After two months spent in this wonderful Italian region, I would like to share best pictures of Puglia with you. This is not the photo album presenting all best sites in Puglia. By no means! It is, however, my personal itinerary of winter spent there and best pictures I took. I am convinced that a picture is worth a thousand words so with no further hesitation here are 15 best pictures from Puglia. Small and friendly Towns It all started in Oria a small and frienly town deep south. It is situated on a hill and has a remarkable history of the Jewish community. For me, however, the most striking thing was the legend that St. Peter walked through Oria when he was going to Rome, to die. Ancient roots of the parish in Oria. Old and picturesque Not only old stones but also old cars. Oria was all about old school views. Excuisite Architecture Everywhere you go in Puglia, sooner or later you get to a place that is an example of the baroque style. I saw the real pearls there! Top Attractions Ostuni has been known to me for a long time. I considered it a must see while in Puglia. I spent one sunny day in Ostuni but the city, although it is nice, was very touristy. I prefer less known destinations. Ostuni is worth a one day visit but there is so much more to see in Puglia! Alberobello UNESCO site Equally true was the fame of Alberobello. This UNESCO site known for its downtown full of trulli houses was somehow dissapointing. It is just too perfect! Clear, white, well kept looks like a huge tourist attraction. Don’t get me wrong. It is worth a visit. I went there twice and let me tell you this: once is enough. Welcome to Gallipoli! Gallipoli has recently gained a status of super popular tourist destination. Many of my Italian friends visited it at least once. The inflow of visitors has changed this place. Apart of downtown, the city build along the shore is new and, unfortunatelly, not so beautiful. I enjoyed one morning visit in the old part of Gallipoli. It was so beautiful! Otranto Otranto was far from Oria but even though I drove down there to enjoy one of a few places in Italy conquered once by the Turkish army. I especially enjoyed the view on totally empty at this time of the year marina. I have a dream to sail there! And, above all, at 15:00 there was literally nobody. I had a city to myself! What a luxury! Seafood in seaside towns Every single town in Puglia is so close to the coast that you can eat excuisite seafood literally everywhere. It tastes like heaven! Friendly Locals In many of the locations visited people were charming. I got friendly with the locals and it turned my stay in Puglia in a sort of extended family visit. Sea I love the sea. Especially in a cold and windy day. The view of the waves and the lighthouse is one of the most beautiful things on earth! Monopoli was stunning! I visited five times just to fully enjoy its atmosphere. Bari of Saint Nicola I had no idea how important the Basilica of St. Nicola in Bari is. A celebration of Christmas there and another visit in a crypt downstairs where relics of St. Nicola are held was a powerful experience to me. And the prayer in Russian of this old lady whispered in front of the Saint was touching. Charming downtowns Here is Monopoli again. I found it most intriguing. A truly lovely place, full of inner beauty, surprising tiny streets, excellent restaurants and the view on a rough sea. The picture perfect. Olive oil Crossing Puglia makes you think that this region is all about olive oil. I was lucky. Usually, in December, the olive harvest is long gone. This year was exceptionally good and even in late December and early January farmers were still coming to frantoio to have their olives turned into olive oil. The smell of olives was everywhere not to mention a fantastic taste. How to visit Puglia in winter. Advice I found Puglia in winter the most charming place. There were no tourists, the locals had time and interest in visitors, the quality of services and food was excellent. I personally see no reason why anyone would like to come here in summer time. Winter was just perfect! The weather was spring like with only three rainy days in more than two months! The blue sky was an everyday view and I would recommend Puglia in winter to every traveler who wants more than just sunny beaches and cheap drinks.    

