Tivoli & Spur of Italy

Bus Time on a Rick Steves Tour

Giuseppe

Monday, April 23

Tour: Day 3

Today we meet our coach and its driver!

Meet Giuseppe, our bus driver. Caterina’s thrilled he’s our driver because he’s exceptional at driving over the mountains and on the "Mama Mia!" Road (the treacherously twisty Amalfi Coast). We’ll also discover he’s an engaging and lively dinner partner. He’s part of our “family" now. By the way, each time he fills up the 400 liter tank it costs about 600 euros!

As for bus time, every guide we’ve had on a RS tour has used it to educate us about the country, its people, culture and history. They've also:

spiced this all up with storytelling, music and food.
allowed us time to relax, visit with tour members, read, and view the stunning scenery.

Now we're off to Tivoli!

Enjoying Bus Time

Tivoli: Hadrian's Villa

Just a small part of Hadrian's villa.

Francesca set the scene for us yesterday. Now Mark, Pat and I walk the villa’s grounds, imagining the statues that would be there, seeing a feast taking place, the Romans on couches, reclining on their left arms, eating with their right hands, acrobats entertaining them.

Hadrian ruled from 117 to 138 A.D. and was considered a “good emperor,” (it's said he ruled justly). He was passionate about literature, music, art and architecture. His villa was comprised of more than 30 buildings, much of it still “sleeping underneath our feet.” There were temples, libraries, palaces and spas. Emperor Hadrian commissioned this vast complex, "a country residence," in 117 A.D.

Italian 101: The Italians were (and still are) concerned with digestion. Three laps around the villa’s pool were believed to support good digestion.

We stroll and imagine when this villa showcased the Roman Empire at the peak of its power.

Over the Mountains We Go!

Tourmate taking a coffee at our autogrille stop.

On our way to the Spur of Italy we cross five different regions and go over the highest peaks in the Apennine Mountains.

We stop at an autogrille. This is not an American gas station! There's decent food for a sit down meal, a barista making coffee, wine to purchase and so much more. Caterina introduces us to Pocket Coffee, a new pleasure! It is a chocolate with a burst of espresso in the middle.

At this stop, I have a close encounter of the cultural kind. I enter the men’s toilet by mistake. I am so focused on the words push and pull in Italian I don’t realize I’m pushing into the men’s toilet. An Italian man walks in, and with arched eyebrows and a small smile, he points to the door. I nod, begin to laugh and leave! I'm not sure I would call this a pleasure activist moment but my senses were awakened!

Italian 101: Taking a Coffee! Italians don't go for a coffee, they "take a coffee." Here's how it works. First, pay for the coffee at the register, then take the slip to the barista. When ordering a coffee in southern Italy, Caterina tells us that we may be served a shot of mineral water. You drink it first to cleanse your palate. If you drink it after your coffee, you insult the barista. It’s a sign that the coffee wasn’t good. Baristas take pride in their profession, knowing how to regulate the espresso machine for just the right temperature and pressure and want you to enjoy the experience. For Italians, taking a coffee is both a pause in the day and an opportunity to “make a moment of pleasure.”

Bite into this chocolate and espresso surprises you! Delicious!

Getting introduced to Vieste.

The Spur of Italy

We arrive in Vieste, a medieval village on the Spur of Italy and the Adriatic Coast.

Its population is around 13,600 and it seems as if every one of them is out in the street today, celebrating St. George’s Day. Pepino, the owner of Hotel Seggio, is to pick up our luggage and take it to his family hotel. But the street is bella chaos. People everywhere. Caterina wonders if he will be able to get to us. No problem, he says.

It's great theatre when we witness how Pepino parts the people with his truck. There goes our luggage!

The Hotel Seggio's perched on a cliff giving us a beautiful view from our hotel room.

It's time to explore this amazing town before dinner at the hotel. White limestone cliffs and sparkling sea and sandy beaches beckon. There's the St. George's Day celebration to check out. Plus, perhaps a little shopping.

