Little bit of mass confusion this morning. All ready to disembark, but the Italian immigration officials were 20 minutes late arriving. So, of course, we’re all stacked up at the stairs to level 2. Finally they arrive, and one stairwell is opened, we all pile down and now get into line – the first of us waiting patiently are now in the back of the line. Frustrating. But, we’re still in the lead pack- then of course the next stairwell is opened and people pour down the stairs, ignoring the line and pushing ahead to get out. Doubly frustrating. Then there’s the gaggle of people who realize (after numerous announcements EVERY day and mentioned EVERY DAY in the program) that they need their passports to get off. They proceed to argue about how to get said passports, standing in the middle of the queue totally messing everything up.
Finally we’re off the ship and onto the shuttle that takes us to the end of the Old town. We’ve got a car near the train station, but at least this gets us most of the way there. It’s only another 10 or so blocks and we find the Avis place easily enough. We’re later than we had hoped, but not too badly delayed. Besides, we are just planning to wander down the coast and enjoy the day in Puglia.
Out on the road, we’re reintroduced to those crazy Italian drivers. No matter how fast you go, they’ll go faster and pass you. Wow!
First stop is Polignano a Mare, a town built entirely on top of the limestone rocks jutting out into the water. We get into town ok, but then can’t find parking and get a little discombobulated driving around. We finally find a lot that looks pretty far from the town center, but it turns out to be a great place to park. There is a pedestrian walkway that leads down around the residential section of town and right into the old section, with great scenic views of the old and new bridges. It’s actually the walkway to the beach, using that term incredibly loosely as it’s a mere watershed that will certainly flood with heavy rains or high tides!
The old town is a typical Italian walled city, all stone and cobblestone, with completely wander-able little alleyways and winding roads. We take a few pix then stop at a café for our daily cappuccino.
Back on the road we continue to head south towards Monopoli. We’d read where there was a great grand Piazza with cafes and bars, where you could sit and watch the world go by. Well, maybe, but we never found it! Instead we found, again a lovely old walled city (we literally found it when we headed toward “centre” and wound up driving through the little teeny tiny streets and through mini-piazzas with signs indicated that traffic was restricted – oops!). We parked near the water, and did some more wandering. Lovely buildings, cobblestone, etc. Got a map from the TI – not very informative. Searched for the Grand Piazza some more – gave up and headed back to a café near the car for panini – funny – on hamburger type buns, not traditional Italian bread! Weird, but delicious (Ed had prosciutto and mozzarella, I had Braseola with artichoke cream that was yummy, and tomatoes and mozzarella). We’re stuffed!
Back in the car, we head inland to Alberobello, a town that has traditional Trulli huts. These huts were built without mortar from the local limestone, then white washed. They have conical roofs, made from flat pitched limestone, that give the area a very foreign look. As we are driving into town, we begin to see more and more Trulli rising up out of the fertile farm land. They are really quite something, all white and almost glowing in the sunshine.
In town, we stumble upon the Trulli quarter – literally. Got turned around and were about to leave, when we spied some Trulli huts, and found a parking space. Turns out we were right in front of the Trulli museum and the Trulli quarter. Good luck! yay! Bad luck! Boo! The museum closed from 1:00 to 3:30 and of course, you guessed it, it’s 1:15. Oh well, at least we’ve missed the hordes of tours that were here from the ship. And we have the place literally to ourselves. There is no one here except inhabitants! Cool!
Wandering up and down the little lanes, we find photo op after photo op. It’s just such an amazing site, these little huts, all built one on top of the other, like stone teepees, in the middle of Italy. Really wild!
Next stop is Conversano, what is described as a town on a hill overlooking the Adriatic. Could be a good refreshing beverage stop. Not! it’s a town all right, it’s big, it’s more a city and while the hill may overlook the water, you sure can’t see it from anywhere in the sprawling mass of Conversano. Okie dokie.
So, no beverage stop, we end up heading back up to the coast to Bari. We’re trying to time the car drop off for 3pm when the Avis store re-opens. It’s a little confusing getting back into town, but easy enough to find Avis after one missed turn (why is there a red “X”sign on a street when it is not one way and you can obviously park there? never did figure that out). Car back with the rental company, we head to old town Bari to explore.
Eh, not much to explore really, so we settle for wine, beer and snacks at a little bar on the square. Thirst quenched, appetites sated, we head back to the shuttle and the ship. Good day in Puglia!
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