Is a month enough?

This blogger is officially BACK.

Back in her hot, stuffy apartment, with both her coffee and pizza needs well and truly satisfied. For now. And also back at her computer, ready to continue filling you in on all things southern Italy related. Well, apart from today, that is. Today's post is actually a celebration, if you will, of all things British. I have spent the past month enjoying not only the delightful English weather (not even a hint of sarcasm there...it really was delightful) but also great British wit, British television and of course, British food. Ladies and gents, behold: A month of the UK-in pictures...

Breakfast in the garden. YES, it was actually possible!

Tea time, obvs.

My aunt's curry. Not to be missed.

MASSIVE YUM. That is all.

Yes, I actually witnessed this. Absolutely incredible...and oh-so-sad for Eastbourne.

Summer school fun and frolics

Relaxing at the Great British seaside.

This is what teachers do on their afternoon off.

Brunch at Bill's.

Erm...

Exciting camera angles.

Post cocktail, bus stop shenanigans.

If you haven't tried Mix-ups...I urge you to. NOW. But beware, it's far too easy to scoff the whole packet in one go.

Erm...shop much? High street, I salute you.

As I departed Bristol airport on Saturday afternoon (after a torturous wait at security, which thankfully didn't involve a strip search of any kind but DID involve me almost exploding with impatience), I took a moment to reflect on whether I was actually ready to come back. It's always difficult saying goodbye, and leaving behind the country in which you grew up, with which you are familiar and where everything is just easy, but usually I'm well and truly ready to return to Italy. This time however, I was divided. I couldn't wait to enjoy some Italian summer, eat some real pizza and get back to my comfortable, albeit stuffy, apartment. Yet I had had a great time in the UK: friends, family, fish and chips and Primark (sorry, that last one wasn't in keeping with the alliteration but you know...it deserved a place on the list). Had a month been enough? Would I have started to really crave Italy after even just a couple more days? Who knows. For now however, I will not wallow in my thoughts, and will begin, once again, to eat my body weight in gelato, torte, and tomatoes...

'So, when are you going back to the UK?'

This, dear readers, is one particular question that I am getting rather tired of answering. Why? Because I simply DON'T KNOW. The summer has arrived, and when the summer arrives, there are several things that I always do: I consume even more gelato than usual, I like to go to the beach and, perhaps most importantly, I travel home to the UK for a few weeks to see family, friends and generally catch up on all things Britain (yes, this includes eating pork pie, watching ridiculous amounts of Poirot re-runs and reading gossip magazines-a plenty). So why haven't I booked my flight? Why aren't I already getting my jumpers and jeans ready to put in my suitcase? (yes, that was a dig at UK weather...my bad). I haven't done any of this because: I don't have a PASSPORT. Yes, I too, along with thousands of other disgruntled Brits, have been affected by the big passport backlog. A simple passport renewal which was supposed to take four weeks, has now taken almost seven and I am starting to get, well, somewhat MIFFED.

Bless all of the concerned Italians, who say things like: Can't you use your carta d'identità? (no, it isn't valid for overseas travel). Can't you call the British ambassador or some other official here in Italy? (no, because all of the passport business is now done directly in the UK, not here in Europe as it was done in previous years via a hub in France, if I'm not mistaken) and my favourite? Do you not know anyone in the passport office? Does your dad know anyone? Can't you call in some sort of favour? No, dearest Italian friends, I cannot, for the UK bureaucratic system (unlike the Italian one...) doesn't really work like that. I'm then met with a load of blank faces, because people can't quite get their heads around it all. But...it's the UK! They say, gesticulating wildly. You are all so organised and efficient and proper! Indeed, UK, aren't we just? Aren't we JUST?!

So here I am. Sat in my hot apartment, wasting all sorts of time checking the 'passport tracking system' online. I even called them, twice, and despite the fact that I was spoken to by a VERY polite Irish man (whose name I didn't quite catch because, typically, I live in a place with atrocious phone signal) who told me that I was UNBELIEVABLY patient (yes, yes I am. For now) I still know NOTHING. NIENTE. NICHTS.

My application is, and probably still will be, 'in progress' for the foreseeable future (Yes yes, aren't I just a negative Nancy. Well, can you blame me?) That is, unless some nice, sympathetic person reading this knows someone who works for the UK passport office...

No, I don't want four thanks...just one will do...

Hello April!

