Tuesday 29th October  2024

Matera to Salerno

No mist this morning just a lovely 700am sunrise to greet us and say farewell to Matera.

A last walk down to the piazza beneath the Church for an Italian finish to the breakfast. Sitting at the table the ‘Flood Zone’ sign gave an explanation as to what happens when it rains with only about 5 roads along where water can escape.

Last walk up the POC hill, with no cross just some aches and pains to bear.

The boys next door were in full swing on the renovation using their mini tank treaded vehicles to ferry stuff up the hills. It’s going to be one big hotel with magical views when finished.

We packed up and hauled our gear down to the parking lot to meet our taxi for the 25 km trip to the railway. Already one person aboard who was introduced as family- we would call it double dipping back home.

It was a spectacular ride for many reasons with breathtaking views, amazing dexterity to drive at 30 km over the limit and flick through phone messages and overtake on blind corners.

Arrived at the station with a peculiar sign above the door ‘Aliens Welcome’. Presuming we qualified. Made me wonder if that is why the Police checked our passports in Lecce.

We paid the fare which seemed to be based on the cheap airline pricing model. Base Fee+seat+luggage+people+call out+kms+time, just thankful we didn’t have a pet. No change out of €70.

As I said to Jane never trust a taxi driver with only 7 tattoos on his fingers- he is saving up for the last one to finish love / hate.

The train trip was 3 hours of continuously changing landscapes and with very few passengers to start with it was a matter of changing sides of the carriage to maximise the view. As with other parts of Europe you only needed to look at the top of the hill for a church or a castle.

Seems that TrenItalia has no problems with staffing as our tickets were checked 3 times by different staff.

Had a 20 minute wait at one station but the driver was able to pick up time as we zoomed along at 150 Kms an hour.

Arrived in Salerno which is dwarfed by some pretty serious mountains and found our way along smooth paths to our apartment. A bit of a science experiment to get in and then an elevator ride of 1 person and luggage at a time. 

Apartment was a case of you get what you pay for.

Popped out for a snack and a beer and watched the world go by with a gaudily dressed hooker plying her trade and local Africans doing the rounds of cafes and bars selling their wares.

We went for a long walk along the seafront with several liners at one end and the other craft packed into a marina down the coast. Many of the seaside attractions were closed and the beaches were far from welcoming  with many littered with rubbish.

One interesting ocean pool had starting blocks from 1 to 12, but the outside lanes were a distinct disadvantage being pointed into the rocks.

On the return journey the setting sun sillouhetted one of the liners leaving port. On the other end of the scale a bunch of youngsters were hauling their Laser boats out of the water after a late afternoon race. Sharing the wharf were fishermen cleaning their catch and another group having an animated game of cards.

Back in the main thoroughfares the locals had commenced the family strolls. We joined in before stopping for an Apperitivo and eventually discovering the best typical restaurant on tour.

We were in a narrow laneway with murals painted on the walls and the table had the checked tablecloths and non matching chairs- the only thing missing was the TV with the quiz dhow screening.

We were served by two dolled up older ladies with fingernails that would make a good back scratcher, who taught us how to embrace the WiFi menu and even offered their phones. Food was plonked on table Mum style with a smile and “please enjoy”.

Servings were generous and food tasty, even tastier was the gratis meloncello which was served out of a used small spirits bottle and in Grandma’s  best cups. Grandma sure new how to extract the alcohol content. Our wine was served with a dash of flair with no  ‘ would you like to taste.’ It was cooled in an iced stubby holder.

It was the absolute antithesis of last night and will be one of my lasting memories of Italy.

I think we had a yummy dessert before heading home at 940 with little kids still roaming the streets.

Got home and squeezed into the built for 2 lift and then spent the night in the middle of a very saggy bed- think I will wake up with a bagful of sore ribs after the gentle ‘ move over’ nudges.