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I have never been to Puglia before. Since I enjoyed the idea of spending cold Polish winter elsewhere, which became a sort of a new tradition, there was a decision to make. I picked up Puglia, the most southern part of Italy. There were many reasons to come here. The weather was one of them, and the food too. I did not know that much about Puglia before I came and stayed for a while. Therefore, there was no real anticipation nor high expectations. I also read a post about Puglia in summer by my dear friend Cathy  and it was intriguing enough to think about winter in Puglia. I’ve been living here for a month now and I am sure this was a great decision. Here is a short list of my reasons why you should visit Puglia in winter. No crowds In recent years, Puglia has become a popular holiday destination. Thousands of Italians and foreigners visit this region, mostly in the summer time, that is in June, July and August. These months turn Puglia into a frenetic zone, full of crowds and noise. Such a circumstance should not discourage you to visit this part of the world, though. Instead of coming here in the hot and crowded season, I suggest you come in winter time. There is literally nobody here! Being the only tourist in a city of Oria with 12,000 of locals is fun! No lines, no waiting for hours in a restaurant, no noise. The winter life of locals is peaceful and full of surprises. Mild climate The cold and the warmth is a relative thing. In Puglia, the temperatures are above  zero degrees, and in the middle of the sunny day the temperature is as high as +19C. In average it is between 10C and 16C.  For me, this looks like a beautiful spring time. Moreover, the sun shines most of the days and it did not rain even once! I know these temperatures are far from +40C in the summer time, and I love it! It is perfect for a walk, the blue sky makes a perfect photo background and my running routine is effortless! Due to this wonderful weather, I was able to pursue my training plan. I’m running regularly three times a week and the conditions are just perfect! It looks like I’ll be well prepared to run a half marathon in April 2016. Excellent food No doubts Puglia is famous for its excellent food. This is true for both summer and winter time. There are still fresh fruits and vegetables here and, above all, super tasty frutti di mare. Fresh clams, squids, shrimps and fishes are delivered daily to small fish stores all over the place. I was not a huge fan of frutti di mare before, but I am now! I mean, how could you not? And there is the highest quality dairy. Burrata and stracciatella di burrata are two of my favourite fresh cheeses. A simple and very cheap lunch consists of a fresh bread, a piece of cheese, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, prosciutto crudo and sweet pears. Fabulous and very healthy food! Friendly locals If you are the only tourist in town just try to imagine how sweet the locals are. They are not tired with crowds and they have enough time and curiosity to spend a while with you. I got friendly with my neighbours quite quickly, not to mention a local tradesman who comes in his Ape car with fresh fruits every morning. He rings my bell and he sometimes leaves the fruits I ordered the previous day in front of my door, if I’m out. What a service! Silence Most of all, what makes my winter in Puglia a perfect experience, is the silence. I need it to work on my book. The good news is, I have recently completed a chapter about the Cook Islands. This is a huge milestone and I have to admit that the atmosphere of Puglia helped me a lot! I hope to bring you more stories from Puglia. A visit at the hairdresser was very interesting. Living like a local is my superpower so stay tuned and come back for more.  

