Le Marche

The weather’s really picked up over the last few days from the start of April and the mercury is regularly hitting 20 plus. We’re in the impossibly scenic Le Marche in the Appenine mountain range, surrounded by mountain top medieval towns and snow capped peaks. We’re staying in an apartment in a restored villa about 2 kms from Sarnano, just such a medieval town famed for its thermal baths which attract hordes of visitors year round.

The villa has been restored by an English couple, Damien and Sharon, from south London who upped sticks a couple of years ago and moved here with their two children. They’ve done a fantastic job of renovating the property and live here in one of the apartments and let out the other three. Needless to say, we are the only guests at the moment. Is there a recession going on? The sitting is idyllic with jaw dropping views towards Sarnano framed by the mountains behind.

We’ve mostly been walking through the hills following a few trails that Damien has ripped off from other guide books and has left with loads of other useful information in the apartment. The scenery is just beautiful with a mixture of woodland, small farms, ancient villages with terracotta roofs and the mountain range dominating the skyline. This does mean that we are getting a little more exercise than usual but we are trying to balance this out with the fantastic food and wine, just to ensure we keep our perfectly honed figures.

One of our walks ended up being a little moiré challenging than usual as we headed off upwards in the car just past the skiing resort of Salletto nearby. Our walk started following a stream up river at the bottom of a ravine, which was OK although we had to cross the stream a number of times which included getting a bit wet. The problems started when we got a little higher where the ravine opened out. Here, we were supposed to follow a track left an upwards, the only problem being that the track was completely covered in snow and ice. There was a small copse to our left, and I had the brilliant idea that if we scrambled through that then we should be able to pick up the track further on. This, unbelievably, actually worked and we were soon back on course. Trouble was, things got distinctly tougher from here and the path was regularly covered in snow often mixed in with earth and rubble from winter avalanches. After and a few kilometers the path disappeared completely and it was snow and ice all the way and we had to guess which way to go. Mags was having a sense of humor failure by then and I may have lost a few points. Still, we made it in the end without too many alarms.

During our stay here the earth moved, literally. We were about 30 kilometers away from the earthquake in L’Aquilla and were woken on the night with the house shaking. We wee of course unaware how bad it was and only found out the next morning. The after shocks continued for the rest of our stay with at least one a day but none as severe as the first.

We had a day out truffle hunting which Damien organized. A local chap and his dog roamed through a small copse for around half an hour looking for the little white orbs, finding one or two, so not particularly exiting but then we were cooked a spectacular meal including spaghetti with said truffles back at a nearby villa overlooking the valley, basking in the sunshine – pure bliss.

Trani & Surrounds, Puglia

We moved south to the fishing town of Trani, full of Italian cross dressers, on the south east coast. Another pretty town with a beautiful Marina full of smart leisure cruisers (going nowhere) and working fishing boats, and an impressive cathedral. Fish was definitely the theme here with fish mongers on every street corner and a central fish market every day. Amongst the memorable meals we had there included a sea food platter by the Marina. There was no menu in this restaurant so we ordered by pointing at what other people had. Mags took a fancy to a mountain of shell fish she saw at a nearby table, Unfortunately, when it arrived we realized that all the sea food was raw. Raw langoustines, prawns, sea urchins, mussels, clams and oysters. The langoustines had the consistency of jelly but tasted OK with a little lemon juice. Still, we couldn’t help feeling that they’d be improved no end with a few minutes under the grill.

Another night out saw us venture into the Irish pub. Yes, they really are everywhere. We wanted to see the Irish v the Welsh in the 6 nations decider and reckoned that it would be a dead cert that the game would be shown there. We arrived just before kick off only to find that the place was closed. There were a few people milling about though and the owner popped his head out to see who could possibly want to come in so early on. They had no idea that the game was going on; the place was about as Irish as Vladimir Putin. Still, the owner was really friendly and, when he realized what we wanted, let us in and put the game on.

We used Trani as our base for exploring Puglia and managed a few trips down the coast to:

· Castle del Monte, a hugely impressive Octagonal castle built by Frederick II, and a UNESCO world heritage site.

· Alberobello, another UNESCO site, a town of small conical shaped dwellings made of whitewashed stone with no mortar called Trulli. Legend has it that the residents dismantled their homes when the tax inspector came to avoid paying. It’s a bit full on touristy now with most of these querky buildings converted into shops selling tat, but a very interesting place.

· Lecce, a university city further down south with a beautiful medieval centre.