Well can you believe it. It's actually April now. A whole week into April! (Don't worry, not all of this post will be in short sharp sentences which express my disbelief at how quickly time is passing by). Soon, the Spring will be in full flow (it's got off to a pretty good start) and then of course, those long, balmy days of summer will arrive. This (pasty) Brit absolutely can't wait. There comes a point when getting all snuggled up in comfy warm jumpers, drinking hot chocolate and enjoying hearty soups gets a bit, well, old. For the last month or two I have been impatiently waiting for warmer days where I can switch to a light jacket and enjoy daylight until 7pm.

Two Sundays ago, myself and my man headed to Termoli, which is a lovely resort town in Molise; just north of the region of Puglia. In the Summer it's packed with people and a hefty dose of international tourists too, who can't get enough of the gorgeous beaches, lively bars and seafood restaurants. The well-restored historical part of town is the perfect place to have a nice little stroll (whether it's summer or winter), and this is exactly what we did that Sunday afternoon; ice cream in hand of course. We weren't the only ones who had this idea however, as the town was absolutely packed with people. It seems as though I'm not the only one who is craving that Spring feeling! Here are a few photos that I took (minus the hoards of people of course). Isn't the sea so beautifully calm?

Have a great week! :D

Caves, Culture and Cuisine: Marvellous Matera

Last Saturday lunchtime, following a morning of absolute CHAOS teaching a group of young children in a local primary school, myself and my wonderful man made a break for it, and headed away from our little town for the weekend. Our destination? One of the oldest towns in Italy: Matera.

Matera is famous for its stone houses, or 'sassi', that are built into the rock face and have been inhabited for thousands of years. While the town has now become a glittering gem of the region of Basilicata, it wasn't always this way. The living conditions in these houses were cramped and dire, as 10 or 11 people (there were around 20,000 in total in the sassi) would usually live a small 'house' (which was more like a cave) and share their living space with animals. They had no heat or sanitation, and if that situation wasn't bad enough, they also used to conserve the animal excrement to use as fuel. Pongy or what??

 You may be thinking that, OK, hundreds of years ago this may have been a rather 'normal' situation for poor and working class citizens, but unbelievably, this was the situation in the 1930s and 1940s. This extreme poverty here was finally brought to light during this period, and Matera and its sassi became a huge embarrassment for Italy. In the 1950s a relocation programme was put into action, with sassi-dwellers being moved to newer, less dirty and disease-ridden parts of town. For a long time the caves remained abandoned, but in the 80s, a revival truly began, as the stone houses were bought, and re-modelled into cool cafes, bars, restaurants and B&Bs. In fact, in 1993 the town of Matera actually became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now if that isn't an impressive turnaround, I don't know what is!

OK, history lesson ends here! Myself and my man were gobsmacked at the former living conditions in the sassi, and paid a few euros to enter one that had been decked out in 1930s style- fake horse and all (Casa Grotta di Vico Solitario). We listened to a guide talk about the dwelling, and made several appalled expressions at some of the animal excrement comments that were mentioned.

See that room at the back? Yep, that was where the smelly stuff was kept...

But what impressed us the most, was the sheer beauty of these sassi; looking out over the rock face at all of these small caves, especially when they were lit up at night, was just incredible. There were plenty of viewpoints to stop at, as we explored the winding streets and passageways of this historic town, so we managed to get plenty of great photos.

Our B&B was called Alle Malve and was located on Via Bruno Buozzi, right in the centre of the sassi. The owner was helpful and accommodating, as she gave us an easy to follow map and, the following day, a lovely breakfast of homemade cake and biscuits, as well as the standard coffee and croissant. Despite being located in an actual stone cave, the bedroom wasn't at all humid; in fact, it was lovely and warm.

On Saturday night we had hoped to eat at local restaurant 'Il Pico', which my lovely friend Ali (http://cilentofairytales.blogspot.it/) had recommended to me after she and her hubby had dined there during their stay in Matera. However, we couldn't get in as it was full, so instead we headed to 'Soul Kitchen'; a wonderful little place located in one of the sassi, where you can enjoy local dishes and very good service. We tucked into a chef's speciality plate of antipasti, which included local burrata cheese, radish and mushroom salad and a strange (but absolutely delicious) baked ricotta dish. We then followed it with a primo of pasta with sausage and mushrooms. The wine was also local, and of good quality, as we didn't suffer from any form of headache the next day!

Delicious anipasti

On Sunday morning we went for another stroll around the town, and also checked out the Museo d'arte Contemporanea and the Chiesa di San Pietro, before stopping for a very tasty coffee at Kiev Cafe on Via Bruno Buozzi.

