The poor man's Amalfi Coast

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Day 16 continued Teramo to Vieste

We traveled through a warm, sunny day to the south of Italy. We took both backroads and the autostrata, staying mostly along the coast, and ending up on the Gargona peninsula this afternoon. We actually navigated right to a B&B in the oldest part of the city, without a hitch. After the nightmare of our last attempt, with the GPS and locals sending us down impossibly narrow deadend streets in Ascoli (where Bill stayed much calmer than Lynn even though he was driving…), this was wonderful…the B&B was open (much or even most of this area closes up in the winter), reasonable, and newly renovated (The original building is from the 11th century.)

We checked in, and then walked around town before it got dark. Being Saturday night, there were quite a few people out, and stores open. We bought a few glasses, some beer, and went home. We ate homemade pasta, and a local dish of grilled cheese in the hotel restaurant. I was invited back into the kitchen to see how the pasta was made. Now I can make it too...I can't remember the name for the shape though.

Something we’ve learned on this trip about the Italian language: Young people are now speaking their regional language or dialect more than Italian. We have met few people who speak English once we are away from the cities, but have been able to understand enough to get by.....no Americans in this part of Italy. It is assumed that we are English....

Day 17 Vieste, Puglia

Today we walked the beaches of the town. They are long and white, and must be packed in the summer, but we were alone most of the time, except for parasailors. The newer parts of town are a mass of holiday apartments, hotels, restaurants, and campgrounds. This place reminds both of us of Greece and sometimes Central America. It has a very southern feel.

Tomorrow we will go for a hike in the Bosco Ombre, the shaded wood.

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Photos

These are our deck chairs!
We have them on the trailer deck at home. IKEA is everywhere. This is on top of our hotel at sunset....

Snow capped mountains
We took a back road out of Teramo, and got this view in the first few kilometers.

At the coast
I wasn't sure what the sign at the beginning of this road said...but I thought it meant no entrance. Bill drove down anyway....and I later checked, and it meant no admittance..oh well...!

Coastal views from the hills near Peschici
This is just a beautiful place...much of it is national park now.

Church next to our room
I could women singing and preaching so I went in to observe. It was a Charismatic Catholic gathering, complete with laying on of hands and no priest in sight. Young women with pretty voices sang and played the guitar....

Sunset, Saturday night
Our hotel is just to the right of the church on the point.

Cliffs from below
There is an old fort on the top now used by the military.

Comments

[Mona]

Hi, Im enjoying every day with you. Such adventure and adaptability to all around you. You make traveling an art form... con carita, Mona

[breta]

Nice beach
Hi you two! So, is the beach Vieste? Could you get there by train, if you didn't have a car. I can't drive in Italy (cost and fear), but I imagine busses go there? When will you be returning to rainy Skagit. Really, it's dismal. However, you have had your share of rain on this trip, so I'm happy to see the sunny beach. I see you are both smiling! Best thoughts, Breta