Today we packed our bags and left Monopoli – it’s been a great week.
While we had intended our week in Monopoli to be spent chilling out and not doing much, we actually did a lot and were quite busy.
We had an early start, leaving the apartment at about 7am so we could haul our ever-heavier packs to the station to catch the 7:45am express to Bari, where we would then connect with a fast train to Rome.
It’s always nice to get out early and walk through the streets – hardly anyone else is about and the air is cool and fresh.
As we headed up towards the cathedral, the only other people around were those cleaning and packing up from the Festa events, which concluded last night (at 2am).
We made it to the train station and caught our train. The express is only 25 minutes to Bari.
At Bari, it was time for coffee. We ordered two macchiato espressos and a cornetto each. Something was clearly lost in translation – or they just assume all tourists like very big milky coffee – but what we got was certainly not what we had expected. I couldn’t drink mine – way too much milk. But the cornettos were nice.
After our last intercity train from Milan to Ancona, we had high expectations – these were shortly dashed. The train was not the same class as the one we had caught previously. While still comfortable, it lacked many things our previous train ride had provided – including adequate baggage space!
While we had pretty big (and heavy) packs, these were at least somewhat malleable and could be forced into the tiny overhead storage area – designed for only the smallest of carry-on bags.
Many other travelers, however, had large – some massive – suitcases. There was simply no way these were fitting. So for most of the journey, they sat in the corridors, on spare seats (until that passenger boarded and required their seat). It was a bit of a mess – and I really felt a bit sorry for the people who had to nurse their massive bags, or squeeze into a single seat with their bag.
Then came the constant corridor shuffle. Because the bags were blocking the corridor, anytime someone needed to get up and move, or the food and beverage cart came through, the bags had to be moved, juggled, and rearranged.
Finally, three-quarters of the way through the journey, one of the conductors asked the passengers to bring their bags to another section of the train. I assume others had departed the train, freeing some room in the very limited luggage area two carriages back.
For the most part, the trip went well.
We passed through Benevento – and this is as close to San Lupo as we got this trip. We were unable to see the Strega factory from the train – maybe it’s moved.
We got off the train in Rome – expecting to be hit by a wall of heat as the forecast was for 30°C – a touch different from the pleasant coastal 24°C.
But it wasn’t that bad. There was a cool breeze which actually made it comfortable.
We exited the station with packs on. Nothing screams “I’m a tourist” like stepping out of Roma Termini station with a massive backpack.
“Taxi, sir?”
We had barely been out of the station for 10 seconds before the question came.
“No, grazie,” I replied.
“Sir – we are genuine taxi. We are not what you think. Where do you want to go?”
Okay, he knows what I think. Let’s test this. I suspect I know where it will end.
We asked for a price to get to our apartment – we knew it was over 2.5km to walk, and while it was a pleasant temperature, it would be hot hauling these packs that far.
“Oh, we can’t go there today.” “Too far to go around.”
Today was the Festa della Repubblica (Republic Day Festival), and lots of streets in and around Rome were closed for various celebrations and parades.
From the side, one of the other drivers started speaking in quick Italian. Laura picked up bits and pieces – basically, he was asking why he couldn’t take us. The main guy then told him to sit down… so he walked away.
Then came an offer of 50 euros.
Looks like we’re walking.
We kindly said “no grazie” and moved on. It didn’t feel right and it was impossible to tell if the fare was legitimate.
Checking the Uber app (which allows you to also book a cab), it suggested it would be capped at 25 euros…
But with a massive line for cabs and many cabbies patrolling the front of the station, we didn’t feel like starting a turf war by booking a cab through Uber and both jumping the queue and undercutting their exaggerated prices.
We started walking.
The walk was not too bad. A few hills, but overall okay. It was a long way, however, with such heavy packs.
The kids were getting tired also. About halfway, we stopped for some lunch. The kids mostly needed a stop and a fuel up.
The silver lining of not paying for a cab is that the money saved paid for lunch.
We made it to our apartment and dropped the packs. Phew. We had arrived.
We immediately headed back out – freed from our packs, it was like walking on air – to find some basic groceries. We decided to have dinner in tonight.
We grabbed a few things at the local supermarket around the corner and took a walk through the local market. As it was quite warm and we had lugged the packs a long way, it was also time for a gelato!
We headed back to the apartment to start getting dinner ready – simple pasta and sauce. Easy.
Except we didn’t have onion or garlic… the sauce would be a bit plain without those basics.
I headed back out to find some garlic and an onion. Seems it’s not possible to buy these staples of the Italian diet around our area. I went to about eight different stores – many just glorified bottle shops – in search of anything that resembled garlic.
I ended up back at the open-air market – which was being packed up as it was very late in the afternoon. The offering was sparse. No fresh veggies to be seen.
I ended up buying a little bag of “pasta mix” which consisted of dehydrated carrot, onion, garlic, chilli, and various other bits and pieces (that mostly resembled sawdust).
The price asked was 3 euros. It was late in the day and I hoped the sales guy would take the 2 euro coin I offered up – playing dumb that this was all I had.
He eventually bent and the deal was done. I headed home with my 2 euros’ worth of mixed dehydrated stuff…
We cooked it up, and it was okay. It was not anything like the home-cooked pasta we are used to – but we made it work. And the bonus – we have a heap of sauce left 🫣
After dinner, we headed out for an evening walk. We wandered the streets and took in the sights. We made our way up to Trevi Fountain – which was packed – but we managed to squeeze our way into a vantage point and take a look.
By this point, we had done a lot of walking today and we were all pretty tired. We headed home and to bed.
Tomorrow will be a big day with the Colosseum and the Vatican.
