9/13/2024 Bari, Italy
Up with the sun and wind. The wind and dry night quickly
dried out the lines and code zero from yesterday’s squall. We stowed the code
zero to get it out of the sun. While working on deck our Canadian neighbors
stopped by and introduced themselves, Doug and Sandy from Vancouver. They are
working their way to Greece where they will keep the boat for the winter and go
home to Vancouver. They shared some great local knowledge, what to see, how to
get there and where to shop.
Mid-morning we went to the office to check in. They were
well organized and already had our documents electronically, a quick check of
passports and payment for a few nights and we were all set. Alberto was very
helpful and full of good local info. It turns out he runs the sailing school
and race program here at the marina. He is an accomplished racer and proudly
shared his trophies that were on display and showed us pictures of some of his
races.
Having taken care of our business we walk into town, the
modern part near the marina, and checked out the local chandlery. The gentleman
there was very helpful and had some great ideas for how to execute a support
for my new Star Link. We engineered a very elegant solution at a very
reasonable cost. Next stop was a shop dedicated to everything to do with cleaning,
bathroom, kitchen, body, pets. It is interesting how the stores here are more
specialized, not like a Vons or a Target at home. Last stop was the Chinese
store where we picked up some sundries at cheap prices, they are unique in that
they do have a little bit of everything, and they are always open it seems. It
is cheap stuff, I bought a drill bit knowing I would get one use out of it, but
it would do what I needed.
The day was hot and windy, so staying in the shade as we
walked back to the boat was helpful. Back on the boat the wind was keeping the
air comfortable. After lunch I fabricated my new Star Link stand, very elegant.
I am not sure that it is rated for 30 plus mph!
Suzette dressed up the eggplant pasta left overs for dinner
and they were better than the night before. We made it an early bed
anticipating high wind and being up all night but slept well in spite of the
wind.
9/14/2024 Bari, Italy
Tinkering in the morning as the wind was howling outside.
The sun was shining, but we could see ominous clouds in the distance. Late
morning we rallied and caught the free shuttle into the old town. Bari is
significant in that it had a natural port, and it was on the trade route for
the ships coming and going to Venice. We ran into our new friends Doug and
Sandy, they were heading to train station and going to Brindisi to scope out
the harbor. They were antsy, like us, to make progress, but they wind, and rain
would be hanging in here for a few more days. They had the benefit of heading
south, so they could tolerate the wind from the north. We were trying to head
NW, so this north wind was not great.
The old city of Bari dates back to the 12th
century when the first church and fort were built. There are two beautiful
churches. As we wandered the very narrow stone streets we came upon St Nicolas
Basilica. Inside there was a beautiful wedding occurring, they did not seem to
mind that the tourists were circulating in and out of the church. Beyond the
church the Adriatic unfolded in deep greens and blues, we climbed a set of
steps to walk the city wall and take in the views. In spite of the wind the sea
did not look terribly rough, in fact a small fleet of Sabots (?) were out
racing. The wall brought us around to what is the old harbor, now full of
pleasure boats with a beautiful theatre overlooking the marina. Back inside the
wall it was time for a Gelato. You do not need to look for very long to find a
gelateria. We found a a colorful place, Sandrino, claiming “all natural”, we
were in. As we pondered the vast selection of flavors a little rain fell on the
square, our timing was perfect. I am a creature of habit, and I almost always
get Lemone. Suzette lingers over her selection, taste tests, and usually ends
up with some kind of chocolate and nut combination. This time it was Pistachio
and Dark Chocolate. By the time we finished our most delicious gelatos the rain
subsided and we were on our way.
