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OTRANTO

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STAYING WITH NEW FRIEND LUCIO

 

Meanwhile, we three carried on down to Otranto, where we had booked two nights with Lucio the hunter.  He who, you may remember, we had met when we took Lolly to eat at Peppino’s.  (Also, from the information on Lucio’s business card, our new host was quite big in banking.)

We had a very quick look around the town, which was just as well, because we had difficulty in finding the right road for Lucio’s farmhouse.  Eventually Graham ‘phoned him for directions, and we found him waiting for us on the ‘main road’ where he hopped into our car to ‘talk us’ to our destination.

The ‘farmhouse’ was quite small, but had a nice, covered area for outside living.

We were taken inside and shown to our small but attractive bedrooms, both en-suite, to refresh ourselves and change for dinner.  Afterwards, we relaxed in the comfortable lounge with aperitifs.  The art on the walls (all depicting a hunting interest,) and the large, solid furnishings, declared that this was clearly a man’s home.

 

A MEMORABLE MEAL

 

I must tell you of the memorable meal we all enjoyed.

Lucio’s girl friend was there when we arrived, and that evening cooked some very good pasta with lamb and porcini; but his friends brought the piece-de-la-resistance.

They arrived bearing an enormous dish of delicately cooked seafood, caught by them that very afternoon. We had brought wine; almost sufficient for that company – but enough wine is never a problem in Italy.  Everyone spoke English, and that meal was very convivial, with lots of laughter.  We have learned that Italian and English people have a similar sense of humour.

 

MORE SMALL TOWN APPEAL – A MOORISH PALACE BY THE SEA

 

OTRANTO - The once hotel-Mosque
The once hotel-Mosque

The next morning we found Vivien and Lucio busy weeding in his garden.  After we had managed to extract her and have a quick breakfast, we took a trip down the coast.  There was something special we wanted to show Vivien.  At the small, smart resort of Santa Cesaria Terme we stopped to look at a fabulous hotel on the edge of a cliff, which had been built to resemble a beautiful mosque, or Moorish palace.

When Graham and I first spotted it in 2011 you could see it from further up the coast.  On first sighting it was gobsmackingly strange and beautiful, painted in various exotic colours.  To our dismay, this time we found that the restoration work had ceased and vandals had helped to wreck it.  The lovely colours were all faded.  We could have cried, and the surprising impact we’d planned for Vivien was diminished. However, we bought lovely fresh figs and other fruit from a street vendor.

 

SMALL TOWN APPEAL  – IS CASTRO APULIA’S SMALLEST RESORT?

 

OTRANTO - Castro restaurant
Castro restaurant

A bit further down the road we spotted an attractive bar, just outside the old city wall.  The courtyard seating, set within  shrubs, had a good view of the water gently lapping the rocks.  The enclosure was almost full of happily chatting people, and there were good smells drifting into our car.

‘Time for lunch’, I think’, said Graham, and by mutual agreement we all tumbled out .

We found a table, and upon studying the menu, Vivien gave a cry of delight.  ‘They have a great variety of tapas,’ she announced.

That sounded perfect.  Three choices each, and we’d all share.

Well – I still remember that lunch as a mini-feast.  We were all quite stuffed by the time all the little dishes were emptied.

It was agreed that we could all do with a walk.  Of course, I was a  bit slow, and tired first, so I took the car keys and left the others to quicken their pace to take them round a bit further.  It did not take them long to circumnavigate the whole huddle of dwellings.

Bar Fonte Dei Messapi – Piazza Armando Perotti, 73030 Castro, Italy – +39 388 871 0982

 

SMALL TOWN APPEAL IN APULIA ENCHANTS - Lizard

 

LITTLE BOATS – LARGE LIZARDS & LOOMING TOWERS

 

Meeting back at the car we discussed what to do next.  Vivien said she’d welcome a really good look round Otranto.  Graham and I had already previously driven down this coast, so we readily agreed.

OTRANTO - Old-defensive-tower
Old-defensive-tower

‘Can we stop and look at one of those strange stone towers on the edge of the cliffs?’ I asked.  I had been intrigued with them the first time we’d seen them in 2011, and again, that day, on the way down.

