The hotel Excelsior Congressi was a pleasant surprise! Though we had only booked on Sunday night, we were surprised to discover that many hotels were booked out, so we settled for the above in spite of the fact that Trip Advisor's reviews were poor. We later learned that a G8 summit is taking place in the city - hence the shortage of hotel accommodation. The hotel has recently been renovated and our only complaint was the lack of air conditioning!
On arrival the room's temperature measured 28 degrees and I couldn't lower it! On calling reception, I was informed that it was centrally controlled. I asked for the temperature to be lowered and reception said it would comply but on our return, a window had been opened (we're on the 5th floor) . We opened the other and as the temperature outside reduced we had a pleasant sleep until traffic resumed around 6am!
Breakfast was excellent - a selection of cereal, yoghurts, hard boiled eggs and omelettes in addition to a choice of croissants, cakes, biscuits and tarts. The coffee was excellent and the staff most obliging.
We set off to explore Bari. We walked along the very picturesque promenade outside the city walls
The Italians have a wonderful sense of style - the area suffers from sea erosion yet the defences exhibit this sense of style :
En route we discovered the Teatre Petruzzelli - one of Bari's main attractions. Here operas and classical concerts are performed.
We walked to the busy industrial port, en route we passed the Fish Market but we were too late to experience it as its busiest.
We then swung inland to discover the old town where stands St Nicholas Cathredal -
another of the city's star attractions. It did not disappoint - the altar appeared Romanesque and the ceiling was a treasure to behold.
Downstairs was the crypt of St Nicholas with his remains entombed in the altar dedicated to him.
I never knew that Santa Claus hailed from Bari - I always thought he came from the North Pole but there you go !!!
We continued to the port. It was not as large as I had thought.
On we went through the alley ways.
The old city is a living city - people reside in the ancient buildings and one considers one's mortality as the vaporettas whiz by, without any regard for pedestrians. To escape, we took refreshments outside an old bar, where local men sipped their beer.
We eventually found one of the oldest restaurants in Bari - established in 1870, the year Italy was unified.
The proprietor asked us for our choice of pasta and main course: a local dish (rice, potatoe and baked mussels in their shells), octopus or from a variety of pastas then for our choice of main - fried fish, prawns or beef.
We were then served with a starter of the most delicious prosciutto and mozzarella together with a dish of sun dried tomatoes and what appeared to be a variety of cucumber, accompanied by delicious bread.
That would have been more than sufficient but this was followed by the pasta and the local dish described above. The pasta was homemade - one saw the women making the pasta as one traversed the alleyways of the old town - mixed with a variety of fish and sweetly tasting tomatoes. The local dish was delicious - I have never seen it on an Irish / Italian restaurant. (My apologies dear reader but I forgot to photograph the pasta course!!!)
Then came the main course of fried octopus and calamari for CC and prawns for me - 3 large prawns lightly grilled.
All this food was consumed with a bottle of water ( water is as expensive as wine), a jug of white wine for CC and red for me - no wine glasses - water glasses had to suffice!!!
As if that wasn't sufficient, the meal concluded with a plate of deliciously sweet strawberries and a custard filled pastry!
Total cost €23 pp. - a steal for quality!! I couldn't move - we had intended to have a light lunch but alas!! Our waiter, who spoke excellent English, asked me where we were from. He was very excited to hear we were from Dublin. When I told him we had flown to Bari directly with Ryan Air, he couldn't believe it. I don't know how long Ryan Air have been flying in here but it is obviously not well known among locals. He is now going to visit his friends in Dublin!!
However, a little later, I managed a small cone of chocolate ice cream - it wasn't small but I couldn't leave Italy without having had their delicious ice cream!
En route to the hotel, we took a coffee at the station - two Americanos €2!! We returned to the hotel to await a taxi to the port.
We had to check in at 1730 for the 1930 sailing. We were taking the Superfast Greek ferry to Patra. We were able to board immediately.
We're now here in our cabin relaxing before we set sail.
We boarded early and as I relax here in the cabin, a large group of very vocal Italians, school kids I'd wager, appear to have taken over the deck. The Italians are so dramatic but I love to hear them speak their language with such expression and gesticulation. It is such a beautiful sounding language.
We went up on deck to watch the trucks load. It was a sight to behold how the drivers reversed on and parked so close together!!
The sunset was spectacular and as we departed Bari a half an hour late, before departure, it had disappeared into the horizon - the light was fading quickly - there's no dusk here.
We leave Italy behind and arrive in Patras , Greece on the Peloponnese tomorrow morning.
More tomorrow......
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