Chiesa di San Pietro Caveoso

Our trip to Matera, albeit brief, was simply fantastic. What an incredible place, and only about 2 hours from where we are in the province of Foggia. As well as the delicious food, warm hospitality and unbelievable history, this is also the place where Mel Gibson shot his film The Passion of the Christ. If it's good enough for him....

Perfect Puglia

Well, would you look at that...it's now March! Doesn't time fly? And, as per usual (oh dear!) this Brit is way behind on her blogging...

A couple of weekends ago, it seemed as though Spring had already sprung here in Puglia. The sun was out, the sunglasses were on, and the thick coats were off. Myself and my man were incredibly lucky, as we had chosen this particular weekend to go on a little trip down to the beautiful Baroque city of Lecce (often named the 'Florence of the South', and it's easy to see why). We were blinded by the sun all the way down and even OPENED up the windows to let in some air, as the car was getting pretty hot. In FEBRUARY. Anyway, we had chosen to say at the Risorgimento Resort in the city centre; a rather chic five star hotel. And before you start thinking that I have rather extravagant tastes in accommodation , I actually stumbled across this place on Booking.com back in December, and snapped up a great price for that weekend. Myself and the Italian were very impressed, even if the staff weren't the friendliest bunch.

comfiest. bed. ever.

From the Pasticceria 'Natale'. I simply URGE you to go there.

We relaxed, drank coffee, ate delicious cakes and explored the city; in short, we had a wonderful (albeit brief) time in Lecce. Check out my recent article on charmingitaly.com if you want to know a bit more about lovely Lecce: http://www.charmingitaly.com/article/luxurious-weekends-in-lecce.

When Sunday rolled around, and we (very reluctantly) rolled out of what may be the biggest, most comfortable bed I have ever slept in, we said goodbye to Lecce and headed towards the seaside town of Polignano al Mare.

A visit to this little town, which is located right on the Adriatic sea in the province of Bari, is an absolute must for anyone who has the pleasure of visiting Puglia. Not only is is packed full of history, as it has been around since prehistoric times, but it is also home to cute little shops, restaurants and pavement cafes. Make sure you take time to wander around the windy little streets and read all the arty little messages that have been painted into the stone.

Next weekend we will be heading down to Matera. It is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, and home to the famous 'sassi' (stone houses). Roll on Saturday!

Post Office? I think I'll pass....

Good morning from cloudy Puglia. (Yes, that's right, the sun doesn't ALWAYS shine here...)

The thing that I'm going to talk about today is one that I have almost certainly mentioned more than once in the past. The topic in question is the quick, efficient, helpful organisation that is the Italian post office. In case you didn't quite pick up on it, those three preceding adjectives were positively dripping with sarcasm. I'm not what you would call a 'fan' of the Italian post office. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that I have a EXTREME dislike of it (I don't like using the word hate. Except when talking about One Direction of course. Anyway.) My reasons are numerous: slow service, lack of efficiency in any shape or form, slow service, largely unhelpful staff (in my local branch anyway), slow service and disrespect for customers. It is the latter that I wish to draw attention to today, as I recently witnessed something really quite surprising, even by Italian post office standards.

The story played out something like this: Bumbling my way into the packed post office, I saw an old guy waiting to speak to someone in the back office- I guess he wanted to discuss his account or something similar. Seeing that another guy, who also wanted to speak to someone, was about to push in front of him, he (rightly) said 'I'm the first one. But the customer service man has gone for a coffee. He'll be back soon I think'. Right. Other guy retreated and seemed fine with this. OUT FOR A COFFEE though? It was heaving in the post office. But, whatever. Italians like coffee. They clearly need it to get through a morning of pushy post office go-ers. I get it. Five minutes later the customer service guy returned, but didn't call in the next customer.  Oh no. He proceeded to stand outside and chat to other colleagues while this poor old guy was just waiting. Then, THEN, the second man in the queue goes out to the customer service man and starts talking to him, clearly about his own post office issue. The cheek! The man obliges and seems to be serving him first. Still with me? Good. By this point, the old man was getting pretty irate. Grumbling (and rightly so) to everyone who would listen. He then went outside to this guy, shouted a bit and made some hand gestures. Ten minutes later, when I left the post office (thank God), he still hadn't been seen. (His  hand gestures may not have helped...)

Sometimes, I just don't get it. I love how laid back southern Italians are, but when it becomes disrespectful? No thanks. All of my correspondence will definitely be in electronic form from now on methinks. And let's hope that the old guy isn't still waiting for his turn.