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Read the previous episode. Fluminimaggiore The location of my apartment was very unfortunate. It was located along one of the streets that cut the town east – west. Even though it was not the main street, the traffic was pretty heavy. It did not bother me during the day, but the late nights and early evenings were particularly difficult to enjoy. In the late evenings, some youngsters trapped in this city drove their scooters just outside my windows. Over and over again. Luckily, the town acknowledged siesta thus between 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm the silence cut all noises. I guess the level of the noise would be easier to deal with if only I did not normally live in a small and very quiet village. Apart of the traffic the walls and floors of this old house were exceptionally thin. In the night, I had an impression there were people in my room who were talking, laughing, playing cards and, when the booze finished, they were snoring. This was so loud! This was not a surprise then that I often woke up early and went out of the apartment to hanging around a bit in the early morning. First couple of days I was sleeping better than during the rest of my stay because of being exhausted by the journey and by the heat. Unfortunately, after three days I was struggling with falling asleep every night. I wonder if other travellers and tourists has the same problem. Morning My favourite moment of every morning was 7:00 am. At 7:00 am the bell from the church rings loudly announcing the day officially has started. And suddenly, every sound rises its volume: the town wakes racily up. The shop around the corner opens its door with a smash, the trash collector throws glass to his car with a sharp noise and the dog starts barking at everything he sees. The bell continues ringing: a melody of Ave Maria announces that the day has started and that everything that happens today will praise the Lord. After 7:00 am the bars are open and flooded with the residents. All of them needs a modest encouragement to start the day. Coffee is one of their daily treats. A quick check of the lottery raises their blood pressure too. Worst case scenario, a glass of cold beer wakes them up. The town in the early morning with trash vehicle collecting glass and scooters driving around makes a curious impression. The poverty, visible at every corner is mixed with a rush of the residents eager to start working before the heat of the day hits them. There are dogs with no owners hanging around and the cleaning ladies sweeping the streets. When a vehicle collecting glass takes another load, the people in the bar shout like if their team scored in the game. I am not sure where does their enthusiasm come from. There is a hairdresser just in front of my temporary house. It opens at 7:30 am with a loud greeting by the owner to passing people and opening the sunblind. The frequent customers start coming. The door is open and a conversation sparkles. A loud greeting, a noise made by hairdryer and the scissors cutting hair is mixed into an everyday melody of this town. All windows and door along the street is open: people try to catch some fresh air before the heat come. The bell rings again. It’s 8:45 am and all should be working by now. The sun will silence everyone after the noon. The heat will be unbearable by then. It warms the walls, stairs, roofs and air so the main effort of all resident will focus on keeping their houses cool. They will close the door and the windows, they will keep drinking cold water and eating fruits. They will not rise their voices and before it’s 1:30 pm all will be silent again. A small town routine Everyone has a small garden here. This is the secret method of flourishing despite the odds. We saw hundreds of small gardens outside the town while driving here and there and they are a prove that all depends on water. If a small field is watered the vegetation is as lush as in the tropical garden but if the water is scarce everything is burnt out. The main task here is therefore watering the garden. In the mornings and early afternoons, the local farmers try to sell their fruits and vegetables in small booths along the main road. Sometimes in the town there are door opened and few fruits are being sold there, directly from the farmers. It strings the process of production and consumption to the minimum. From the garden to the table the distance is really short. So green and eco! People here are nice. We get often questioned about our stay in Fluminimaggiore and almost all locals ask whether we go to the beach today. It was weird at the beginning and I thought we have some beach related objects or dress that would suggest our intention of spending time at the beach. When I heard the same question again I thought there must be a pattern. And there is. The locals are convinced that the beach is the only attraction for tourists and to keep them happy all you need to do is to send them to the beach. Thus, when we declared we have no intention of spending our holiday at the beach they looked at us in a suspicious way. Fortunately, we speak Italian, which always helps. Celebrations And so the life goes rather slowly here. It has a certain charm, though, of a tiny place where everybody knows each other. It seems like they all know their limits, which includes even a quantity of bread baked daily. When I go to the bakery after 10:00 am there is very little left. Every day the same people buy the same things and thus a baker has an easy task...