Mark and I don’t do a lot of shopping on trips but we'll buy a few items here and there. Next door to Hotel Seggio is La Luna nel Pozzo. We enter and are welcomed warmly by the husband and wife owners. They’re returning from being away during the winter season where she has been designing jewelry that they are now busy putting out on display. The tiny shop is disorderly at the moment. Yet, they take the time to show us the latest designs and talk with us. I leave with two pairs of earrings the artist-owner has created with local shells.

We walk Vieste's old city. We're in the capital town of the Gargano Peninsula, the Spur of Italy, and eager to discover an area where we've never been.There's an 11th century castle and cathedral. Before long though it's time for dinner at the hotel: Seafood Risotto, Asparagus Lasagna, Mediterranean Sarago Fillet, Potatoes Tortiera, and Panna Cotta with Caramel!

After all that food, Mark, Pat and I take a slow stroll and enjoy the carnival-like atmosphere of St. George's Day.

Pepino parting the people!

Italian 101: 95% of Italians claim to be Catholic, though that doesn’t translate into regular church attendance (though the South is more apt to attend than their northern counterparts). Saints seem to be revered, especially in the South. St. George, an early Christian martyr, is being celebrated while we are in Vieste. Padre Pio is another adored saint. As we travel we will also see small outdoor shrines dedicated to Mother Mary. Religious traditions have a place in the South.

Vieste

click picture to scroll

Vieste & Adriatic Coast

Setting up aperitivo poolside.

Make a friend with the gelato clerk!

Tuesday, April 24

Tour: Day 4

Ask yourself: “Where can I see blue grottos without the crowds of Capri?”

The morning is a 2.5 hour boat ride along the craggy and stunning Gargano Coast. Our boat glides serenely into one luminous grotto after another. Five in total and we are the ONLY boat around. We also see trabucci, antique fishing platforms no longer in use. After all this leisure, it's time for pasta making.

I'm so excited for this! A chef is going to show us how to make five different pastas! Caterina translates for us.

Then we eat! Spring cheese with bread brushed with fresh tomato. Orecchiette pasta with bitter greens, pasta with the freshest ricotta and more! We finish with a salad dressed in olive oil. Dolce is almond biscotti. We want to thank the chef for all his efforts, so we've been using some of our bus time practicing singing That’s Amore. We surprise him with our best rendition. We’re told later that he got goosebumps. Let’s hope it was because we sang so well!

So far, this day has been one pleasure activitst moment after another!

In case you're wondering why we were served the salad after the pasta: Italians say eating a salad after the heavy food helps digestion. The Italians talk about digestion the way Minnesotans talk about the weather. Caterina tells us that sitting on a train two Italians, strangers to each other, will discuss their digestion! As a culinary culture, food and its proper digestion are important.

After so much splendid food and wine, Mark and I resist the temptation to listen to the call of our pillows. Instead, we explore more of Vieste's charms. The lanes and limestone cliffs are too charming to forgo. It's wonderful weather for exploring and we do until it's time to gather again.

What a way to live! Aperitivo again! More yummy food! And buddy introductions poolside. On a Rick Steves tour, you buddy up with someone. Why? For being accountable for your buddy being with the group before it departs anywhere, but it also creates camaraderie.

Dinner is gelato for Mark, Pat and me. We're too full for anything else! I ask the gelato clerk if I can take a picture of her. She speaks very little English and I speak even less Italian but we communicate. Then she lets me know she wants a photo of the two of us! It's a sweet encounter. Before we cap off the evening, Mark, Pat and I do a bit more exploring of Vieste at night, as it continues to celebrate St. George’s Day. I don't know what St. George might think but the locals seem to be enjoying a rock concert in celebration of him!

Italian 101: How to know if a gelateria is authentic? One way to know is to look at the colors. Are they natural or a garish neon? Mark and I were taught this on our first trip to Italy when Lisa was our guide for Rick's Village Italy tour. We also learned that gelato etiquette allows you to ask for a sample. From Cameron Hewitt's March 2018 posting on gelato we learn to ask for a taste of the pistachio. If this flavor tastes genuine you can be pretty sure you are at an authentic gelateria. After dinner, order a gelato and join Italians in the passeggiata...an evening stroll.

Orecchiette pasta with bitter greens.

Jana and her Buddy!

St. George's Day concert: Is it your kind of music, St. George?

click picture to scroll