Puglia: My Other Homeland

Every year......on different dates.....I come to this Mediterranean land that is half mine.... They are beautiful places, seascapes, countryside, seafront walks, semi-deserted places and places that evoke antiquity. Those who have the chance to see these places often, like me, don't appreciate them to the full, don't scrutinise them like a true tourist, don't explore them....and yet the more you explore, the more you discover breathtaking landscapes. And what can you say about Puglian cooking, well, the palate wants its part and here it gets the most, from wine to bread, to typical sweets, to richly dressed and imaginative first courses, fish and vegetable second courses... seasonal fruit, so many dishes to discover... pasta made at home, the famous Puglian olive oil, Christmas sweets.....

There's no more gratifying feeling than staying on the beach, that sandy golden beach, until late afternoon, when the sun slowly sets and the water becomes piping hot...the blue sky, the sea like a mirror.....all this gives that sense of inner peace, calm......I've felt this sensation many times, on the beach with friends or with a boyfriend....and swimming when there's no one left on the beach....the calm, crystal-clear water.... After all, Puglia isn't that far away.... One evening I went to dinner on the seafront of Taranto, facing the Aragonese castle that is lit up at night....at sea level...near the characteristic swing bridge....and the 'well-known' port of Taranto.....the restaurant is right on the balcony overlooking the sea....a quiet and romantic spot, nice to eat fish looking at the sea, in company, when the evening is warm.....

There are so many memories linked to those places, so many places that have been part of my memories since childhood.....evocative....sultry, sunny...... It's a harsh and wonderful land, that gives so much and asks for nothing.....