Returning up the coast, the sun shining hotly again, we turned off the road onto a rocky outcrop which jutted into the sea.   While Graham and Vivien climbed up to look at one of the unique stone towers which line that part of the coast,  I returned to the rough track.  Looking over the shoulder-high wall I found a hidden cove huddled down amongst the base of the steep cliffs upon which we were perched.   Little boats moved lazily in and out, and a small motor boat was circling round and round, while a girl standing on the highest rock tracked it with her camera.

When the others joined me we all became fascinated by a family of lizards.  One was quite enormous.  They regarded us with the same curiosity we extended to them.

 

SMALL TOWN APPEAL – BUYING CHRISTMAS GIFTS IN OTRANTO

 

OTRANTO - Otranto-city-walls
Otranto-city-walls

It was mid-afternoon by the time we parked on the quayside.  Otranto is a very lovely town, full of diamond-flagged grand boulevards, and piazzas of pretty pinky-white stone; also those steep little streets of whitewashed houses.  There was a beautiful old castle, which I explored with Vivien while Graham went his own way to take photographs. (He has only just confessed to spending the whole time relaxing in the shade outside a nearby bar, swallowing cold beers.)

OTRANTO - Time to wander in Otranto
Time to wander in Otranto

In the upper town we found many small, whitewashed shops in the narrow lanes.   We all saw nice souvenirs, like clothes being sold off cheaply at end-of-season.   I bought some more Christmas gifts (mainly jewellery)and again wished we could have found room in our car for some of the colourful local pottery.  We may find many more examples of the potter’s art in this area if we are ever able to return.

 SMALL TOWN APPEAL – IMPORTANT TREASURE – DON’T MISS THIS – 11thC MOSAIC

 

But the abiding memory of this town is the vast 11th century mosaic covering the entire floor of the old Duomo, the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Annunciata:

This enormous work was executed by one 11th century monk.

The church is now emptied of pews and altar so that visitors can walk round the edges and marvel at the beauty and detail of this colourful and sometimes quirky depiction of ‘The Tree of Life’.  It is a beautiful cathedral with arched alcoves down one side, where we descended to the crypt, where there was a good exhibition about the history – and that of the town, too.

OTRANTO - Tree-of-life
Tree-of-life

BELIEVE ME – WEEDS TASTE LIKE WEEDS

 

Lucio’s girlfriend had left that morning, and Vivien and Lucio told us that they would prepare dinner.  We heard earnest discussion emanating from the kitchen, and wondered what they had in store for us.

I won’t say whose idea it was to serve weeds up for our evening meal – just that Graham and I later agreed (with grimaces) that they still tasted like weeds – somewhat bitter, however ECO-FRIENDLY they may be.  Unfortunately, Graham didn’t take a photo; but needless to say, his good description of the vegetables was ‘nappy-green sludge’.

 

Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.

 

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St Emilion - Feature image of St Emilion

ST EMILION

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25th & 26th November.

  

ST. EMILION – MORE THAN SUPERB WINE

 

We took a lovely country route to St Emilion, less than an hour and a half away if using the main road.

Instead, we chose a country route through some ancient villages.

The land was flat.  We felt we were travelling through a sea of vineyards.  I cannot remember now in which villages we saw not a few recognisable ‘wine label’ chateaux.  All are very famous – both for their history and the wines produced in their vineyards.

I noted Bergerac, St Antoine-de-Breuilly, St Magne-de-Castillon.

A very narrow road followed, over a small bridge and into a tiny hamlet, which announced a wine festival the very next day – Saturday, 26th November.

 

 

OUR CAR IS SPRAYED WITH CONCRETE

 

But that was after we had been deviated through the outskirts of a small town where extensive road works were underway; and in a suburban side street our car was sprayed with concrete from a mixing machine; it displays splashes on one side to this day…

 

 

St Emillion - Entering the town
Entering the town

ST EMILION – DRIVE UP THE HILL – AND YOU ARE IN the 14TH CENTURY

 

We were enchanted when we drove up the winding hill into the southern end of St Emilion. We quickly found the Logis De Jurats where we had booked a room for two nights.

Our host met us at the door.   On the telephone that morning he had kindly agreed that we could book in early, owing to our hasty exit from Chateau de Horreur.