Passing through one of the alleys there were three tables where local Italian ladies had set up their pasta making shop. With out even having to focus their attention they deftly cut and rolled little shells of fresh pasta. It appeared that they were set up at the front door of their respective homes. Having come nearly full circle we arrived at the corner stone of the walled city, the Norman Swabian Castle. The castle was constructed in the late 12th century and has been sacked, burned, rebuilt, expanded and remodeled all prior th the 18th century. It has been very well preserved and curated. The last occupants had the place remodeled and made into a residence more than a fort. You descend into the lower levels where there are recent archeological digs and an explanation of their findings. In the lodges they have well made films running to explain the history. This is probably one of the best curated castle tours I have seen. And they continue to renovate and preserve to this day.
Coming full circle back to our shuttle stop we realized that we needed, wanted, fresh bread, but the markets were closed until 1700, no bread. We did buy some of that fresh pasta the ladies were making, along with sundried tomatoes and these interesting sort of twisted bread sticks. The shuttle took us back to the marina. The wind had not really materialized like they had predicted so lounging in the cockpit in the sunshine was quite comfortable with a rum and tonic in hand.
Light dinner and a trifecta of games for the night. I
squeezed out 3 wins, Pinocle, train game and backgammon. I almost never win at
backgammon. The night was reasonably quiet and still.
9/15/2024 Bari, Italy
A sunny morning with ominous clouds looming off shore. The
wind picked up at about 0800 and the clouds started moving in. It is Sunday so
there is not much open, we will work on some projects today. The rain came in
spirts all day, but not a lot in total. By 1700 it was clearing so we went for
a long walk.
Heading west this time we walked toward the lighthouse on
the point. It seems to be slated for a renovation along with the surrounding
sea front walk. The sea was crashing in on the jetty sending spray high in the
air. A few intrepid souls were attempting to surf in the confused sea on SUPs.
Further on we discovered a university sports complex and a huge stadium. This is the site of the Mediterranean Games where some 21 countries compete in Olympic style sports. We walked out around the stadium; it was surrounded by what looked like several defunct factories with rusting rooves and crumbling smokestacks. This brought us full circle back to the boat.
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Dinner is always a function of what needs to be eaten since most of our food is fresh vegetables. Suzette put together a delicious Niçoise salad and we enjoyed another good Puglian wine. I think we have discovered a new favorite wine region. I spent some time in the evening sorting out where we would store the boat for the winter. Normally this task would have been done by now, but there were a few things in play.
It was Suzette’s turn to beat me at Pinocle, then a not so
quiet nights rest. The wind howled all night, but we must be getting accustomed
to it.
9/16/2024 Bari, Italy
The sunrise was spectacular, a rainbow formed in the western
sky backed by pillow like clouds. In the east a small group of clouds just
above where the sun would rise turned bright red against a backdrop of dark
clouds. As the sun rose the black clouds lit up in bright yellow and to the west
the boats looked surreal in the yellow light. A fabulous sunrise giving hope
for a better then predicted day. High wind and rain on and off were the
prediction.
We packed a bag for an overnighter and made a picnic lunch. The destination is Matera, about 100 km WSW from here. We walked into town, sans bags, to find a rental car. After three “no cars available” we landed at a travel agent, Travel Café, and they were very helpful. They made a few calls to try and find a rental car, but no success. They suggested taking the train, 6 euros and it drops you just outside the old city and no car to park. He called a cab for us since we needed to go retrieve our luggage and get to the train.
On the way to the Travel Café, we had found a great bottle
shop that had our new favorite wine. I had him package up 12 bottles. While
Suzette waited for the Taxi I ran around the corner and picked up the wine. We
loaded up the Taxi and the travel agent explained, in Italian, to the driver
where we needed to go and that he needed to wait at the marina while we grabbed
our bags. This all worked well and by 1100 we were at the train station.
A young man at the ticket kiosk explained what ticket we
needed and where we had to change trains. He showed us where to get on the
proper train. Pretty soon Suzette was explaining to others how to get to
Matera. The one-hour train ride had us winding our way through the countryside
that looked very much like California, golden brown grass and very arid. There
were expanses of farmland being tilled and olive tree groves in between. We
arrived at Altamura and changed trains like a native. 30 more minutes and we
were in Matera’s very modern and rather large train station, considering it has
one train in and one train out.
