Puglia - Bari in April

I arrive in Bari somewhat the worse for wear, spring is never a good time for me, too much work, end of winter, change of season (well obviously but doubling effect), start of work in fields, pollen, hot sun, cold air, the list could go on. In this case after a week starting off with a migraine and evolving through temperature, sore throat and cold, planting potatoes all the same and another massive headache the night before an early flight it's a wonder I'm feeling no worse when I get off the plane. Going through the airport is quick and it's easy to find the stop for the bus to the centre of Bari which will also stop not far from our apartment. The area turns out to be not the most elegant and the apartment no better. It's what is loftily called, you guessed it, a loft. Except you may be surprised to discover, if you're a native speaker with no experience of renting flats in Spain or Italy, that far from being among the rooftops, a loft, down this neck of the woods, is a very (or even slightly) high ceilinged big room where a mezzanine floor has been created to provide a hit-your-head bedroom area up a vertical and dangerous when navigating it half asleep in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom staircase. This one looked not too bad in the pictures and is a bit grottier live, although clean and well lit even as regards the bathroom mirror which I could have done without.

Our host keeps us waiting in the street for over twenty minutes which isn't very nice but is letting us access the apartment early in the morning which is very nice. After sorting ourselves out we set out to explore. The apartment is quite close to where the centre starts and people are still setting out for the morning. One of the things we notice immediately is what we call 'passo barese', the pace at which people walk.........like, well, slow....We realize it's time to relax, we have a whole week and there's really no need to scurry along so quickly......

Since it's nearest to where we are staying we first explore the more modern part of the city centre, clean and pleasant with interesting shops I make a note are worth investigating. Before lunch we gravitate here and then go to El Pedro, a self-service restaurant we found on TripAdvisor. This is fun, the place is packed but most of the customers are obviously on a quick lunch break so by the time we choose our food there's a free space to squeeze into. The only problem is that there isn't much time to choose between all the different options with hungry workers already clear on their tastes breathing literally down our necks. But we manage to get the typical broad bean puree soup with cicoria which is typical of Bari and baked fish. Good, I start to feel a little more alive. Not having slept much we go back to the apartment for a nap, it's not as warm as I expected at the beginning of April in Bari, local people are still wearing end of winter clothes and I'm grateful for the hot air heater in the apartment which soon warms the air.

By the time we set out again it's late afternoon and so we decide to first walk along the sea front as far as the San Nicola Cathedral.

The sea front is very pleasant, the first part runs next to the city walls. 

There are quite a few people wandering around taking advantage of the warm sun, some fishermen. We detour under the walls to the square in front of the cathedral which is really beautiful, of clear light coloured stone.

Inside it's equally splendid with high high simple unadorned stone walls and an unexpectedly ornate ceiling, the only Baroque element which was not removed during twentieth century restoration work. 

The basilica is an important pilgrimage destination both for Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians from Eastern Europe, is in Romanesque style and was completed in 1197.

The crypt, with 26 columns with carved capitals in Byzantine and Romanesque style, each different, houses the relics of Saint Nicholas and is used by Orthodox Christians while the upper basilica is used by Roman Catholics. There's also a particularly beautiful bishop's throne. We like the church very much and take a short walk through the historical centre towards the other of Bari's two cathedrals but it's closed. The days are longer in spring but nevertheless it's getting late so we head for the supermarket and then back to base.