In other post-related news, I had the joy of receiving (albeit a good two weeks late...again, thanks Italian post...) a wonderful card from my friend in Canada. This friend runs an absolutely wonderful bike tour company (see my write up of the tour I went on HERE) and is one of the most positive, inspirational people I've ever met. And doesn't she have great taste in greetings cards?!

karamiaitalianadventures.com

 That's all for now folks. Over and out.

Changes.

When a new year begins, it's a great time to make some changes. Whether it be something important like your job situation, where you live or even your general outlook on life; when January rolls around, what better time is there to change it up a little.

Now, before you think this is going to be a wonderful, positive thinking, inspirational blog post, you are a little mistaken. Because, dear readers, I'm going to write about my HAIR.

One of my changes this new year, is my hair colour. Now, men, you may not quite understand this, but you ladies out there certainly will; a change of hair colour is a big thing. Last April, I went from brunette to blonde. I liked it, it was fun and interesting, but there was a drawback. Yep, you guessed it: ROOTS. My hair grows like weeds (what a nice image) so even after two weeks, there would be a dark line ruining my barnet. So, this year I have returned to brunette. It's easier to manage and there are no pesky roots to speak of. However, it seems that (Italian) public opinion is somewhat divided. 'You looked better as a blonde!' 'Why have you changed?' 'You've ruined your whole life!' OK, the last one is made up, but you get the gist. Anyway, my point of writing (yes, there is a point...at least I'm sure there is...) is to emphasise the fact that Italians simply have a habit of TELLING THE TRUTH. If they don't like it, they'll say so. See here for a post that I wrote after having turned into a blonde. You will see some similarities. 

Anyway, here are a couple of  photos of me and my deliciously dark hair. You may think that I DID look better as a blonde, but personally? I prefer the dark side ;)

selfie.

not selfie.

OK, I know, that last one isn't of my hair but I just HAD to include it. Last night's indulgence: chocolate and pistachio cake. Erm, yes please.

Buona domenica!

Buon anno...

To all my readers, fellow bloggers, and those of you who have only just stumbled across by little webspace, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Yes, I know it's a little late what with it already being the 8th and everything, but the year still feels nice and new to me. Stretching out ahead of us, full of promise and countless opportunities to explore, discover and of course, eat delicious things.

Talking of eating (which I almost always do), like many other human beings I have definitely indulged over the Christmas period. My trip to the UK was filled with family time, seeing friends, watching Sherlock and eating my body weight in Celebrations/Heroes/Christmas cake. But during the festive period, I deem it NECESSARY to enjoy yourself when it comes to food. Especially if, like me, you have 'suffered' (ahem) 5 months of pizza, pasta and mozzarella- a chicken curry and big helping of Christmas pudding are essential to break the routine a bit. As usual, I got rather snap happy with my food when I was at home in the UK, so feast your eyes upon these beauties....

I may have eaten most of what you can see here in a very short space of time....

YES, I definitely do eat my vegetables!

Coffee with a friend at Cafè Rouge (oo la la)

More coffee, this time with a nice helping of carrot cake

Best way to enjoy eggs? Benedict style of course.

No words are necessary for this.

 Although believe it or not, it wasn't all calorific indulgence.

A cold walk on Christmas day...

..plus dog of course

.

Well, when in Britain...

It had been a good few months since I'd been back home, and I have to say that I really felt the difference. Obviously the people surrounding me were no longer all chattering in Italian and gesticulating wildly, nor were they taking quick coffee shots before getting into their cars and failing to use their indicators at ANY point during their journey, but I did notice that the Brits just seem to be more controlled. Sometimes unnecessarily so, sometimes rightly so, but definitely more respectful of rules in general. This is something I both miss and have come to dislike at the same time. I have said this a million times, but living down here in the south, people are a little more 'relaxed' in all areas of life. They walk slower, take their time, don't worry about being late, eat later and don't even understand the concept of a queue. One day during the holidays, as I was standing in the queue in Boots, I found myself eyeing everyone up; ready to pounce if someone wanted to steal my spot in the line. Then I remembered that I was in BRITAIN, and we Britons know exactly how to queue. We're experts at it. Anyway, in short, I think it's fair to say that Italians and Brits are just different people. Who'd have known...

And now I'm safely back in the sunny Boot, willing to see what 2014 may bring. I don't exactly have any new year's resolutions, but I do want to continue travelling and explore this wonderful country. The political and economic situation may be troubling to say the least, and they may not have Miniature Heroes, but no-one can deny just how beautiful Italy really is.