A FUN DAY DODGING AROUND
TRICARICO: PACINO LOOKALIKE – AND FUN IN A BAR
25th September:
Lolly still had two days left, and we did our best to make them fun and memorable. Today was Sunday and in the morning Giuseppe took Lolly to a special church, (we think it was Parrocchia Madonna Del Carmine in Grassano.)
We had early lunch at home before driving her to the ancient hilltop town of Tricarico, where I was not surprised that one of the short statured mountain men of the region so strongly resembled Al Pacino that he could have been his cousin… It made me wonder if Pacino has family connections in this area.
HIDING BEHIND THE CASTLE TOWER
After further research I realise that in our long stay we totally missed exploring the interior of possibly the best-preserved mediaeval city of Basilicata. Nobody told us about it!
Nevertheless, we had a lot of fun with Lolly as we walked around and found, through a Roman arch, a charming row of small, very old houses hiding behind the immense round castle tower. That tower dominates the town, and has features both Arabic and Norman (crenellations around the top bear witness.)
We had a bit of fun in a bar; the very pretty girl demonstrated her command of English as she flirted harmlessly with Graham (who was very happy to join in the game). She introduced all the locals (no women, of course; they would all have been in church) and gave lessons in the correct pronunciation of Ant-Oh-nioh. Graham and Lolly were ‘having a ball’, but truth to tell, I was getting a bit bored.
WE CAN’T CAPTURE THIS CASTLE
We then went back to Miglionico, all disappointed that we could only peer inside the gateway to the noble and intact castle. Graham could not even take a decent photo.
The Normans built it in the 11th century and their style is familiar in the squared, lateral towers. (Cylindrical towers are from a later date). The interior appears altered and divided, but the fascination of this castle, intact for all its turbulent history, remains unchanged, and it is floodlit at night. We have noticed local people flocking there for some concert or other.
ALBEROBELLO AT NIGHT
A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
FUN AT THE FIESTA!
Despite the hour-and-a-half drive, Graham then drove us again to Alberobello, though we did not let on to Lolly. We wanted it to be a surprise when after parking in a side street, we walked into the town for her to see the long street leading from the Duomo lined by arches of coloured lights; the lacy, rather Arabic designs now bright and clear.
NO FUN WAITING FOR THE START
People were moving in all directions to line the street in order to see the procession from the cathedral down to the pavilion – almost invisible at the end of the long road. We waited for a while, but it was still hot, and my feet ached, and nothing seemed to be happening, except suited men ascending the steps and going into the cathedral, then coming out again.
‘Let’s go down to the bottom,’ suggested my tall Graham. ‘From the little I can see, there’s a bar there; I for one could do with a drink.’
RUNNING THE GAUNTLET OF STREET VENDORS WAS NO FUN
We girls grasped at the chance, but it was difficult to tear Lolly away from her chief fun – inspecting the stalls lining the street – especially the ones selling flashy-looking cheap jewellery and the like. How our dear friend loves to buy presents for everyone – and because it is everyone in her particular little world – (her family alone is vast, and her friends are legion, spread over heaven knows how many continents), all she could afford to buy and stuff into her already heavy suitcases tended to the trashy; though I must say, she has an eagle eye when it comes to picking out the most deceptive ‘fun jewellery’. Needless to say, her collection of fridge magnets grew in leaps and bounds that evening.
THE MAGIC OF THE FAIRY PAVILION
At last we reached the large space in front of the pavilion; really beautiful, the coloured lights making a jewelled design. One of the bars at that end had taken up a lot of the space, with outside tables and chairs. We sank gratefully into three, then Graham threaded his way to the young woman standing outside the bar taking orders.
Surprisingly soon our drinks came; I think I had a Peroni with lemon, which I have only ever been able to order in Italy and Croatia.
IT’S FUN WATCHING PEOPLE WATCHING US
We admired the Fairy Pavilion, and enjoyed ‘people watching’, especially the comings and goings setting up the band. We were disappointed that they had only just assembled on the stage by 10pm, when Graham decided we should make tracks for ‘home’, before the whole thing broke up and the streets choked with cars. (I did try to argue that the festivities would probably last until the small hours, but it cut no ice.) Anyway, Lolly, who was still recovering from a stomach operation, looked tired – not that she would not have stayed to the bitter end; she is, after all, a native of New Orleans, the aptly named ‘City that Care Forgot.’
Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.