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Having fun in Lloret de Mar was somehow against the odds. First, the weather was not as warm as I expected. Although I don’t mind cold, I did mind in this case because of the clothes I took (summer like dresses and sandals). Second, my phone broke down. I know! First world problems! It all confirms Murphy laws being in force, but it made me angry. Not only I had no internet connection, which was the least problem, but I also was left with no camera and no alarm clock. Suddenly, because of one little thing broke down I found myself in an awkward position of being late in the morning and not having pictures. But I had fun! And why is that? It’s because of people I met! People People is definitely the best part of Tbex community and I had a pleasure to rediscover it. Although my closest blogger friends could not come I found some new ones. I was having an interesting series of discussions, sharing the knowledge and also giving back, as I went for Tbex as a speaker for the first time. It was funny because I met another Tbex participant already on the place from Munich to Barcelona. She asked me if I was going for Tbex just because of the book I was reading (btw a fantastic one, soon to be reviewed here!). So I had this opportunity to give a few advice to a blogger who participated Tbex for the first time. It was also great to meeting my co-presenters, Lanora and Pola, and to discuss further our theme of multilingualism in blogging. Tbex Team My huge congratulations to Tbex team with exceptional MaryJo on board. My transfer from the airport to the hotel was as smooth as a walk to the corner shop. I was taken to the hotel in no time, and checked-in likewise. I had a lovely large room in a hotel where the conference was held, which is always the most convenient way of enjoying full freedom of movement. Also, my technical problems with using my computer for the presentation was resolved in a blink of an eye, and the cable was found in less than a minute. The information about trips and activities was always easy to find making my stay on Tbex stressless. This year, Tbex team made an effort of inviting very attractive keynote speakers. Although I enjoyed immensely Robert Reid in Athens and missed him among the speakers very much, they did an excellent job. Michael Collins performed the best talk of the conference on the very last day. It was super interesting to listen to his point of view, especially that his comments also included a large part of language focused issues. The Internet is much more than English, he said, and I couldn’t agree more! It takes me straight to my presentation titled: ‘Building community when English is not your first language‘. Presentation Together with Lanora and Pola, we’ve been discussing this issue for months. It took us a considerable time and effort to make a thorough research, small scale survey, analyze the results and draw a conclusion. The biggest satisfaction was watching a room full of bloggers who run their blogs in their mother tongues, and also those who decided to publish in English and are struggling with a quality challenge, just like me. The discussion after our presentation was rich and lively, which makes me sure on the importance of the issue. Bloggers are not only English native speakers, and I consider this group large enough to make an effort to meeting their needs. There is a window of opportunity in the global blogosphere at the moment, on publishing in native languages rather than in English. The trend is visible and will be developing further in coming years. Lesson learned Never again, I will go for a conference or a journey with no camera or separate alarm clock. As long as the alarm clock is easy to replace it was much less so in case of the camera. I have only a few photos from Lloret de Mar taken on the second day so my sincere apologies for this post and only a few pictures. This is the reason I would like you to visit the sites of my friends and co-speakers so you could look for yourself how beautiful Lloret is! Karen published this post on Lloret and I think it is wonderful! Also Heather did a great job, summarizing highlights of our stay in Lloret de Mar. If I had a camera, I would love to walk some of the trekking paths along the coast. The little part I saw was just marvelous! Rocky mountains just above the crystal-clear water looked fantastic! I don’t blame the British, who walk it every year spending their retirement in this part of the world. Lloret de Mar The moment I’ve known that Tbex 2015 takes place in Lloret I didn’t expect any fireworks. The location seemed to me dull and predictable: another summer destination, full of beaches I don’t like and crowds I hate. Instead of a dull place full of tourists I found an exciting city, very well kept (with impressive sidewalks, banks and trash cans everywhere), and tourists’ friendly place. I was delighted to see a huge sandy place in the city center for petanque (bulle or boccia) players, full of retired people spending their late mornings on this play. A few building in the center were beautiful and made me think about the history of the place. Also, this is an ordinary city with many locals living there, with schools, shops, post offices etc. One thing that I can’t stand is an artificial village for tourist purpose only. Well, this is definitely NOT the care of Lloret de Mar. Think about above-the-sea trekking trail and renaissance like gardens of St. Clotilde and crystal-clear water wherever you are, and you will get a very attractive holiday destination. All pictures were taken during...

