A visit to Locorotondo

Locorotondo is only a six minute train trip from Alberobello but walking wasn't an option according to our hostess, she looked horrified at the idea, so it was back to the FSE train for us.

The historic centre of Locorotondo is another village that has been awarded the title of ' a most beautiful village in Italy' and it certainly is. Picture perfect with distinctive white houses and more pot plants and flowers than you could imagine, the streets are paved in travertine and spotlessly clean. Naturally it has many visitors but their presence is not catered for with souvenirs, more like photo opportunities and great restaurants.

There is the usual collection of interesting churches with long histories and views to impress but the main feature is the 'cummerse', a narrow rectangular town house with a pointed gabled roof. These are quite different to the trulli. In the countryside surrunding Locorotondo there are little outcrops that seem to combine the two styles.

The weather forecast was not good so we had our spray jackets and umbrellas in our zaino - that is your new Italian word for the day! About 1 pm as we were watching a wedding the rain came down and we headed into the first lunch spot we could find. ' Al Vecchio Arco' is one of those family run places where there is no menu and you take what's on offer for the day. We shared what was brought to our table and it was all delicious.

When we came out again the streets were running with water. As we waded back to the station we were grateful for the umbrellas and tried not to think about the sodden shoes.

Procession of the statue of the Madonna del Carmine in Alberobello

Today, 16th July, is the festival in honour of the Madonna of the Carmine or Our Lady of Mount Carmel. 
At Alberobello they celebrate in a big way as they have a Carmine church. At 6.30 this evening they processed the statue of the Madonna around the town and then had an outdoor Mass in the piazza beside the church. There had been five earlier services at the church.
Music for the procession and for the civic celebration after the Mass was provided by a concert brass band numbering more than thirty people. The band came from the City of Lizzano.

One trullo, two trulli, three ...a magic sight

Today I will let the pictures tell the story. Alberobello is very touristy with coach groups and even cruise ship groups visiting,  but if you stay a few days you see it a little differently. Last night we walked back from dinner and there were very few people about after dark. This morning it was quiet too, for a while.
Then you can appreciate this village for its true value - an unique, heritage listed collection of houses that tell of how people lived in earlier times. It is said that part of the reason these houses don't have mortar between the roofing rocks is that they were portable and could easily avoid paying taxes. The old key stone story, remove the vital piece and down it comes.

This is the Trullo Church of Sant' Antonio

This is the Basilica of the Medici Saints

This is the only two storey trullo in the area. It is a museum to the kind of life this house has experienced in its time.

To the left of this photo is our gelateria of choice. I can feel another gelati challenge coming on!

I treni

Today was all about trains.

Our 7.28 am departure from Rome to Bari, Puglia was half an hour late departing but we raced along in comfort for hours through beautiful, fertile valleys passing a huge range of crops. Tobacco, tomatoes, melons, figs, grapes, corn, wheat, olives, fruit ... amazing.
The highlight was seeing Monte Cassino with its monastery on top, the site of wartime history and base for literature.

My seat companion was a young Chinese chap who was traveling to meet his uncle. He had two weeks holiday and when he heard that we would be away for almost twelve weeks he thought for a while and then said, ' So I should work hard now. ' I do admire a good traveller!

We arrived at Bari at 2 pm and made a quick platform change to a small rail company train which took us to Alberobello. This is a 57 km trip and takes just over one and a half hours. Still it was more comfortable than any Australian train we've been on.

Our home for the next four nights is a trullo, a distinctive house made from rocks with a conical dry stone roof. Alberobello has over 1000 trulli, all painted white and decorated with a variety of stones on the top. 

This is another World Heritage Site, and it is " truly" amazing 😀

This is the view from the street, a taste of tomorrow's post.

Pope Francis and the Holy Year of Mercy

Pope Francis has declared this year to be a Holy Year of Mercy, a special year for Catholics around the world. Part of the idea of a holy year is that the faithful make a pilgrimage where they fulfil a number of obligations.

These special years were traditionally known as Jubilee years and began in the 1300s when they were held every 50 years. Over time they became 25 year jubilees. In more recent  times they have become more regular, with the idea that all the faithful may get one opportunity in their lifetime.

One of the traditions involved is the opening of the Porta Sanctae or Sacred Door at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the walking through that door.
In 1983 we were in Rome when Pope John Paul II had declared a Jubilee Year and were able to walk through the recently opened door.

In the year 2000, the Millennium, John Paul II declared another Jubilee Year.

This year, an Extraordinary Year declared by Pope Francis, has allowed for Holy Doors to be at other cathedrals and even at Fiumicino Airport in Rome. In the Sandhurst Diocese in Australia there is a Holy Door at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Bendigo.

This afternoon we once again visited the Basilica San Pietro and walked through the Porta  Sanctae.

The crowds were enormous and we were grateful that we had previously visited in quieter times prior to crowd control barriers, x-ray machines, large fenced off areas and protective glass.

One good thing about the barricades was that as we knew what we were visiting for, we were able to enter the gate labeled Enter through the Holy Door and proceed quietly.