperature. Well it was for us. But Carlo and particularly Giuseippe found it cold and will probably wear a wet suit! What? Wimps comes to mind!

Although speaking to Guiseippe – he also swam from Spain to Morocco in 2014 and they had the get him out about 1 km from the end as there was a big shark! They moved him along the coast checked the water and he got back in and finished the swim. So perhaps only a wimp when it comes to water temperature!

We then returned to our ‘resort’ for probably the worst meal of the holiday. Poor Steve he wanted something delicious and carb loading. But it was very average.

So to bed with dreams of another successful crossing.

I’ll let you know how it goes but fingers xxxxxx

The Sassi of Matera

July 11, 2016July 12, 2016 / brisbanefrannie / 2 Comments

Most Australians don’ t put Matera, in the little known Province of Basilicata, on their list of places to visit in Italy.

Now I’m wondering why not?

It’s an amazing place. Built into the caves of the hill, the houses are centuries old. Matera consists of 2 Sassi. Sassi Caveoso and Sassi Barisano. Picture a butterfly: it’s body is the ridge where the now new town is built and the wings either side are the two Sassi. The caves are stacked so the path you walk down is actually the roof of the cave below.
We are staying in Sassi Caveoso in a B&B in an old cave. It’s a wonderful experience.

When we arrived yesterday and looked down from the ridge I wondered at my stupidity at booking something that looked inaccessible by car. But it turned out you can drive down a narrow winding street drop of the bags then drive up park and walk in. Steve managed it all very well!

Looking back across to our cave B&B. its the one above the lone white umbrella on the piazza

But it’s worth it. Tizianna our host at the B&B only speaks Italian so I have had to use my Italian to speak to her. She’s charming and even understood my request for gluten free.

Our bedroom has a terrace and we look at the Sassi across from us. Last night we had dinner at Francesca’s just near the B&B. It was very good. I had a gluten free pasta with canelli beans, mussels in a pesto sauce. Delicious.

Then as we were preparing for bed there was an almighty BOOM across the valley. The most colourful fireworks started and went on for ages. We sat on the terrace and enjoyed the front row seat. I asked Tizianna what it was all about and she said it was the festival of the local Saint – a festival that lasts two weeks and last night was the conclusion.

This morning we had breakfast on the terrace before heading off to meet Antonio on the ridge looking down over the Sassi. He was a lovely young man. So good looking it was distracting!

Lovely Antonio our guide

We joined a family group from Ireland and they were perfect to have on the walking tour with us. Antonio led us all around the Sassi telling us stories about how the caves were used in the past and how they are used now. He pointed out they have just transformed over 3,000 years as the uses changed. They have always been occupied.

Then in the 1950’s the Government removed the occupants and bought all the cave houses. The living conditions were so bad that was the only way forward. Now the city has developed a tourism industry that comes from the uniqueness of these strange houses. So people are leasing the houses back – for almost nothing , then the new occupants renovate them and start businesses. Like the one we are in – Le Corte dei Pastori.
He told us Matera is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and has been chosen as one of two cities in the world to be listed in 2019 as a cultural centre so they will be expecting many more tourists to come. So if you are planning to come make sure it’s before the large group tour companies put it on their list.

We walked with Antonio for 3 hours in and out of cave houses, churches and lookouts and ignored the heat bearing down on us. It was so interesting and Antonio was very knowledgable. And did I mention good looking?

There were 156 churches in this city. Big ones and little ones in caves

We finished at 1pm and made our way to a cafe with beer. Steve is in training to swim the straits of Messina on Wednesday.

The segways here are shaped like a Vespa at the front. All different colours.

So this afternoon we are having a siesta. Such a great idea.

Has anyone been to Matera? Let me know what you think about the place.

A day to explore

July 11, 2016January 2, 2017 / brisbanefrannie / Leave a comment

We left Alberobella this morning after witnessing the fun run and visited a few nearby villages.

Runners making it in the heat.

A little boy stretches with his dad after the run.

I’m pleased we booked to stay there. Alberobella is a very interesting village but keep in mind that it is touristy. Arrive late in the afternoon when most the visitors are leaving.

We then stopped in Locorotonda which is another very nice village.

When visiting a church we happened upon a Christening. A little girl named Georgia. She was very good but after awhile got grizzly and cried. So Nonna to the rescue. She came forward out of her seat. Squeezed some drops into a dummy and pushed it in the baby’s mouth. Instant quiet. Sedation works!