Gargano, Puglia

We started our travels in Puglia in the Gargano which is the spur on the heel of Italy’s boot. These days, the majority of the land is given over to the Gargano national park. We stayed in an old villa that had been converted into apartments. As usual, we were the only guests. The property sat in the middle of endless acres of olive trees running down to the Adriatic coast. Inside was a fantastic large country kitchen complete with a walk in fireplace, Yes, walk in – with cooking utensils for cooking over the fire – so, an indoor barbeque. Outstanding. The gardens included Lemon trees that were laden with fruit.

We wanted to do a few walks in the park and headed into Monte Saint Angelo, a pretty village at the top of the mountain that we were nestling under, and a focal point for Christian pilgrims who come to pay homage to the miracle of St Michael the archangel who is said to have appeared in a grotto here before the Bishop of Siponto in AD 490. The village is also host to the Gargano national park information office which took a fair bit of finding, tucked away at the bottom of a residential street. We were given a marvelous reception there (perhaps they don’t get many visitors), and came away with maps and books all free of charge.

Next day we drove to forest Umbria for a walk we found in one of the books. Unfortunately, there’s not a great deal of sign posts pointing out where trails start so we tried in vain to locate the beginning of the walk. We did have a very nice drive through the countryside, though. Undeterred, we blundered around until we came to what looked like it might be a sign post for a walk, parked up, and set off. Fortunately, this was a very pleasant walk up through forest and to a hill top with views over the coast. It appeared to be a section of a long track that runs between the town of Vieste on the coast and Monte Saint Angello.

Our second walk in the national park was at lake Lesina which lies to the north of the park where a narrow isthmus separates the lake from the Adriatic sea. We arrived at the promised car park and information centre only to find it closed. Did we arrive too early I hear you ask. But no, the place wasn’t just closed but abandoned. Permanently shut with weeds growing over the car park. Not one of Italy’s more popular tourist sites then. Nevertheless, we set off anyway along a track that took us out along the isthmus. We were promised flamingoes on the lake but they were sadly shy or absent. The strip of land immediately bordering the lake was occupied by a series of small holdings so we actually only managed to catch occasional glimpses of the lake. After a few kilometers we came unexpectedly across a newish looking wooden path, proudly paid for by the EU. The decking was built to protect the flora underneath. Naturally, we had to walk along this to find out what was at the end (and to get our moneys worth having contributed to funding it). The path brought us to some sand dunes which quickly gave way to a spectacular sandy beach alongside the Adriatic. The beach must have been at least 5 kms long and totally deserted. Unfortunately it was strewn with all sorts of rubbish, plastic and glass bottles everywhere, polystyrene boxes, oil drums mixed in with driftwood. In fairness to the locals it looked like flotsam and jetsam washed up rather than deliberate littering and dumping. After all, the place looked like it doesn’t get many visitors. Its just that no one bothers to clean up the mess. About a kilometer to our right was a large shipwreck, with a container ship jammed into the beach with its aft still in the sea, slowing rusting into the Adriatic. Quite a surreal sight all in all. On the way back to the car we came across an old park complete with overgrown paths, collapsed park benches and crumbling communal barbeques. Like all the people had mysteriously vanished a few years ago. We had a beautiful drive back home along the nearby lake Varano and then through the Umbria forest. I managed to take a wrong turn through one town and ended up going the wrong way down a one way street but, this being Italy, no-one seemed to mind.

Napoli

We arrived safely in Napoli after our overnight crossing, albeit a bit knackered as the ship tossed about a bit and neither of us got much sleep. Our arrival was a little late and we found ourselves in the middle of the morning rush hour. Driving through that was definitely extreme sport. There doesn’t appear to be any rules to driving in Napoli and anything goes; lights are routinely ignored, motorbikes frequently use the pavements and suddenly appear going the wrong way up one way streets, and the method used for entering traffic is to move first and look afterwards trusting that other traffic will miss you or stop, which by the look of most vehicles, doesn’t always work. And of course this is all happening at great speed. It really did feel like being in a computer game. With Mags screaming every 5 seconds next to me my nerves were shredded by the time we got to the hotel.

I’d developed a tooth ache on our last few days in Sicily so our first job was to seek out a dentist. Our friendly concierge recommended someone locally and I set off in a taxi. The practice was located in an unpromising residential neighborhood utilizing a converted flat in a tower block. I almost turned around when I got there but ploughed on and, once inside, the place looked well equipped, modern with professional looking staff. Anyway, lets just say the rest was an interesting experience – root canal work with no anesthetic. No-one spoke English and after half an hour, neither did I. The dentist opted for phone a friend and I communicated with him by speaking to a chap at the end of the phone with the phone passing between me and the dentist. You’d laugh it didn’t hurt so much.

