20240826 – Two Weeks Before Leaving: Been looking at the weather. Hot here. As hot there. Not packing until a few days before my flight, but packing in my mind looking at options given what’s going on. On other fronts, tomorrow is our sixty-third anniversary. I remember when we thought being sixty was old…and now we’re married even longer. Another set of good news is the release of the updated Covid vaccine. Have scheduled a shot for first day it seems to be available.

Have seen many posts on Facebook regarding Puglia. Enticing. Beautiful. Anticipating. And there was Food Network Ciao House. Got to learn quite a bit about the food and wine of the region besides mouthwatering scenes.

20240911 – Bari: I had a good night’s sleep all the way to the 8AM alarm. Met group downstairs for breakfast. Six of us left the hotel at 10 and followed nice Google Map direction toward and to Basilica of St. Nicholas, where we spent quite a bit of time. Lots of tour groups we think from cruise ship in harbor. Simple church, ornate ceiling, interesting tomb area where priests in white robes and capes were chanting a service.

For the next couple of hours we wandered through Bari Vecchia, the old part of the city. Alan had gotten rudimentary directions to find the street where the nonas hand roll fresh pasta. Went up and around the Norman Castle to find the little street where the women were. Was obvious by the number of tourists milling around. Bought some pasta, dried. Watched various of the women who made the pasta all with tourists with cameras clicking away. Bored looks, fast hands doing the rolling.

Continued through the old part of the city until about 12:30. Headed toward the waterfront and found a nice restaurant along the way. Found Mastrocicco Mordi la Puglia where I had an octopus sandwich (slices not tentacles). And to a gelato place nearby before walking down to the waterfront where we spent some time taking images of the small fishing boats, some of which were really in bad repair. Nice views of the city looking down the shore.

About 3:00, Alan, Pam, Bruce stopped for aperitif while Anthony and I returned to the hotel. Alice had gone back earlier to rest. Went up to look at the view from the rooftop garden. Back to my room for lots of water, downloading images, computer stuff.

At 6, met the group at hotel’s bar for a quick drink and meeting those I had not met before. Left hotel at 7 and followed dear old Google Maps to our restaurant Restaurante Opera Bari, where we had a very nice supper and wine. Headed back to hotel about 10 and am finishing this and downloading images before shower, shave, bed. Need to be ready to go tomorrow with all our stuff in the lobby by 9:00.

20240909 Going to Bari: PART 1 – Got up about 7:00, had breakfast, loaded Marian’s car with my stuff, left for airport about 8:30. Fast check in. Was surprised I was not asked any questions when checking baggage, like whether I had packed it, was I carrying any prohibited items, etc. Met Alan at the gate for flight to Chicago ORD.

At ORD, very long walk from where we landed to the gate where our Rome flight was to depart from. Near as I can tell from my phone app, it was about a mile altogether. Very nice gate area with places to sit and eat at a raised bar. Alan went and got a sandwich. I went to the United Club and had a good lunch and espresso (double).

Flight boarded at about 3:00. When I settled into seat 6A, the man in 5A asked me to switch seats with him since his new bride was in 7A. Of course I did.

Before takeoff, flight attendant wanted to know my choice of entrée, and a second choice if she ran out of the first one. Now, days ago, I went on United site since I was supposed to be able to preorder my meal choice. Site kept telling me the preorder window was closed. Got an email from United a couple of days before flight inviting me to preorder. But, as with earlier, site said the preorder window was closed. Thus, to no surprise, attendant came back and told me my first choice was not available, but second choice was.

Flight departed on time at 3:50. Food service started at 4:45. Was a nice dinner…and the second choice of entrée was good. Now the Sun has set and it’s full dark outside. Only six-and-a half hours until Rome. And at 6:15 my time, not sleepy yet.

20240910: PART 2 – Got a few hours of sleep, not much. Nice breakfast. Got into Rome on time. Was a Byzantine walk of about half-a-mile to go through security, passport control, and getting from one terminal to another. Then it was a very long wait. So, arrived in Rome about 8 AM and our plane to Bari was supposed to depart at 1:30. Alan and I waited in a general area since the gate for our flight was not posted until 12:15. Then walked through the hordes to get to the gate. Met up with Alice and Anthony there. From this point on it was a zoo since not only was this a crowded flight, but it was late arriving and also it seems the jetway was broken. People were lined up everywhere. Luckily, given flying First Class, I was in a very short line. We walked down to the tarmac, got into a bus, drove about 25 yards, got off, went up stairs into the airplane. We ended up boarding at 2:30 and got off the ground around 3:00, which means at that time I have been up 25 hours.

In Bari, we got our luggage and went outside for a taxi. Took a long time before we could get two for the four of us. Then half-hour through traffic to Oriente Hotel, where I am in room 204. Nice room and hotel. Even has a balcony. Spent some time doing minimal unpacking.

At 7:45, eight of us met in the lobby and I used Goggle maps to guide us through town to urban l'assassineria, a place Alan had seen on a Stanley Tucci in Italy program. We had the spaghetti dish he recommended, which was different in that the noodles, once cooked, are put in skillet with olive oil and toasted to almost burnt. Really good, crunchy. Then walked back towards the hotel is a drizzle, stopped at a gelateria (of course), and then back to room for finishing this and minimal downloading of images. Now shower, shave, bed!

20240912 – Trani, Gravina, Matera: Got up at 7:00, breakfast at 7:30, bags in lobby at 9:00 and away we go in the van. Drove to the coastal city of Trani and got there about 10:30. Spent a few hours walking along the big curved harbour, seeing some the catch of the morning on small tables from individual fishermen, looking at the fleet of really well-used (decrepit) small boats. Then through the municipal garden and up on a ramp for a view over the harbour. Went back along the harbour and found nice place for lunch and then gelato. Continued our walk through some narrow streets. Met up with all the group at 1:30 to walk back to the van.

Onto Gravina, with its Roman bridge. Lots of walking from van way down to the bridge. Then up for a vantage point for images, then down to the bridge and across it. Up again on the other side to get vantage point. Took lots of images. Then up to where the van was parked. Alan and I rested a couple of times on the final hill climb to the van.

Headed to Matera, a city on a huge ravine. Lots of stone for carving spaces into and using for building. Van had to park a good Distance from hotel. We took a smaller van to hotel. Tight squeeze with our stuff on our laps.

Arrived at the Cenobio Hotel & Spa. It’s built into and on the stone. Left our gear on the street and walked up several flights of stone steps to the reception area. My guess it is the equivalent of at least four or five flights of stairs. (Health app on iPhone says 12 flights of stairs from morning until after supper.) My room (#6) is up another set of stairs. Hotel staff lugged our suitcases and camera bags up to our rooms.

Some of the group went on a hike at 6:00 into the ravine and out of it. I stayed at the hotel and downloaded images. Frankly, I was too tired to go. At 7:45, our guide Lucia, met the four of us who had not gone on the hike and we walked all the way down to the street and then downhill a bit to the restaurant, Osteria Al Casale, for a lovely set dinner. Many courses. All good.

Then back uphill to the hotel. Up those many flights to our rooms. So, day was marked on my phone as 12 flights of stairs, over four miles. Time for shower, shave, bed. Will meet at 7:30 tomorrow for breakfast.