Barbara's travels continue 2018

After a lovely morning, with beautiful weather, visiting Nonna Maria ( she was really happy to have a visitor), it was time to welcome Dennis,  who sadly arrived seconds before the clouds shed their heavy load, and we needed to sit out another big storm with thunder and lightning, thankfully not so violent and long as on my first day. Our short visits to Locorotunda for lunch and then Alberobello for Dennis to visit the trulli were great. This street of trulli made me realise just how closely people lived together! Hopefully they all got on well? As we drove towards Matera storm clouds gathered again, but fortunately towards the East, and we were heading West. Our first glimpse of The Sassi of Matera was pretty sensational. Wow, how incredible it is at night. Actually, in the distance, the sky was also lit up by an amazing lightning display, luckily near the east coast and not heading our way! Considering Matera is  perched high up on the hills, I certainly was not keen to be...

The week passed by far too quickly, but I really felt I made a lot of progress and built up lots of confidence in the five days of lessons, cooking, wine tasting and chatting with Paola. Here Paola, who was with me three afternoons, Shirley,the other student, and Tiziana, our excellent teacher.  My last afternoon was spent visiting Locorotunda, which I also immediately liked, in many ways more than Alberobello, which is certainly busier and more touristy. Locorotunda has a very impressive, rounded historical centre, perched on a hill, with slopes covered in vines. It was very hot work getting this photo in the mid afternoon sun! What a beautifully calm afternoon I spent ambling through the maze of mostly empty alleyways, enjoying the lovely artwork, particularly the house numbers. The buildings here are hundreds of years old and well- maintained fortunately. The streets are not filled with souvenir shops and houses to rent, and the homes  are obviously still used by locals, w...

What a fantastic difference between the sprawling city of Bari and the little town of Alberobello in the countryside. I fell in love with it instantly. The more than two- metre high sunflowers at the side of main roads was quite a unique, and beautiful touch. Who wouldn't love this place with its hundreds of extraordinary dry stone walll houses at every corner, and in some places, dozens of them clustered together!! There is something magical about them. It certainly is hard to believe that many are still inhabited, some are restaurants, and many are souvenir shops or galleries. I am glad I do not have to climb these stairs though?! The first day was not without a few adventures! Amazingly, as I was walking around, I met an Australian lady, Shirley, who coincidentally is studying with me at the school! Considering the number of tourists around, it was incredible that she was the first person I met. Great too that she wants to speak Itslian all the time. Brilliant. We headed down t...