Sun-Soaked Alleyways

by hopesfrenzy

There was a consistent theme from our trip through Puglia: il sole. I was reminded often of that time on Ischia in 2008, when we were walking down the steep cliff in the sun to the ocean and thermal pool. Here’s what I wrote then:

On the way down we met a lady, short and old, who greeted us, “Biorgiorno!” [sic] and then said, “SoleSole!” and we all laughed, agreeing that this place is amazing.

But il sole! It was so hot. We were baking between these narrow walls of Polignano a Mare, a beautiful little town famous for its grotto that slices into the middle. It was very picturesque, for sure, but also very busy. Too busy for us.

We strolled through a few squares, but most of our time was spent wandering small alleyways, dodging the sunbeams and sticking to the noon shadows. The sun was high, but navigating the city through the shadows was almost possible. It was significantly cooler in the shade. On our way out, we grabbed our first focaccia of the trip. Delicioso!

Our day took us a bit farther south in search of a swimming hole. We landed at Cala Incine, a small grotto that was near a tower (Torre Incina). It was spectacular, although we should have brought chairs instead of just our towels! We found a little hollow out on the side with what seemed like ruins of a cement building or pier – it was a bit strange – but we jumped into the cool waters! As soon as I did, I felt so much better. It was a perfect end to the day.


Exploring with Stéphane, Adam and Jeff
Location: Polignano a Mare, Italy

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