We walked into the old city, and we were immediately in awe. You arrive in the city at the top of what can best be described as a huge bowl and looking down into the city from the rim you can take in nearly all of the old city as it terraces down some 12 levels. It a rabbit warren of structures built into the rock, fronting on stone ally ways and connected by an infinite number of stairs. We navigated our way to where we thought our Cave Room was as our phones were on their last watt. We came to about the third dead end with no signage and a man stepped out of a doorway and asked if he could help. We quickly determined that we were in the right place, and this was our host. He had sent me a message on Whats App, but my phone was dead. He showed us to our room that was more like an apartment, bedroom, living room, bathroom, kitchen and loft. A couple of small windows in the front wall, but it is a cave after all. Our host gave us a brief history and a few recommendations before he was pulled away to tend to other arriving guests.
The history here remains confusing to me. This place has been inhabited by people living in caves for 10,000 years. The caves were carved out the soft limestone and made into dwellings. The site was set down in a river basin that provided water and being set down into the earth limited its visibility from passersby. They first built a church, that still exists, into a limestone peak in the middle of the bowl. As time moved on they built more and more structures arriving at what we see today. For some reason the Italian government decide in the 1950s that people should not live here, they built a new city outside the old city and relocated the people, very confusing. Eventually people moved back into the old city, renovated and thus the tourist attraction we see today. There are clearly sections of the city that remain untouched, there is plenty of opportunity to do more work here.
We wondered the stone paths and navigated our way to the
bottom of the bowl. The stone steps are worn smooth, we should have worn better
rubber soled shoes for a better grip. At every turn there seemed to be another
church, some ornate, some simple, all amazing in the construction. Working our
way up the far side it was getting to be aperitivo time, we had our fruit
picnic on the train, but all this climbing was making us hungry. Our aperitivo
ended up being a bottle of Amaronegro, caprese salad and a tasty mushroom dish.
The Amaronegro is a grape unique to the area and turned out to be a tasty
grape. Low alcohol level and a lightness made it a perfect wine for the
afternoon.
From here we continued up the hill and heard beautiful music playing. We poked our nose into an open door and found a very talented group of young people practicing a lively piece of music. The conductor waived us in, we watched and listened to an amazing performance, mostly brass with a guy on the trap set and another guy playing timpani. They were clearly rehearsing, and they were all providing input on the arrangement as they worked through the next piece, but the conductor was not satisfied and pulled the sheet music. The next piece was a Paul MacCartney song that they continued to work through.
We continued up the hill to the church at the highest point in the city, it dominated the skyline and appeared to be the newest building in the city, or maybe just the most well preserved. On the way down we stopped for a gelato. Breaking with tradition I had Cookies and Cream, Suzette…some kind of chocolate. Being the end of the season there were a few stores with big sales advertised, a colorful beach wear store caught our eye. Nothing for Suzette, but I found a great bathing suit. It was starting to get cool as the sunset, so we found our way back to our cave and changed into warmer clothes.
More walking and climbing as we took in the city under the
shifting light of sun set. I wanted a restaurant that was set into one of the
walls with a view of the city. Passing through an arched opening and descending
a number of steps we found the perfect spot to enjoy dinner alfresco. The food
was delicious and traditional. We lingered over the view then found our way
back to the cave. We watched a little You Tube video about Matera, but I am still
confused about the history.
9/17/2024 Matera, Italy
It was a lazy morning after a great night of sleep, the cave
is dark and quiet…go figure. We got on our way and caught the 1100 train back
to Bari, but not before a big black cloud dumped a bit of rain on us. We were
prepared, for a change, with our umbrella. The train was on time, and we were
back in Bari by around 1230, getting off at a station that was a little closer
to our marina. We stopped at the grocery store for a few critical items and
made it back to the boat just ahead of the rain and more high wind.
