Blogs from Brindisi, Apulia, Italy, Europe - page 5

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Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi November 7th 2006

Our latest trip was to Matera in Basilicata. This is where the film "The Passion" was shot. It is about two and half hours southeast of Brindisi. We took the slow road once again and were richly rewarded. It was a pleasant morning drive. We arrived around noon at our B&B "Villa Paola." Very clean and hospitable; I highly recommend this place. The owners were very nice and helpful. The host turned out to be a skier and gave me some very useful information on ski areas that are closer to Brindisi than the ones further south in Calabria. There are two places that we want to go visit before the snow flies. One is close to the city of Potenza and the other is in the region of Abruzzo and is one of the biggest ... read more
Just driving along...
Cool mountaintop village
Abandoned farmhouses

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi October 31st 2006

This is the followup installment on our road trip to Calabria. After leaving Civita, we proceeded on down to Consenza. We were following a google map of the area and we couldn't tell which exit to get off on; we got off too early and drove for what seemed an eternity. I thought that driving in Brindisi was bad - I was wrong, it was worse in Consenza. Driving through the downtown area was unnerving. Cars were double and triple parked (parallel) on both sides that reduced a two lane to a one lane in places. No one seemed to pay much heed to the lines, signs, signals, or other driving conventions. It was like a free for all. We spent a couple of hours trying to match the map with the actual roads and finally ... read more
The ski hill
Nice country road
Picturesque villages

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi October 28th 2006

Just returned from our first major road trip. We headed south into the region of Calabria. This is the region that makes up the toe of the Italian boot. We loved Calabria! We drove first into the mountain top village of Civita. The village is located at the edge of the Parco Nazionale del Pollino (National Park). This is actually in the region of Basilicata. We stayed overnight at a B&B, Il Belvedre. That was an excellent place to stay and it's location is prime. The village of Civita is perched right on top of a peak and the B&B is right at the tip. It is a scenic overlook as you can see from the photos. The view out of our window was stupendous. The gorge that you see is regarded as the Grand Canyon ... read more
Bilingual sign
Room with a view
Il Belvedre

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi October 8th 2006

Hiya folks! We're finally feeling better and as I mentioned in my previous post, we were thinking of going to a small neighboring town (San Vito) to a cool eatery we were told about. The director's brother had been there the week before and raved about it. He declared that it was the best meal he had had in the 25 years he has lived in Italy. So I called in for a reservation (the Italian is starting to come along nicely, although not fast enough for my needs) and we went last night (Saturday). I've attached the photos of the place and as you can see it is an intimate little eatery. The owner gave me a business card and the place is the Enoteca Ristorantino "La Vinaccia". It is located in the middle of ... read more
A strategic location
Cool fireplace
The long view

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi October 2nd 2006

We've been sick all week with head colds. Beth's was less intense than mine. I don't get sick often, but when I do - it's a doozy. To make matters worse, we are unable to get substitutes and call in sick. Our school organization is getting its moneys worth out of us and then some...or should I say 75 cents on the dollar. The dollar is getting smacked around by the euro like a red-headed stepchild. Anyway it was a brutal week and we needed a fine night out on the town. So we hauled the school secretary out with us again and headed to what is reputed to be an "upscale" ristorante. Well, I think I'll not mince words and go for the jugular right off the bat. It was overrated and overpriced. Its one ... read more

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi September 28th 2006

This past Tuesday and Wednesday I had the opportunity to ride through my first hurricane! I spent my entire life in the US watching the annual hurricane seasons come and go, never getting closer than my tv. Well the winds howled and I saw for the first time rain that matched the description "the rain came down in buckets." The weather forecast was for rain and unsettled weather for most of the week. Instead, on late Tuesday it began to crash and thunder and blow. On Wednesday morning we had school and during the day the wind and rain really ripped loose. We stayed in naturally and by the end of the day the wind had died down but there were tree branches laying everywhere. When we left the school we saw entire trees had been ... read more

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi September 22nd 2006

Teaching at an international school is an entirely new adventure in my teaching experience. The students are bi and tri-lingual. We teach in English and that is usually their third language. Most have attended public schools in other countries. Their experiences are wide ranging. Subsequently the conversations are a bit out of the norm for kids. For example the topic of the movie "Madagascar" came up in class the other day. It prompted this exchange: 1st student - Does Madagascar look like the movie in real life. 2nd student - It's a cartoon movie! Of course not! 3rd student - Yes it is beautiful. 1st student - Have you been to Madagascar? 2nd student - No, but my dad has. 3rd student - I have and it is really a beautiful island. Field trips here are ... read more
Narrow streets
Baroque, Baroque!
Cool organ

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi September 17th 2006

This is the first food post I've had an opportunity to submit. I did remember to take notes at other locations we've visited and I will do a re-cap on those. Before I begin writing my thoughts on our last foodie outing, a few words about the dining experience in this part of Italy. First, there seems to be a quite a bit of pizza consumed here. Take out pizza places are quite abundant. The pizza comes in the thin crust or thick crust variaties (we prefer thin). Both types are not caked with cheese as in the US, nor loaded with toppings. The sauce is also not heaped on the pie. Instead, a healthy balance of sauce, cheese, and toppings is the preference. Pizza may be an item of choice as the Brindisi area is ... read more
What a handsome couple!
Where is the food?
I'm thirsty!

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi September 15th 2006

it is time for another fabulous meal. I'm still not quite caught up with my correspondence and so I've not submitted any reviews on the restaurants we have visited. I have, however, kept notes on those places. There will be a lengthy post sooner or later. I will be taking photos of the restaurant tonight. Our school secretary will be with us and that place belongs to her uncle. I expect red carpet treatment! Meanwhile here are some more photos that I have taken. They are photos of the neighborhood that we see on the way to work. And photos of our little school. We are on an Italian military post and it is a somewhat difficult political issue to discuss. Suffice it to say that it is better that the less I say anything about ... read more
Locks everywhere
Little park
One othe routes

Europe » Italy » Apulia » Brindisi September 12th 2006

Hello All! Circumstances have conspired to get in the way of serious blogging. Living here is labor intensive. How so? There are washing machines but no dryers. The wash cycles appear to last at least three hours, or perhaps it just feels like that since it seems to last forever. Then one has to hang clothes to dry and in this humid climate it takes a while. There are little handy stores 2-3 minutes from the apartment but are not open all day and closed on Sundays. There are open air markets that could supply some of the items we need but only open during the time we are at work. If you want to go to a good restaurant you have to wait until at least 8PM. In short, it requires planning and effort to ... read more
Inside the apartment
Inside the apartment
master bedroom




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