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Published: April 13th 2009
A Screaming Deal!
Al rented this Fiat Punto for two weeks for 300 euro price per couple was 150 euros. 3rd day - Monday
We bounded out of bed without any hint of jet lag and got ready for our road trip. We follow a flight day routine that insures we don’t suffer any jet lag. Part of the routine is to take a homeopathic supplement called Anti-Jet Lag. We’ve been doing this ever since our first trip together in 2003 and it seems to work for us.
We had to go back to the airport to get our rental car and that worked out nicely with having to retrieve our friends' late bags. As we headed to the airport it was a disconcerting thing not knowing whether the bags were going be there or not; they were...whew! We drove out of the airport and I promptly missed the turnoff to head south...doh!
The remainder of the road trip was uneventful as we were in a rush to get to Brindisi. I like driving in Italy; it suits me. It may appear to be chaotic and reckless, but really it is quite efficient. It is not for the faint of heart, nor is it for those prone to road rage. One must be prepared to take their inch otherwise someone will
Al knows bargains
Al likes this kind of math
2 bedroom apartment for one week, 300 euros...price per couple 150 euros. take it for you. It is considered “smart” to take the advantage wherever and whenever one can; that seems fair to me.
We drove through the southern region of Campania. We took this route because it was the fastest and a part of the south I hadn't seen. It was about a 6 hour drive across the peninsula to Brindisi. Part of the drive was through a mountainous region before we descended to the coastal plain of Puglia. Driving through this part we were seeing snow at the higher elevations.
The weather was quite cool or even cold-ish even when we arrived in Roma. When we arrived in Brindisi it was colder yet, the apartment landlord told me that the weather had been unseasonably cool and rainy the entire winter. He told me that the old timers couldn’t recall a wetter or colder winter than this year. Heck, I don’t recall such cold temperatures in Brindisi when we lived there. Needless to say we cranked up the heat.
We called our good friends Vincenzo and Sara while we were on the road and let them know what time we would arrive and made dinner plans, of course. After arriving and
Al doesn't tolerate inconveniences
Al likes his space and room to relax settling in, they took us to one of their and our favorite grilled meats place called Lanternini.
It is a very traditional neighborhood trattoria. Picnic tables with benches and a simple menu are the order of the day; their specialty is grilled meats.
We started with simple antipasti of a cheese and marinara sauce pizza. The cheese on the pizza was killer! We also had celery and finocchio (anise) drizzled with oil and pepper to nibble on while our order of grilled mushrooms and carne misto (mixed meats) was being prepared. If you’ve never tried fresh finocchio this way, I highly recommend it.
The manager of the place, Massimo, also toasted some bread for us to use to sop up the oil & pepper from the plate; yuh-umm! We were washing this all down with their homemade wine which we guzzled like kool-aid; the tourista experience is a thirsty business.
We polished off all the meat and mushrooms and were highly pleased with the meal and ourselves. Afterwards we had a digestive that is made from herbs; Massimo simply called it an amaro but its name is unicam (sp?). It is verrrrry bitter and is definitely an acquired taste. Our
Al's gotta have a kitchen
Al likes to shop locally and get in some home cooked meals
a kitchen is a must. traveling companions were game and gave it a try; as I said, it is definitely an acquired habit. We concluded the night at Sara & Vincenzo's apartment with an additional grappa and a caffe.
It was hard to believe that we were back to our old stomping grounds. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.
Note: Check with your credit card company to see if they will provide insurance when renting cars overseas. Mine did and it provided a tidy savings. Be sure to speak with a credit card rep to get the details. It is well worth your time and money.
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