 

 

LIKE US – THEY  HAVE LOVINGLY RESTORED THEIR OLD HOUSE THEMSELVES

 

He and his wife are Dutch.  In faultless English he explained how they had bought the attractive old house as a long-empty commercial building…

In a very dilapidated state, it had taken two years to restore and convert to this B&B, doing all the labour themselves.   Such effort we appreciated and admired.

 

 

A GREAT TRANSFORMATION

 

They had kept the stone walls, cleaned to a lovely cream shade, and had done the minimum to ‘prettify’ the building – indeed, if anything, it had a bare look.  But a décor of white walls and navy-blue door in our small room was very clean and attractive.  We felt that Ikea had helped in furnishing both bedroom and ‘cupboard’ en-suite, as maximum use was made of limited space.

 

 

GOOD VALUE B&B FOR ST EMILION

 

The rent was not cheap compared to most we had paid. Breakfast was an extra item that we did not take; but great thought had gone into seeing that every need was catered for – including a good tea and coffee maker in the breakfast room.

This was, after all, St Emilion.  One does not expect to get cheap lodgings in such a famous, exceptionally beautiful and expensive town.  And our hosts were very pleasant, and happy to chat (in excellent fluent English) on all sorts of subjects; so we were well satisfied.

Logis De Jurats:   email: contact@logisdesjurats.com

 

 

St Emilion - Hunting for the Best Wine Deal
Hunting for the Best Wine Deal

BORDEAUX – DIFFICULT TO ENTER THE OLD CITY.

 

We had all that afternoon and evening to explore the charming town of St Emilion.  The next day, my requests to go back to the little wine festival were contested (we have an agreement regarding taking turns to make choices.)

We went instead to Bordeaux, which we felt was most impressive when seen from the other side of the wide River Dordogne.  Such a pity it took ages of inching through traffic to get near the centre.  We decided not to linger; the weather was still hot and a little sweaty.  We instead returned to the large bar in Libourne where we had stopped that morning for coffee, this time buying refreshing citron pressè.   The lady serving greeted us with a wide smile, as though we were old friends.

  

ST EMILION – DO NOT MISS THE TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE

 

That evening we entered the upper end of St Emilion and discovered the impressive Tourist Information Centre behind a colonnade of stately 12th century arches (we think part of a cloister), fronting a very ancient building that was presumably once the abbey.  We did not have time to tour the famous, stately old wine cellars; but they look marvellous in the brochure.

 

 

 

 

ST EMILION – ALWAYS EAT WITH THE LOCALS!

 

At last we got over our ‘flu – and were suddenly ravenously hungry.  Picking our way down the winding, cobbled streets we passed many pretty little restaurants, but we guessed that they would charge equally pretty little prices.  So we returned to our first port of call; the Restaurant Amelia Canta in the main square.

St Emilion - The Amelia Canta Resturant
The Amelia Canta Resturant

 

ST EMILION –  RESTAURANT AMELIA CANTA. 

SO IT’S NOT IN THE TOP TEN – BUT IT’S VERY GOOD;

ALWAYS PACKED -AND IT’S AFFORDABLE

 

(We were watching our pennies; returning home from a long 10,000 MILE tour through Italy, Sicily and France).

This restaurant was always full in the three days (in late November) that we were in St Emilion.  It was constantly lively; both indoors, and outside in the large courtyard.  Best of all – it was used by a good proportion of locals. It had a wonderful, carefree atmosphere.  Both the restaurant room and the courtyard outside were buzzing with happy chat and laughter – everyone clearly enjoying themselves.

 

St Emilion - Diners at the Amelia Canta Resturant
Diners at the Amelia Canta Resturant

 

INSIDE AND OUT – THE AMELIA CANTA IS TYPICAL SOUTH OF FRANCE

St Emillion - Our Waitress
Our Waitress

 

We found the food imaginative and of good quality – plus you could order glasses of quite good wines at reduced prices. We sampled several in this way before buying bottles from local traders.

 

 

I CALL THE YOUNGEST WAITRESS ‘BILLY WHIZZ’

 

Best of all – the waiting staff were all delightful; welcoming, always cheerful, despite being run off their feet giving good service to everyone. A Special Mention for the young waitress Alexandra (see pic.).    She literally charged around as if rushing to a Rugby scrum.  In one trip she was delivering food to one table, picking up dirties from another on her way back to pick up a bill, then seating people on her way to collect payment.  She never muddled orders, was patient with boisterous children and always had a laugh and a joke. She merits an award!

