The end is near....

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Day 18

Vieste

We headed out in the car today, to explore a trail further north on the coast. We were given another creatively translated hiking guide by the owner of the hotel, and we chose a trail that passed a few Paleolithic caves, complete with rock carvings from 12,000 years ago. The guide not only mentioned the dreaded vipers again and included a viper antidote on the list of hiking supplies, but also added this reassuring statement: “Misadventures caused by vipers are not often, because of the small numbers of exemplars living in the Gargano”. The guide also pointed out the trail was marked but “ It is possible that along the routes the marked signs aren’t to see any more because someone has taken them away”. Well, there were no signs after the trailhead…

The guide gave poetically descriptive directions to the caves: “The Shelters are located 100 meters from the trail in a suggestive and wild place.” Not helpful. We found only one of the caves, but it was the best one, with the most carving. Without the guide, you have no idea the cave was there. The side trail was unmarked and not well used. The cave was amazing though: only in a country as rich with history as Italy would you be able to walk right into this cave. In other places it would be fenced off with an admission gate!

Throughout the hike we could hear the bells on the animals grazing on the hillsides: goats and cows for the most part...a beautiful sound, like wind chimes...

After our hike, we drove to Peshchici, and walked around the old town, then back along the interior highway (well, on a back road looking for the highway) and then into the forest for a few kilometers before heading back to Vieste.

Bill had to do some travel business on the computer (we are coming home a few days early, since the weather is getting rainy, even in Sicily, so we’ve decided not to make the long drive there and back), so I walked back up into town, trying to stay along the cliff as much as possible. I saw many more cats than people, and some great views. I discovered that there are large grottos under our hotel!

While I was gone, Bill had a talk with Francesco, the owners’s son, and tomorrow morning we will go with him to visit the family’s huge olive groves (over 2500 acres, I think) before leaving the peninsula.


Day 19 Vieste to Lucera

We began the day as usual with a breakfast of fresh fruit cocktail, bruchetta with fresh tomatoes and olive oil from the owners’ groves, warm croissants, and coffee. We packed up and then followed Francesco and a French couple to the groves, just outside of town.

We found out that Francesco’s family has owned the hotel since 1720, having bought it from the monks. They have owned the olive groves for about the same time, I think. We started out at the lower valley, and looked at trees that weren’t quite ready for harvest, newly grafted trees (the root stock will revert to the wild ancestors if not watched), and the damage done by recent fires (which Francesco says may have been set). We parked in a field of wild fennel and the smell was so delicious...

Next we stopped by a rare sweet olive tree. It looked like all the others, but you could eat the olives right from the tree. Normally olives are inedible until brined. Amazing and delicious! Francesco discovered this when he noticed that all the olives disappeared overnight each time they were ready for harvest…he tasted one and ….they can sell for 100 times price of regular olives.

Next we visited the old family summer home in the middle of the property, on a hill. It will take about $150,000,000 to restore it, but he would like to be able to use it in the summer when Vieste is crowded with tourists. He has a new baby and a two year old…what a great place for kids! He has begun some work already. The views are wonderful from the roof!

Next we spent time in the ancient groves, planted by the Greeks 2500 years ago. The trees are amazing…Francesco is adamant about keeping things regional, and no longer sells his olives to the big companies. He has more olives than he can sell or process right now and is looking for a bigger market.

Our final stop was the oil factory, similar (but noisier) to the one I visited outside of Spoleto. We all were to part ways: Francesco was late to a luncheon with his wife, but was eager to answer all our questions, the French couple were off to the Bosco Ombre, and we were headed to Mont San Angelo, where the Archangel Michael was said to have appeared to a bishop in 490 AD, in a grotto on the mountain.

