Autumn 2022

Polignano a Mare then Conversano - 23 October 2022

And - different location - same problem! Youths! You actually have to feel sorry for them that their lives are so empty that they want to upset other people late at night. Revving engines, scooter’s screeching, beeping of horns as they race past the carpark - time and time again. It wasn’t just because of us being ‘foreign’ as most of the other motorhomes were Italian. Anyway, another disrupted night’s sleep. All the hatches needed to be wide open, as it was such a warm night.

We’ve had a bit of a nothing day in the end - if we weren’t booked to see something special tomorrow (suspense!) - then we would have driven far away!

I drove today - first to Polignano a Mare - about 30 minutes. Topped up with €60 of diesel on the way - all very easy with the cash machines - was €1.855/ltr.

Sadly, being a very sunny Sunday - where we were due to park was full of cars. Shock horror - we ended up paying to park. €1 per hour, so elected for 3 hours. Just as we were leaving, I saw a woman looking in Dave’s window - was a parking attendant - on a Sunday!

Walked along the sea front until we couldn’t! Once again, lots of little alleyways - this time - some dead ends. Like Venice, but no bridges! Also lots of shops. And lots of people! Seems like the Italians like to be out and about and seen on the weekends - some in their ‘passeggiata’ mode - seems walking about is a thing to be done here!

We walked until we found the picture which everyone takes of the Lama Monachile - the pebbly cove with rugged cliffs either side, with the bridge behind it and caves at the base. We considered swimming, but it’s not very private is it! Beautiful clear sea though.

We’d found a place that looked quite nice, and not too expensive for lunch - so went back before 12 - as there were just so many people about - and we’ve learnt that places outside get filled up really quickly.

As I was driving, only Tintin had a glass of rosé. He had Lasagne, and I had an oven baked gnocchi dish with tomatoes and stracciatella cheese (from buffalo milk from nearby Foggia) - very stringy. Both were good - in my excitement to eat, forgot to take photos. €35.

Just below us was an elderly man in his red ‘sun face’ costume. It was really sweet, when people gave him money, he opened up his little chest and gave them little bags of sweets. He can’t have been doing it to earn money! I dread to think of how many photos we’re in, as we were behind him. It’s lovely to see children openly staring, as we’d like to - when do we lose that ability to do what we want? - maybe when it’s not socially acceptable!

This is an example of a typical ‘bad’ road which Dave detests so much!

Walked back to Dave, and needed to decide where to go next. Researched all the carparks along the coast nearby. Rubbish reviews for virtually all for some reason or another. Thought about going back to our carpark from last night, but thought it would just be too busy to park.

I’d watched a video about Conversano, just inland a bit - so that’s where we are - parked up in a huge empty cemetery carpark! At least it should be peaceful! Although reviews complained about mosquitoes, and dogs, cats and rodents (!) making noise all night - we’ll see!

Thought we’d better go for a walk into town. It’s like a ghost town! Hardly anyone there. Big castle, churches - lots of empty alleyways, lots of ‘for sale’ signs…

Quite a few Italian’s seem to have these 3 wheeler trucks for working. Behind is solar panels on the car port. Tintin has a good point - there’s lots of houses with flat roofs, so can’t place the solar panels there! We have seen huge solar panel farms down in Puglia.