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Flowers surround Castel Del Monte.Upgraded the car to a bigger size and automatic too … naturally one had to pay for convenience.
So, the challenge had arrived to mix it with the crazy drivers of Italy. It took a team effort to exit and enter Bari during peak hour and arrive at our various destinations throughout the day. Whenever we were in the car it was extreme concentration with eyes in the back and sides of our heads working overtime. Vehicles of all shapes and sizes overtaking on the inside, cars, scooters, bikes, pedestrians, darting out of side streets without a care, no signalling, stopping on main thoroughfares beside parked cars and leaving the vehicle to go to a shop or to speak to a friend they had just seen on the footpath, were just a FEW of the unorthodox practices experienced today.
Castel Del Monte was superb. Jane and I enjoyed our time viewing this castle, inside and out. It is located not far from Andria on a rocky hill that dominates the surrounding countryside of well-kept olive groves on small estates. From it one can see over Bari, more than 58 kms away to the Adriatic Sea. The emperor Frederick II
Close-up of the octagonal Towers.built this castle near Bari in the 13th century, completing it in 1240. It has a perfect octagonal shape and is a unique piece of medieval military architecture. The octagonal plan has octagonal towers at each angle of the octagonal. No computer to help with the design in those days. The castle has not undergone any significant structural alteration. Marble and mosaic interior decorative elements, however, have deteriorated and in many cases been removed.
Onto Andria and confusion. Getting in was fine; getting out was diabolical. This was not entirely due to Ms Google but the number of closed streets due to roadworks … well, the streets were closed with the necessary machines in place, but no work was taking place!
Finally, out by fluke, it was onto the seaport town of Trani. What stood out for us was the white-washed buildings and cleanliness of the town. I enjoyed another peasant lunch leaning on the car before we drove through a few of the narrow lanes and parked near the castle and cathedral overlooking the sea. We walked the port area and the lanes we had driven through. We conversed and shared a few laughs with locals and
Model of Castel Del Monte.other visitors. I offered to take a photo of an Italian couple of our age and had them kiss and do various poses (Not surprisingly, Jane was trying to distance herself from me) before we struck up conversation, and believe it or not, the lady had a brother whose son was living in Albany, Western Australia. Piccolo Mondo indeed.
To wind down, Jane had her daily G&T and this time I settled for a straight cold coke.
Part of my dinner included, "Cicoria Ripassata" (Sauteed Chicory), something I have not had since my parents were alive. Not as good as Mum's but better than not having. I used to crave it.
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