Yesterday we visited Vesuvius and Pompei. We had clear, blue skies and the views from the volcano were amazing. We decided not to climb to the very top as it was very windy and cold up at the top.

We both enjoyed Pompei and even managed to avoid being hussled into an unnecessary car park for 10 euros. The site was much larger than I expected with really a fair amount of the city excavated and still standing. Walking along the cobbled streets was quite an experience and really gave us a feel for city life in Roman times. The baths were spectacular with plenty of marble and some of the art work still visible. We picked a great day to visit with blue skies and sunny weather and, being off season, not too many tourists – although I expect there’s always at least a fair smattering. Apparently, this is Italy’s most visited tourist site.

Some observations on Italian life so far, the first one from Mags.

There’s no such thing as a thin middle aged woman.
Lunch runs from 1 to 4:30
Wine with lunch is compulsory
Traffic lights are advisory only.
Only tourists say “perfavore”

More Sicily

More Cefalu

Cefalu is dominated by a huge rocky hill known simply as La Rocca, capped by an old castle initially built by the Arabs but later conquered by the Normans in the 11th century. Obviously, this has to be climbed and we duly set off from the centre of town starting with a paved straircase. Round about twenty minutes later we entered through the first fortifications and were logged in by a crusty old chap who’s sole purpose appears to be to count the tourists in and out. The path climbs steadily past old buildings towards the ‘castello’ at the top. There’s a surprisingly large proportion of well maintained ruins and original walls still standing, but the highlight really is the view, with the town and disproportionately large cathedral below and magnificent views along the east and west coasts.

Palermo

Our guide book describes Palermo, Sicily’s capital, as decrepit and dignified. Well, we didn’t see the dignified part. But decrepit, dirty, crumbling and litter strewn it is. We liked it immediately. What it does have is endless Piazzas adorned with once great buildings simply rotting into the earth and statues and monuments in abundance. With a little imagination its easy to see that Palermo must have been a very great and wealthy city indeed. These days it looks as if the rich people just left one day and then the current residents moved in without the money or inclination to keep it maintained, Presumably, one day it will collapse completely and everyone will move on.

We did manage a very strange meal in Palermo as we found a Chinese restaurant and, after 3 weeks of Italian food, we fancied a change. The meal was mostly memorable for the surreal experience of ordering Chinese food in Italian.

Scopello

Further along the North coast, a little west of Palermo is Scopello, a tiny village situated at one end of the Zingaro national park, Sicily’s first. We rented a small bungalow in a complex of 8 just by a pretty little pebble beach. We were the only residents. Did we arrive too early?

The park itself runs along the coast and we set off one day to hike across it and back – 14kms in total, but the path was well maintained and we had a great day strolling around on our own. The weather had turned a bit windy, but it was a warm wind and the temperature was 22 degrees so pretty good walking conditions. Not long after we arrived back the weather turned and a fair old storm blew in and has rained us in for 2 days. We’ve turned into southern Mediterranean softies and only go out when the sun shines.

We booked the ferry to Napoli today and head there with the car overnight on Monday 9th March. Hopefully we’ll find a bit more internet access on the mainland and will be on-line a little more frequently.

With only Italian TV and no internet we’ve had to find ways to pass the time. Last night we were reading the label on the back of a pesto bottle during dinner. (This being another method we’ve started to learn Italian) And it lead to a philosophical debate about what makes a nut a nut as compared to a seed. Does anyone know? We really must get a pack of cards.

Sicily

Catania

We arrived into sunny Sicily on the 9th February, keen to embark on our well thought out and precision planned trip. Well, we had at least organized our hotel for the first 2 nights in Catania. The airport is only 7 kms from the city centre which was just as well as the fare rate is astonishing and makes London cabs look like cheap public transport. We arrived safely enough, 40 Euros lighter and moved into out small, quiet and beautiful hotel just a few blocks from the main city square, Piazza Duomo.

Cantania is on the east coast of Sicily facing the Ionian sea and nestled in the shadow of Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano. We found Catania a slightly run down but interesting city with plenty of ornate terraces, squares and of course churches. It felt very safe which was a relief after Mags read a review of the hotel we were staying at by a customer as who car jacked as they arrived.