 

St Emilion - Wandering the streets
Wandering the streets

 

 

ST EMILION –
AN EXCEPTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL MEDIEVAL TOWN

 

St. Emilion is an exceptionally beautiful town in a country that excels in them.  It is also one of the best-preserved mediaeval towns.  In our opinion (determined by the extent of our travels) it is rivalled only by Sarlat-le-Canéda in this respect: (not so far away, in the Dordogne).

St Emilion boasts two grand old churches.  One, in the main square, next to Amelia Canta, was built into the attractive golden rock.  To our chagrin it seemed only parties of tourists could gain access.  There are also the remains of a castle; the high tower commands sweeping views of the vast plain of vineyards all around.

 

 

ST EMILION – BUYING VERY GOOD AFFORDABLE WINE

St Emilion - Wandering the streets 3
Wandering the streets

 

 

We did not find time, and had not the money, to buy the very best vintages, so we did not get to explore the impressive and historic underground wine cellars beneath some shops – but the photographs showed them to be very beautiful.

 

 

ST EMILION – YOU CAN’T LEAVE WITHOUT WINE – FOLLOW THE LOCAL FRENCH RESIDENTS

 

 

We could not leave St Emilion without buying some of the local wine.  There was not now any room in our car for much.

In the end we went down a side street to a small, private shop, which was selling bin-ends.  We had noticed all the French bearing home baskets and bottles from it.  Now, since we have sampled it, we are well pleased with our purchases. (We do not have the details; it does not appear, like the high-end wine shops, in the posh town guide.  We suggest you treat yourself to a visit to the town and search for it yourselves – just follow the local residents! )

 

Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.

 

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Good Country Food - Feature Picture

TRICARICO – GOOD COUNTRY FOOD – TRADITIONAL CUSTOMS

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Tuesday, November 1st:

 

Tricarico - Traditional Food - Traditional Customs - Dining room
Dining room

GOURMET FARE – ‘OFF THE BEATEN TRACKS’.

 

We were going on a ‘drive of discovery’ when, close to Tricarico,  we happened on this restaurant at 2pm on All Saints Day – another Bank Holiday.  We were hungry, but expected to find the door locked.

Not a bit of it!   The first thing that caught my eye was the strange headdresses hanging on the wall.  Multi-coloured ribbon streamers hung from one; the other was black.   Nearby a log fire was blazing in the large grate, and even at this time of day, two or three tables were occupied.

 

 

WE GET A COUNTRY WELCOME!

 

Everyone looked up and gave us ‘Buon Giorno’, and the son of the house hurried to welcome us.  He offered us a table near the fire, but we thought that might be too hot.   So he placed us near some rapidly filling tables in the middle of the room.

 

SURELY A LOCAL RITE LOST IN ANTIQUITY

 

Tricarico - Traditional Food - Traditional Customs - Carnevale delle Maschere
Carnevale delle Maschere

We asked him about those long-ribboned headdresses.

           ‘Ah,’ he said. ‘Those are my father’s and mine.  We wore them for the Carnevale delle Maschere, Tricarico.  My father was all in black, with the red streamers.  He represented the bull.  I was the cow.’  Seeing our puzzled faces, he quickly explained – though by now the other local customers were anxious to add their bit.

It seems that sometime in January comes the day dedicated to the patron saint of animals. Local people take their animals (many adorned with beads and necklaces) to pass round the local church three times.  The animals then enter to be blessed.   Well, we have something similar in Britain – but not like this.  I hope I’ve remembered this aright –

            ‘The old town is awoken at dawn by ‘low’ bells: The same service is provided by drums and clashing wooden battens.  There follows a procession of men dressed from head to toe in white or black – women are forbidden.’  he continued.

            ‘The men in black wear the black headdresses with scarlet streamers down to their feet.  They represent bulls.  Those in white wear multi-coloured streamers – they are the cows. They all shake cow bells as they walk, as do the animals awaiting blessing, as bells are hung to their harnesses.’