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This was a delightful day! Although in the evening I was very tired I had a great time. It is the middle of the summer here, in New Zealand so last Saturday I went to Waiheke. This is a popular recreational destination, not only for tourists but most of all to Aucklanders. It is easily reached by a ferry from downtown Auckland. A ride lasts about 35 minutes and a ferry goes every hour. Bike Not always, popular places are beautiful. It often happens I am disappointed with top touristic sites. But this was not the case of Waiheke. Although there was a crowd on the ferry the island is large enough to accommodate all visitors. First, I went by bike, which was a challenge itself. I’m not a great bike rider as you probably remember from my previous post on Aran Islands, but I enjoy recreational riding just like I did in Athens. Anyway, this was a different story because Auckland is very hilly city and Waiheke Island too. The great thing about this trip was that I could take my bike to a ferry for free. I was wondering why more people do not do this. After all I checked the price for bike rental on the island and 50 NZD daily rate seemed to me very expensive. But soon enough I knew why people rarely take bikes with them. Making the long story short: Waiheke Island is very hilly. I was not prepared for this! The first part of the trip – from Kingsland where I live in Auckland to harbour – was downhill but the moment I started my ride on Waiheke I thought I should get back home at once! First kilometer was uphill and I felt like my legs and lungs were burning. And it was no better further: up and down for next 9 km! Only because I was really determined I eventually reached my destination: a winery and restaurant “Wild on Waiheke”. Wine Waiheke is called the island of wine. There are as many as 25 wineries on this island and most of them offer wine tasting, restaurant, garden and a place to have your party in. I tasted few wines in ‘Wild on Waiheke’ and I can tell you this: if only for wine this trip would not worthy my effort. Now, I know this might be due to my previous experiences in Italy and my particular taste shaped by Italian wines (not luxury nor expensive but still). And I really understand people who go to Waiheke to taste wines. I do! After all, this wine was better than the one I had in Paris (shame on you!). What is really great about Waiheke and wine tasting is that you can have a very small glass with your meal for just 2 NZD. It allowed me to taste as many as 4 different ones and I did not have to spit! The more friendly version of professional wine tasting. Just for people like me and a million of Aucklanders who come here. Food and people If not wine than food! What else makes you determined enough to ride up and down for an hour? “Wild on Waiheke” provides high quality and very tasty food. Their garlic bread, salad and a variety of cheese and ham were excellent! Also, people who work there are friendly and helpful. When I arrived at noon all seats and tables were taken but they were still able to find a place for me. I had a look at ‘typical’ Kiwis having a great time. These people are chilled out beyond my imagination. They are not slobs, though. They keep their being chilled out well balanced so people who watch them do not feel embarrassed or disgusted. Kiwis chill out makes you relaxed and eager to share their state of mind. In this restaurant, I felt like being a part of a big party. Even though people did not know each other it still felt like somebody’s wedding. And let me tell you that the dress code was not wedding focused! Landscape The best part about this island is landscape. I was riding a bike and at some point I felt really exhausted but it did not prevent me from watching breathtaking views. Little bays, hidden beaches, gentle green hills, white boats on the water and blue sky over all of this was a reward for riding uphill. Just like elsewhere the middle of the summer makes a place colourful and smelly (in a good sense!). A variety of trees and flowers is delightful here and the whole island was like a big garden. New trend What I found most amusing was a popularity of this place. Yes, it is beautiful but often this is not good enough for people to come. Apart from a chill out of New Zealanders I can’t still well understand I think creating new trends works really well here. Wine has become a desirable and widespread drink recently. It is fancy to drink red wine instead of anything else. So people do. They have their favorite wines but also visiting a winery for a day became a great idea for a weekend. Waiheke would be still beautiful without wineries but for its beauty people would not come. If you are spending your summer in Auckland this is a great one-day trip. I think it is worthy to visit this island for its atmosphere, beauty and for people. I enjoyed my stay there very much and I hope to go back there soon. Travel Tip When you take a ferry don’t sit on the back lower deck. I did and after 15 minutes I was completely covered with salt and water. I looked like a wet chicken and for the whole day I had sticky hands. So make yourself comfortable inside the ferry.  