We arrived on the mountain top (covered in ugly buildings now) via a back-road where we met no traffic, except for a van and a bus, both of which narrowly missed hitting us. We had read that the town preyed on tourists, since thousands of pilgrims pass through each year., and sure enough, we were asked for a fee to park (we declined and moved the car) and to pee (I threw a small fit and declined and peed anyways since it had become an emergency situation…)

The grotto was quite amazing…more so than we expected after the dismal town. The church is built above and around it, and you go down a long stairway to reach it, with 17th century graffiti carved into the walls. There was a service going on so we were not able to really explore the grotto, but it was powerful place. I bought a pasta cutting rolling pin for a euro and some of the fake communion wafers filled with candied almonds on the way out, from one of the few open souvenir stands. There are hundreds in the town, but we only saw two open.

It began to pour as we reached the car, and we had rain most of the way down the mountain. We drove for 90 minutes to the town of Lucera, where we are staying the night. We found the first B&B on our list with the GPS, but it had no rooms. We walked 5 minutes or so to the second place, found a room, and then had 30 minutes of exasperation, trying to get there with the car…a street was closed for construction…and we just went around and around on tiny streets…but Bill finally did it, and we are here. We have a small apartment that is part of a museum building, believe it or not….there is some kind of Roman statue right outside our window….

The restaurant the owner’s son recommended is a few doors up but doesn’t open until 8:15, so we are snacking on cheese and bread and waiting patiently…

Day 20 Lucera


Our dinner last night was wonderful. The owner was so into local food, and had a hand written menu (in his hand,…we never saw it) that changed each day. He started us off with complimentary spumoni and bruscetta . We had a local wine, vegetable anitpasta, and two pasta dishes, followed by a delicious chocolate dessert made chestnut flour (which I always have wanted to try).

This morning we had breakfast in the owner’s kitchen, part of a lovely apartment overlooking two gardens. The owner’s son is 21 and speaks quite good English. They have two cats that are same color as Betty, but with long hair.


After breakfast we visited the free city museum which is in the same building as our apartment. They have a some beautiful early Roman statuary, but no photos were allowed. I managed to convey to the docent that I was also a docent. She spoke no English, but my Italian is starting to improve now that we are leaving….

We then walked to the castle, built in 1220, and improved in 1271. The history here has an interesting twist: Frederick the 2nd deported over 20,000 Muslims from Sicily to built up the area in the 1200’s and solved his Arab bandit problem in Sicily at the same time. The Muslims were allowed to build mosques, have harems, and follow their culture only 240 kilometers from Rome. This all ended in 1269 when the Christians took over and slaughtered all the Muslims who would not convert. There are just a few Islam sites remaining, and none can be visited.

We took a snack break back at our apartment, and then headed off for the Roman amphitheater, hoping not to get rained on. We got there just as they were closing for the siesta, but they let us take a quick look around. We decided to drive to Troia, a town about 15 kilometers away to look at a church that had Islamic influences in the décor. It was stunning! Next door, I had my first Nutella espresso…also stunning!

Back home, we hoped to do some shopping for dinner, but the only grocery store we’d seen was closed. We spent some time in a woman lead service in a Mary-centric chapel nearby, and then shopped once the store opened. After a dinner of grilled cheeses, tuna, tomatoes, wine and chocolate (bought from the only unpleasant person we‘ve run across on this trip), we played spider solitaire, and packed up…Last day tomorrow…we will drive to the airport area, spend the night, and head home….

Day 21 Lucera to Fiumicino

We had a very soggy day...set out in sun, but saw the storm heading for us in the distance. We drove over the hills to the coast, stopping at Roman ruins along the way. The coast was rougher and more like Oregon than we expected. Once we turned back to the autostrata (as it got dark) and drove towards our hotel near the airport, it began to really pour. We couldn't see the road at times...it was scary, but Bill stayed calm...

I may add more photos later....

Off to bed soon, and then up early to the airport to return to car and hopefully get on the 10:45am flight to DC. We hope to continue on to Seattle, but that flight is quite full...we'll see!

Thanks for traveling with us....

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Photos

Francesco and newly grafted tree
A fire came through here a few years ago.

View from our apartment window into the museum!
Lucera

Doorway to our place in Lucera
Cars passed right in front...but it was quiet at night...