It seems they are presently  joined by the townspeople.  At intervals there is a ritual ‘fertility dance’ between cows and bulls, with an enactment of the inevitable outcome.  Rude humour indeed. 

This sounds very primitive indeed – and reminded us of our English maypoles and Morris men.  One wonders just how universal these old rites are – and just how old?

The festival lasts several days, but the procession of ‘masks’ is repeated on the Sunday, when the procession climbs up to a chapel ‘at the top of the mountain’.  I cannot be sure, but it seems logical that is where the animals are blessed.  There are feasts also – but when was not made clear.

            ‘Do you know that Tricarico is placed on a ‘transhumance’ route?’   A man in the far corner piped up.  His English was good.  ‘Which means,’ he continued, ‘that in the proper time and place animals and men can change into each other – and back again?’

            ‘That doesn’t surprise me,’ quipped another, and they all joked in Italian.

          ‘Because of this custom Tricarico,’ Our informant resumed, somewhat importantly,  ‘–and its masks, in 2009 became part of the European Federation of Carnival Cities.  It is a founding member of the Southern Italy Carnival Network.’

  

Tricarico - Traditional Food - Traditional Customs - Antipasti
Antipasti

A TRULY LOCAL, RUSTIC MENU

 

 

Suddenly, we all became aware of filling tables.  The son of the house quickly handed us a menu and moved on.

The menu he handed us was not large – but boy, it was tempting.  Hard to choose…

After a ‘lagniappe welcome’ of buffalo mozzarella whipped with chopped hazelnuts (or was it walnuts?) we each then enjoyed a very nice, generous starter.  Graham was delighted with the quality of the varied antipasti; he particularly enjoys a slice of good, paper-thin braesola, and there was plenty of that for him.

 

Tricarico - Traditional Food - Traditional Customs - Carving the Boar
Carving the Boar

 

 

WILD BOAR – FOOD FOR THE GODS

 

 

Next we shared a mixed salad, and then were served with beautifully cooked wild boar meat and porcini. (We both chose the same because there should be a poem written about this dish – oh boy!).

 

A HIDDEN GEM WELL WORTH FINDING

 

We cannot remember if we had desserts – we were probably too stuffed.  We still somewhere have the receipt for this feast, and it was amazingly low-priced.  A hidden gem – do find it if you are travelling that way – and it’s a beautiful drive on the top road leading to Tricarico. _Ristoro_della_Civita-Tricarico_

 

 

 

Tricarico - Traditional Food - Traditional Customs - Turbines by the roadside
Turbines by the roadside

A SHORT WALK YIELDS PHOTOGRAPHS

 

After coming out of the restaurant we headed down a side road for a way.  I had pointed out to Graham the satisfying curve made by the very tall wind turbines that had been installed – rather incongruously, on that lonely road.  Even so, those stark vertical lines sweetly curving on the edge of a seeming precipice (for the ‘view’ was set well back behind them, across an invisible divide) made an arresting contrast.

 

A CRUMBLING BEAUTY

Tricarico - Traditional Food - Traditional Customs - Masseria
Masseria

 

While Graham trotted off with his camera, I dove down a steep, short track, and was soon rewarded by the charm of a dilapidated but once-gracious masseria.  It looked to be a few centuries old, but that may have been the effect of decay.

I went to join Graham and told him of my find, and when he was satisfied with his photo shots he followed me to my vantage point.  Equally enthusiastic, he took a few photos, but said he was by no means certain that the place was empty, as I had assumed.  He pointed to a TV aerial on the roof.  Being British, we were relieved that nobody came out of the house and spotted our interest.  So fond are we of this old building that we make no apologies if it has already appeared on another blog.  We think it bears a second viewing…

 

Tricarico - Traditional Food - Traditional Customs - Lone Tree
Lone Tree

 

SO OFTEN TOMORROW NEVER COMES…

 

Afterwards, we completed the short ‘new’ road into Tricarico, and this time became aware that just up from the square, behind all the parked cars, there was a complete medieval city.  However, the sky was darkening, and there were spots of rain, and the narrow, grey streets looked dauntingly steep to me.  So we left it ‘for later’.  As so often, that ‘later’ never came.  We never learn…

 

 

 

Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.

 

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