- Another Friday night has arrived, and we have had a relatively quiet week. The Lavatrice is the washing machine and it has got Adrienne’s measure – despite all her efforts only I can get it to finish the endless cycle and open it ….
-
Known unto the strega nonnas – see discussion on broom sticks - In the first instance we have had about 4 days of afternoon thunderstorms. The photo is on our way to Mesagne, (home of Auchan supermarket) – 5 minutes after this we were parked under a bridge escaping a torrent of rain and hail.
- On Wednesday we went to Alberobello, the trulli capital of the world. All visitors will be taken here – it is quite special despite all the tourists, (which we were of course more!!)
-
Across the trulli roofs 
From the steps of the cathedral 
A double storied trulli - The Italian drivers have become a source of both amusement and abject fear so I will attempt to sum up the Italian road code
- Rule 1 – drive as fast as you can, no matter the conditions, yesterday I was in a 50 kph zone, (doing 80 kph to keep up with traffic) – the BMW must have been doing 150 kph when he passed the whole line of cars on our side into the oncoming traffic who veered off to avoid a head on smash!
- Rule 2 – Never give way even when you should – roundabouts are tests of manliness, not manners! As for pulling out of side streets – fortune favours the brave. If there is a gap of more than a car length to the car in front, it is not a safety thing, it’s an opportunity for those to whom “give way” is an affront to freedom of choice, to dive right in.
- Rule 3 – park wherever you like, how ever you like, (my favourite is to angle park when it is a parallel zone, on the wrong side of a narrow street, across the footpath with your rear all but stopping anything bigger than a Fiat Punto from getting through). This is common!! We have worked out that in small towns you do not park, you just stop when you see Gino or Luisa and have a chat, duck into a shop, or just because I can!
- Rule 4 – to appear to be important you must be talking on your mobile while driving. As Italian use their hands a lot, this means both hands are often waving about, one usually with a ciggy in it. Of course you cannot indicate when you are this busy.
- I think the fact that we have French number plates has also lead to a bit of slack from the natives when my knees turn to jelly and I just stop out of shear fear until they sort themselves out …
- I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Adrienne for her understanding of the driving and undoubtedly saving us from at least two serious prangs when I just did not have enough eyes to see all the goings on around me.
- Today the weather has returned to beautiful, sunny, high 20’s, so we went to Polignano a Mare, about 60 km up the coast. I will attach some photos, but this is another “must see” for visitors.
- Lots of lovely little alleyways, restaurants and bars, not too touristy, but the town council has it all spike and span
- Our landlord, Gino, has fears for our spending. When he saw our first week’s collection of bottles he suggested we might like cask wine 🙂 He even suggested we visit his local enoteca to fill up from the tap …. 5 euros for 5 litres …. perhaps not.
- Went to the swimming pool in Brindisi this morning. The lady on the front desk has as much English as I have Italian, so I do not know if I have asked her to marry me, or she has a cousin in the Mafia!! Anyway my charades has improved and I got in. All very clean and nice, but all instructions in Italian – I noted the one lane with the Italian equivalent of “free lane”, (I know this now), and incorrectly ignored the advice and leapt into the lane reserved for the swim school – I now know the Italian for “f%^king tourist” … but “Donatella” on the front desk and I are BFF’s, so non problemo.
- Weather is looking great for the weekend, so a day at the beach tomorrow.
- Ciao for now, Adrienne will do shoes and olive trees tomorrow
Nice bit of blogging mate.
My money is on Adrienne v the washing machine.
Just reading about the driving situation is giving me heart palpitations!!! Loving the photos 🙂
I simply coukd not depart your wwebsite beforde
suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the usual
info an individual provide for your guests? Is gonna be again continuously to check out new posts http://Kingstreetexchange.org/UserProfile/tabid/1351/UserID/9637648/Default.aspx
great post, very informative. I wonder why the other specialists of this sector don’t notice this. You should continue your writing. I’m sure, you’ve a great readers’ base already!