Wanderlust: Bitonto

Italy 2015 - Good Friday in Italy, Battlefield of Cannae and visiting the town of Trani

We were spending the morning of Good Friday visiting the ancient site of Cannae where a battle was fought between Rome and Hannibal of Carthage in 216 BC. A visit to this ancient battlefield was a must for my dad who loves Roman military history.

When we were leaving Bitonto this morning there was a procession occurring for Good Friday. I later found out that this procession carried on all day. Wow!

Good Friday in Bitonto

The archeological site of Cannae and the battlefield are located just outside or the city of Barletta.

You have to drive past a bunch of farms and olive groves down a country road before you reach the small museum and archeological site.

Museum at Cannae

Archeological site of Cannae

There is a column marking the battle and overlooking the fields where the battle occurred.

Dad looking out over the fields where the Battle of Cannae occurred.

Battlefield of Cannae

After we were finished visiting the archeological site we drove to the seaside town of Trani. This was a picturesque town featuring a castle and a lovely harbour front.

Castle of Trani

I opted to pay admission to see the inside of the castle. Dad and Maria did not want to and so waited outside. There were no furnishings in the castle but it was neat to walk around and see the structure.

Castle of Trani

Castle of Trani - Adam and Eve

We next wandered past the scenically placed church and over to the harbour.

Castle of Trani

Trani

I wandered ahead of Dad and Maria to take photos and some fishermen started talking to me. I had no idea what they were saying but I eventually figured out through their hand gestures that they wanted me to take their picture. Maria saw them talking to me and thought that I was being harassed and came to defend me but I told her that it was fine. Here are my fishermen friends.

Trani

We found a beautiful seaside park and wandered through enjoying the midday sun that finally decided to show itself.

Trani

Maria eventually hurried me along as we had to get back to Bitonto. It was time for the "hostage handover" as I called it. Maria and Dad were officially picking up Angelica, Maria's daughter, from her father in order to take her to her grandparents house for Easter and then back to Canada with us. This handover was taking place in a park which made it seem even more like a hostage handover. lol I was left behind at the bed and breakfast for two reasons 1)they were not sure how everything was going to go down and they were afraid it was going to be ugly and did not want me exposed 2) They needed room for Angelica's luggage.

I was fine with being left behind. I got to enjoy the view from our room and take a cat nap.

Bitonto

Once they had Angelica they came back and got me and we went down to Santo Spirito for the evening. Maria's brother was going to be carrying the Virgin Mary display during the Good Friday procession in Santo Spirito so we all had to turn out for that.

Puppy at my step-grandparents olive farm

Good Friday in Santo Spirito

That night when we got back to the hotel there was a large crowd outside and it turned out the procession from that morning was almost over and would be passing through the square outside our room on its way to the cathedral.

Good Friday in Bitonto

Italy 2015 - Arrival in Puglia

After touring Lucca we caught a night train from Bologna to Bari in the region of Puglia. From Bari we would take a small regional train to the town of Bitonto where we would be spending the next several nights as we visited with Maria's family.

Since we had taken the night train we arrived in Bitonto early at 8am. We stopped at a cafe and got some pastries for breakfast and cappuccinos. We had to wait outside of our Bed and Breakfast - Porta Barasena, until an attendant arrived. We had told them we were arriving early but we were ahead of schedule.

Bitonto

When the attendant arrived we were able to check-in and access our room. We refreshed ourselves after our long night on the train and unpacked our bags.

The room and the rest of the B&B were beautiful. I have nothing but positive things to say about the service we received during our stay.

Porta Barasena

Our room was spacious and overlooked the historic square.

Bitonto

After we settled in we found where we needed to catch the bus that would take us to the seaside town of Santo Spirito which is where Maria and her family are from.

Santo Spirito

Once in Santo Spirito we visited with one of Maria's sisters. She was loaning us one of their cars to utilize during our stay. Behold the Panda! Our teeny tiny car for the next few days.

The Panda, our wheels for the rest of our visit.

We then visited with Maria's daughter and her boyfriend in the town of Palo del Colle. Angelica, Maria's daughter, would be returning with us to Canada at the end of the trip. She had returned to Italy a few years previous to be with her father and now was choosing to come back to Canada for school and work.

Palo del Colle

The day wrapped up at Maria's parents home on their olive farm.

Wanderlust

Tuesday, August 07, 2018

Italy 2015 - Good Friday in Italy, Battlefield of Cannae, Trani

Italy 2015 - Arrival in Puglia