Monopoli, Apulia
Apulia is the Italian way of spelling 'Puglia’ which is in the running for my favorite with Sicily. I don’t know if it’s the weather, my being travel-worn and therefore accepting everything as fine, or what, but I really like the mezzogiorno.
I flew from Sicily to Bari and took a taxi to Monopoli, which has nothing to do with the game you weirdos, but is a cute port town about 40 minutes south of Bari. Puglia is known for its coastline, the longest in Italy, and beaches, but unfortunately, during my time in Monopoli, it was chilly most days and torrentially downpouring on the others.
I stayed at B&B Dimora Palmieri for five nights and it was a dream. Maria and Filippo, the couple who run the place like it’s their home, were welcoming and accommodating and so kind. My third day, there was a morning thunderstorm which knocked out power for a bit and Filippo was stuck in the elevator and then couldn’t get the car out of the ‘box,’ which means garage, at their house, and then once he finally got out, the old town was flooded but still he persevered to get me my breakfast even though I was the only guest. And we had a lovely conversation wherein he told me that he and Maria met when they were teenagers, and had been together over 40 years and I was trying to say that was rare but I didn’t know the Italian word for it. And as I stumbled and searched, he suggested “not easy?” and I said that too, yes.
