That church in Monopoli was calling me back, and with the train fare so cheap, there was no reason not to go. This time, I determined to go during visiting hours.
And wow—was it ever worth it! While we enjoyed Monopoli in the pouring rain, it was a treat when the sun was out in its full glory. The sun gleamed off the white stone walls, and the sea sparkled.
Yes! The church is open! The interior of the church is absolutely stunning, a masterpiece of Baroque elegance combined with intricate detailing. Jim is glad we went back to have a peek inside.
After wandering through the maze of charming alleys, we found the perfect spot for lunch: perched by the sea, watching a fishing boat busy at work in the harbor. We whiled a bit while we soaked up the warmth of the day.
The stroll back to the station was leisurely, we’re not used to this – cars stop for pedestrians. Life moves at a gentler pace here. We had a coffee before hopping on a train back to Bari. The train was packed, and we ended up sitting backward—Jim’s least favorite way to travel. He assured me he’d be fine. Luckily, it was a short ride. The trick, I think, is to focus on the horizon rather than trying to track the scenery rushing past.
Not quite ready to head home, we made our way to the lungomare. We found a bench and sat soaking up the warm sunshine, peeling juicy oranges, completely mesmerized by the endless rhythm of the sea and the ever-changing parade of people coming and going. We see a cute seagull with black spots on its cheeks and set to work identifying it. Ah, we forget about some birds looking vastly different when they are either breeding or non-breeding. It is a non-breeding Bonaparte’s gull. It will have a black head when it is breeding.
A quick stop at the market for one item (lettuce) turned into many items. We schlep it up to the 5th floor and unpack to find — we somehow forgot lettuce! No matter, we made due.
As the sunlight faded, we settled onto the terrace with our aperitivo in hand. Our grandson called and chatted with us for a bit. He is not well and is staying home from school today. A perfect end to a perfectly unhurried, thoroughly enjoyable day.
paleremo presto
Incredible pics of the churches and descriptions to match!