Bari

After a very short time in Russikon, which just gave me time to say farewell to work colleagues and friends and also spend time with other close friends, I was back once again waiting for the last plane I will take from Zurich before I leave for NZ! It was a very early start but I have to say I really appreciated the dawn! I knew it would be wonderful because before I went to bed, I had a quick swim to cool down, and was totally overwhelmed by the magnificent starry night and peace.

It was a perfect flight with no turbulence, so I made up for the lack of sleep, apart from when we were going over the Swiss Mountains!

I had a fantastically chatty driver who picked me up at Bari airport and took me to the b and b for only 15 euros. Great service and value for money. I certainly got to practise my Italian. It was so good to get back to it.

My room is on the top floor of a tower, just opposite the old castle of Bari, right in the old town. It's a great room, though I have struggled on two occasions to find the building! My usually good sense of direction has escaped me and every alley, every piece of washing hanging down from balconies, , every curtain on the door, and all the multitudes of churches and restaurants, all look very similar. The attractive old brick walls don't offer any assistance either. It is really like going into a maze, and every time I do, I discover a new area, even though I wanted to get back to somewhere I had already been. The restaurant  I had decided to go to , seemed to completely vanish!

There are plenty, though, particularly in the main square, so no need to starve!

I spent far too many hours, in the heat of the day, getting onward travel arranged and looking around. I realise that I should have rested up and walked more in the evening, when everyone comes out. No wonder I was virtually the only idiot walking at midday! I walked an unnecessary number of kilometres because I kept getting lost!
I had dinner at a very reasonably priced restaurant ( not the one I intended to go to), where I thoroughly enjoyed watching a very diverse range of people wandering by. All age groups were represented, from babies to very tottery and elderly folk, and amazingly I did not witness  any deaths, or even accidents, which fills me with absolute wonder bearing in mind the speed at which motor scooters and bicycles weave their way between the meandering throngs of evening strollers. Most of the scooter drivers do not even look as if they have reached adolescence, and their passengers had not reached double figures!. Bikes go just as quickly, even if they have young babies in the front seat. Many cyclists are either talking on their phones or even eating pizzas - not sure which is more dangerous, and bike shops obviously do not sell helmets here! I sat watching and wondering why we are so anxious about the e-scooters in Christchurch?.

Anyway, it was a very entertaining two hours, giving me a true taste of Italian life. I love the fact that entire families stroll around with young children, long after we would normally have kids tucked up in bed. It's great to see that most who pass are not looking at mobile phones, so there is also a very refreshing hum of conversation.

Wow, I have just seen a toddler on a child's replica of a vespa, motor scooter, with trainer wheels. It even makes the same horrible noise. I guess next year he will be hurtling by on a real scooter, with his baby brother on the back!

I really should have saved my energy for this evening.. It was gorgeous walking along the little alleyways, passing all the families sitting outside chatting in the cooler evening air. It is interesting that I actually feel totally safe in the evening, more so than during the day when so few people are around!

A new phase of my travels has begun.  Tomorrow, Alberobello.