Puglia is the Florida of Italy, with sea on both sides. So I divided this wonderful trip into three days and three places.
Day 1. Polignano a Mare. I decided to take him to Puglia because of this place. An ancient city on the cliffs by the sea. Excellent views, and an even more excellent restaurant. Ristorante de Grotte. On the sea yes. In a cave yes. Five star meal yes. Five courses yes. I knew this place would be a romantic getaway, but had no idea how much. Listen to the waves, cover yourself with a blanket, eat over dim lighting, watch the sunset.
Day 2. Alberobello. Because I am 'trulli' in love, I took Marco to see Trulli. These are cone shaped white houses that light up the brown land of the countryside. Here we were escorted into tourist soaked houses and asked to by many small model houses, while giving us samples of liquor. Appreciated the liquor, not the aggressiveness. Yet, we gratefully saw the historical side of Puglia.
Day 3. Bari. The capital of Puglia. The city of the visit. This was filled with long walks along the sea, endless seafood meals for Marco, and less than endless vegan options per io. Yet, it was a city lit by the European orange lights, that make romance easy. Who doesn't want to walk through an Italian city in the evening after dinner and wine.
Now that I am finished with work, I can travel during the week. In fact, I will take a long trip to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago. So stay tuned for my summer of travel and my big decision whether or not to stay in Italy for yet another year.
