Gravina to Venice to Foggia

From Grivina we head back to the Adriatic coast to Trani. We rode mostly on back roads through agriculture areas.  So much better then the busy highways. Planning the route before going makes it easy to find the less travelled roads which makes for a much more leasurely ride. Yeah for GPS!  Along the ride there were many family parties we wish we could stop and join. But alas, we weren't invited! But we did run across a number of people picking something along the roads and fields.  What could it be? We finally stopped and asked and found out it was wild asparagus, so of course we had to try our luck in finding some.  We were able to get quite a nice bunch which we later cooked with tortellacci, a type of filled pasta, that Jim's Nonna used to make when he was a kid. We still make them at the holidays. Yummy!

The first wild asparagus we picked. The pickings got alot better as the day went on.

Asparagus tomatoes and Tortellacci

Into Trani on a Monday, we thought it would be quiet and easy, but it's Easter Monday, an Italian holiday, thus all the parties along the way. Shoulder to shoulder people everywhere until late, late, late. Moms, dads, kids, old people, young people everywhere. 

Trani was a nice town that we enjoyed exploring. Besides the waterfront there was a beautiful park to sit and enjoy the sun and finally really warm weather. 

A beautiful park in Trani

Leaving Trani we headed inland to Cerignola. Just a few kilometres from Trani we started to see marble slab companys that took the marble from the local quarries and made large slabs used in counter tops and flooring and smaller tiles. While taking a picture of one of the facilities a gentleman drove up on a fork lift. He inroduced himself as Mimmo and after talking to him he offered to show us the plant. Mimmo was a 3rd generation owner. Very interesting to see how raw marble blocks are cut and polished. It takes about 7 hours to cut one large block into 1 inch slabs. Some of the equipment was original, but over the years computer technology has come along to make the cutting more accurate. 

On the road again we followed the water on gravel and poorly paved roads. Still much nicer then the main roads and we see so much more. Like cactus. Lots of cactus with lots of thorns. Flat tire number 6!

On our way to Cerignola once again we start to head inland. Winding our way through agricultural areas with fruit trees starting to show life. Pink, white and purple blooms along the route. 

Thanks to our host at B&B Moccia, his recommendation lead us to a fantastic meal. Everything we had was totally different from what we've been eating, even though it was traditional Puliga food. We started with a sea bass appetizer then green pasta with smoked fish. Wonderful! Then the owner Rosario, asked if we would like some fresh ricotta that his friend had just brought to him. It was served with nuts on top and along with the chocolate and grappa he gave us it was the perfect ending to a delicious meal.

On to Foggia. Oh, but wait! Flat tire number 7!

It's the thorns - again.  So glad we don't live in cactus country.

We ride again on a lot of farm roads through fields and even found a poppy field. In every direction we see wind turbines and a few solar panel fields. Nice to see all the alternative energy. The weather is actually hot and sunny! 

Entering Foggia we thought that it was not going to a favorite stop. It seemed a very run down city, but after doing some exploring we found some really nice areas. Night really comes to life after 8pm until very late. Crowds of people, old and young alike stolling around and socializing until way after midnight. It seems to be a nightly thing, not just a weekend thing.

3 bags of produce. It only cost 10.87€ or about $12 US.

We did have a hard time finding a fruit and vegetable market and the bread and meat markets that were so plentiful in the other towns. We did finally find them and bought enough food to cook several meals in our apartment and have leftovers too. Fruit and vegetables are very good quality and very inexpensive, as it's been throughout Puglia. 

Lucera

Castle in Lucera

A poppy nymph.

While in Foggia we decided to take a day trip to Lucero, about 30km away. What a treat to ride without the extra 30+lbs of weight that we carry in our panniers. A little like driving a sports car rather then a truck! It was a beautiful sunny day and Lucero was a beautiful little town.  On the edge of town was a castle built in 1233 that was once a large fortification for the area and there is also evidence that the city dates back to the bronze age. A nice Sunday ride.

Our reason to head north of our starting point in Bari was to ride around Gargano National Park.  Gargano is a very mountainous area with a lot of windy roads. We thought if worst came to worst we could possibly take a bus up and ride down, but we found out we couldn't do the buses with bikes unless they were in bags. And because of a little hip problem on large hills, I (Devon) didn't think it would be a good to stress it. So plan B.

We decided to leave our bikes in Foggia and hop a train to Venice for 5 nights. The fast train was non stop and took 6 1/2 hrs. On arriving we hopped on the only mode of transportation in Venice, the ferry. A little confusing figuring out which one to take however. Is it the number 1 or maybe the 4.1 or even the 4.2?  We'll we got on one that looked like it was going to our stop and it was right.  A few days of riding the ferries and we're pros! 4.1 goes one way. 4.2 goes the other way. The 1 makes different stops and 5.2 is way faster.  But we didn't do just the ferries.  We walked and walked and walked. We put on over 40 miles in 4 days on an island that's only 2mi across! Venice really is an amazing place. Doesn't seem possible it could be have been built on the water, let alone still be standing.  Although there are a number of very leaning buildings. 

The Grand Canal

A beatific church  on the Grand Canal.

An enchanting evening on the canals.

A trip to Murano to see the glass was a bit of a disappointment as all the shops were definitely geared to tourists with all the trinkets.  No real art to see by the masters. Another trip to Burano where the lace is made was also a little too touristy for us. Even though we're one of those tourists, we don't like being tourists!  But it was still fantastic and so different from what we're used too.

Sunset view from our apartment.

We stayed in a great apartment just down from San Marco Square, at the end of the Grand Canal. So fun to watch all the boat traffic right outside our window. We were able cook some really nice meals and avoid the expensive restaurants of the city. One of the most unusual things we picked up at he fish market was canocchia pannochia (squilla mantis). We've had some odd sea food in our life and these were definitely strange to look at but delicious. 

We had four days of great weather until the morning of our departure, then a downpour to the train station. We've been so lucky to dodge the rain when we really needed to. As our neighbor at home says we have "shit house luck",  or like our friend Stu says "it's better to be lucky then anything else", but either way luck has been on our side! The rain gear has only seen the clouds a couple of times. 

Heading to the train stain on there boating bus system.

Back to Foggia to get the bikes and hit the road again.  We're missing them!