The highlight was our trip to the fish market which takes place every day just behind the main square, and is apparently the busiest in Sicily. There’s dozens of stall holders all shouting out their prices to a throng of people vying for the best spot and determined to get he best price for the seafood. It’s a riot of colour and noise, quite a performance on its own. Intermingled with the fish stalls are grocers, butchers, fromageries, dellies and so on. We stopped for lunch in one of the many seafood restaurants that circle the area. (Mags picked the expensive looking one) – Had a marvelous lunch of mixed seafood pasta and grilled bream, washed down with a very drinkable Sicilian white. Of course, all in the name of foodie research.

Catania’s streets are paved with tiles made from Volcanic rock, which only seems sensible and fair enough as its in plentiful supply, but it does have this quality of squealing when it comes into contact with rubber. There’s a constant screech in the air as cars run around the city sounding like a go cart race track.

It is a fairly quiet town despite the large student population and we de did find it quite hard to find anywhere for a drink in the evening that had any life in it. Perhaps we old fogies were just going out too early. On our second and final night we exhausted the town centre, traipsing around unsuccessfully looking for a lively bar. We headed back to the hotel and decided just to walk around the block to see if they were any local establishments. We found a small street with a clutch of Trattorias all grilling meat in the street, and a fair crowd of locals. We selected one and sat outside at a plastic table. It looked like a family run affair with Dad cooking the meat and his school age daughters serving. We somehow managed to order quail (for me) and something wrapped in aubergine that Mags had. (We don’t know what it was and frankly don’t want to know), with a tomato salad, beers and a carafe of surprisingly drinkable red from a barrel next to the barbeque – all for 11 Euros.

Taormina

Toarmina is a tourist destination a little way North up from Catania. We picked up our hire car in downtown Catania and zipped up the Motorway to our destination. Getting there was the easy bit, but finding the car park proved to be a little more challenging. The Sat Nav got a little confused in the tiny streets and we ended up driving round and round the town several times. We eventually called the travel agent we booked the place through and were directed to a huge car park at the foot of the town.

At this time of year Toarmina is very quiet – well shut actually. Not a lot to do is putting it mildly so booking a week here was in hindsight probably stretching it a little. But it is certainly a good place to wind down, and we both read several novels during our stay. Out little apartment was on the top floor of four flats with a large terrace with magnificent views of the town below, the Ionian sea and the Italian mainline in the distance.

We managed a short walk up a series of steps close to our apartment to a castle (castello) at the top of the cliff behind us. Here you get great views of Mount Etna when its not shrouded in cloud which it was in the day we were there. But the views were down the coast were stunning anyway.

Another must see is the well preserved Greek theatre which dominates the town. The Greeks founded it but the remaining ruins are mostly Roman. Again, great views from here over the town and along the coast.

Siracusa

We left bustling Taormina behind and headed south to Siracusa for a short stay, This is a larger town with a small medival quarter on an island called Ortigia, which is where we stayed. We arrived at our hotel after again lapping the town a few times, not helped by putting in the wrong destination into the Sat Nav.

The major adventure here was a trip to the Neopolis hosting a clutch of historic sites including a Greek theatre (yes, another one), a Roman ampitheatre, and a cave all located on a old quarry. We decided to walk there as it was only a few kilometers away. The old town quickly gives way a more commercial and industrial area and we soon felt like American tourists who have somehow got lost ion London and ended up in Hackney. Everything was suddenly a lot more ‘real’.

Despite being a large town, the old, touristy part was, like Taormina, was mostly shut. Did we arrive in Italy too early? We did locate a fantastic restaurant on the waterfront though and managed our first seafood platter of the trip overlooking the sea. (Just trying to keep the economy going).

Cefalu

A long drive north west across the island took us to Cefalu, a popular tourist destination near to Palermo. We’re here as I write this in our perfectly located apartment overlooking the beach below us 20 metres away. This is a very pretty town sheltered under a huge rock and featuring a very impressive cathedral (Duomo).

We’re just winding down here, enjoying the sun and strolling along the beautiful and largely deserted beach.

We’ve found a great way to learn Italian by watching their version of Millionaire on the TV, We sit with a dictionary and a glass of wine, trying to work out the question and the answer before the contestant does which we even managed to do a few times. Out Italian is coming along slowly and not surprisingly consists mostly of food items when we’re at the market or a restaurant. Pointing is still pretty useful but there’s not a huge amount of English spoken here. I ended up speaking French in one shop as that was our common least worst language.

Our current plan is to stay in Sicily for an extra week before heading off to Puglia. We have to travel through Calabia to reach Puglia and there looks like there’s been loads of snow there.