I was getting the boat ready for tomorrows departure when Suzette discovered that the pump out for her shower drain was not working properly. There is nothing like trying to access equipment on a bout. It took several hours to extricate the pump, tear it down, clean it, put back together and reinstall it. It is working for now, but probably needs a rebuild kit. At least I will know better how to do it next time. I did finish in time for my well-deserved sundowner.
Checking the weather one more time we decided to head N to
Vieste, the jumping off point for Croatia. The wind looks moderate, possibility
of rain, but should be an ok day to make progress.
9/18/2024 Bari, Italy
Up early for an 0630 departure. The wind was light, we made
an easy exit from the dock and headed north as the sun rose and the clouds were
minimal. No wind to speak of, but it was on our nose and a 1 m swell on our aft
quarter. It was slow going with a 1.5 knot current against us. We made Vieste
by about 1400, about a 55-mile run. As we were approaching, we saw dark clouds
building and the wind picked up to 10 knots from behind, but neither amounted
to much as we entered the harbor and quickly found our mooring. The sailor was
a big help, and he spoke English well. We settled in quickly and checked in at
the office. The boat next to us was US flagged, Chistine and Patrick from
Kansas. We struck up a conversation and got the lay of the land, they had been
here for a week or so and cruising for about 5 years.
This will be our jumping off point for Croatia after the
thunder storms pass tomorrow. We are a bit concerned about being able to get
some of our favorite foods in Croatia, so we set off with our wagon to one of
the bis grocery stores. We stocked up on coffee, cheeses and prosciutto. A
number of other favorites made their way into the basket as well. We trundled
back to the boat satisfied that we were well stocked, but I am sure we will
find some new favorites in Croatia.
As we were stowing our groceries when the neighbors asked if
we wanted to join them for aperitivos in town, Yes! They took us to a great
little sidewalk café where we enjoyed Compari Spritzers and a plate full of
topas. Of course, we talked sailing, where have you been, where are you going,
what have you done to your boat, and so on. As the sun was setting, we made our
way back to our respective boats and settled in for dinner. We felt very
Italian, aperitivo, a walk and late dinner. Always great to meet sailors with
local knowledge and that speak English.
From shore we could hear dueling discos, but it did not keep
me up. A calm night and a good night’s sleep.
9/19/2024 Vieste, Italy
A beautiful morning for what was supposed to be a thunder
stormy day. We set out to find a part I needed, a waterproof electrical
connector for my Star Link installation. After several hardware stores, a
lighting shop and an electrical supply we had no luck. We went into the Chinese
store for a couple odd things and low and behold they had a waterproof
connector, not perfect, but good enough for now. We stopped for a cappuccino
and some delicious pastries at a café to celebrate.
There was a beautiful outdoor market across the street that
was carrying a variety of local products, we had to indulge. There is a cheese
that is unique to the region called Catio cavallo, we saw a video on how it is
made. The clouds were moving in, and we heard thunder, time to run home, but
not before a quick stop for bread at the panificio.
We made it home just before the rain started. A good day for
mostly indoor work so I ran the wiring for my Star Link. We are now fully
installed! The rain and thunder rattled on all afternoon as Suzette made soup
and I caught up on writing.
By 1500 or so the sky seems to be clearing so we put on our
raincoats and went for a walk in the old town and our to the point where an
austere basilica is set. Cool little town with the typical narrow alleys and
steep sets of stairs. We found the castle that had been besieged by pirates,
but the citizens were holding them off for days. Well, someone struck a deal
with the pirates; they would open the gates to the pirates if they would allow
the citizens go with their gold and silver. Never trust a pirate.
Back to the boat to prepare for departure to Croatia in the morning and hoping for no pirates. Suzette’s soup was fabulous, and the fresh bread was delicious with a homemade pesto.
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