Saturday 21 June 2014

The old world charm of Monopoli, Puglia

I sometimes worry our guests won't see the appeal of Monopoli.  That they'll be critical, ask why it is so run down, and see only plaster crumbling off old walls, doors and shutters seemingly on their last legs and paint that hasn't had a recoat in decades.  If so, I'll tell them there's so much business done here senza fattura ("without an invoice" i.e. without being declared as income), that apparently it's common practice to do up the inside of your home but leave the outside as shabby as before so the tax man doesn't come knocking to ask where the money came from to pay for it all when last year's tax return says you earned so little!  Or perhaps I'd point out that this is an old fishing town in a traditionally poor part of the country in a recession so there isn't a whole lot of money around.  Or that the salty sea air and humidity just means nothing stays looking new for long (one look at the flaking paint on our home will attest to that!).  Whatever the explanation, our little town isn't what I'd call glitzy or glamorous (unlike its neighbour up the coast Polignano a Mare - there's a post all about it coming soon) and most of the buildings look rather "ready for gentrification" but still, these are real centuries-old stone homes in the sun-baked south of Italy: to us, all the above just add to the charm and we love it!

New piazza, dreamy old run-down building

I mean, you don't get this kind of art at the front door of a church in just any town!

Very avant garde for Monopoli!

Focussing on the positives, yesterday was a lovely day.  After a productive morning problem-solving for the house, Mr RR and I headed to the beach for a couple of hours.  For him, it's the perfect way to relax - for me, it's a real project trying to make sure every inch of my super-pale skin is covered in SPF 50 before being exposed!  However, once there, the weather was just right and the sea wonderful.

Never tire of looking at the clear turquoise sea!

Later, we went for a passeggiata ("evening stroll") round the centro storico ("old town") where we live.  Being on the east coast, we don't get the dramatic sunsets over the sea like other parts of Italy, but the colours of the sky were beautiful.  Of course, my iphone can't do it justice but you get an idea.

Il Castello di Carlo V looks out to sea

Characterful archway leads to the port

P.S. Today comprised more house stuff followed by the beach.  Being Saturday and another perfect day for weather, there were lots of yachts and sailboats out - seems there is a bit of money around after all! 

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