A day in the southern Italian Valle d’Itria. We drove south thinking we would stop first in Martina Franca. I don’t know why it was so crowded and busy, perhaps because it was Sunday and all the locals were coming and going to church, but we could not find a spot to park so we journeyed on through Locorotondo, stopping to take a few photos of the white-washed town the surrounding landscape with numerous stone walls, Trulli (several clearly very old and uninhabited). The skies were full of big billowing clouds with some sunlight and we were grateful it was not raining.
We drove on towards our next destination – Grotegglie – to see the ceramics they are famous for. The very windy road wound through olive groves and countryside and we enjoyed the drive. Whether it was because it was Sunday, or we got there too late (after 1:00), most of the studios and shops in the Quartiere delle Ceramiche were closed. One, however was not. Housed in an ancient building carved into the rock, Giuseppe Franco invited us to look around at the huge old historic kilns and crevices. He was a character and took a liking to me when he discovered I was Pugliese and insisted on multiple photographs – it was hilarious.
Next stop Taranto on the Gulf of Taranto. Our first goal was to eat a meal – we shared some pasta with fresh clams and mussels, and some fried baccala (mild fish), then headed down the hill to see where fishing boats come in to the harbor. Bought some olives from an olive (and taralli) stand ( we are discovering they are all over Puglia), walked along the waterfront and then up through the “rough” part of town – the oldest buildings, many of them in terrible shape but available for one euro if you want to buy one! Super interesting but it would cost a fortune to fix one up. Some were even braced with steel beams. Back up to the gulf side and then we headed “home” by way of Locorontondo. I wanted to buy a bottle of primitivo and other town was so lovely – with its narrow streets and the evening light on the white-washed buildings. A lovely day with my daughter, all around.
historicaresearch.com 