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You would be surprised what kind of people you can meet on Rarotonga! At first, it seemed like the end of the world. A paradise like island isolated from all other countries. Soon, I realised how wrong I were.  Journey in time The most unexpected person I met on the island was Tim. His story was a blast! There is nothing special of being a Brit, born in Manchester and moved to New Zealand with his parents. Not even his career as a lawyer and his decision to settle on Rarotonga. But his love to trains, so powerful that brought a real steam train to the island. And this is somehow understandable, you may say. Well, a man with passion. True, but the train he transported to Rarotonga comes from a place where I live. And this coincidence made us both laugh! Tim is an excellent storyteller so when we met over lunch in Salsa Cafe I wished that day would never end. He started his story from Napoleon Wars in Europe just to explain the connection between his client and a small estate in Poland he inherited. To have a careful look at the estate he went to Poland and BANG! there he saw it: trains for sale. It was the beginning of the 90. in Poland and as a result of serious political changes (a switch from communist regime towards democracy) many of previously state owned properties and other goods were for sale. It happened that Tim’s client knew about his love to trains and so after he saw a steam train for sale he phoned Tim and asked if he wanted to buy one. Passion He had also a free space in a container and so they could split the costs of shipping it from Europe. Tim had little money saved and soon they arranged the whole thing. He bought an old steam train that was still in a good shape and he planed to open a short railway road on Rarotonga as a tourist attraction. The train arrived to Rarotonga and Tim spent another 10 years renovating it! A dedication is the right word to describe what he did. Eventually, the train was fully operational but unfortunately the investment in railroad was not that successful. Years have passed when Tim realised he has no more time nor money to proceed with his daring idea so when a friend from New Zealand approached him asking to get the train out of the island he agreed. In next 6 months the train will be transported from Rarotonga to New Zealand where it will be a tourist attraction near Lake Wanaka. Luckily when Tim was working on this train he had all controls done by a New Zealand office so after all his train is fit and ready to ride in New Zealand with all formal conditions filled. Curiosity Tim’s story was epic. I listened to it with my jaws dropped. To find a person who visited and liked my country was unbelievable enough but to find out there is a steam train that I probably rode in as a kid as far away as on the Cook Islands was mind blowing. Although Tim’s story has a bitter – sweat end it shows few important things. First, that there are no limits for imagination, then, that where you really want something to happen and you are determined enough there is a high probability it will happen. And when you are travelling you should be prepared for amazing things. This is probably my favourite part of travels: meeting people who share their stories with me. Sitting in that cafe on Rarotonga and listening to a story told by Tim was something I could never planed nor even think of. But it happened for real. And for such moments I am ready to travel. Just to discover the connections between places and people. And to understand more even if it is very little.    

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I always wanted to travel around the world. It was very close last year when I traveled to New Zealand and back. But this year I am literally traveling around the world. The journey starts this Saturday in Paris and will end in February 2015. I am beyond excited to share this news with you and I am anxiously looking forward to this journey. Travel around the world should be epic. Not only because of places you visit but for two very particular reasons: you always go in one direction (west, in my case), and you cross The International Date Line only once. In my case I’ll cross it flying from Rarotonga on Cook Island to Auckland in New Zealand. Dream Since the lecture of Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne my imagination was dominated by a thought that one day I will travel around the world. Not necessarily in 80 days nor as a result of a bet. But reading the adventures of Phileas Fogg I was pretty sure I will share his travel. This was a powerful reading and I still like this book very much (especially because I have a very old edition that my Dad got in a primary school). Although books are really important in this story there is much more than that! Slow I always do my best to travel slow. I never count countries, national parks or UNESCO world heritage sites visited. I often go to the same place more than once. I enjoy seeing the same place in every possible season.   Slow immersion in places is my thing. And this is the project for this journey too: at least 2 weeks in every location. I stretched my stay in New Zealand to 5 weeks so I could join the summer and outstanding landscapes. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies movie premiere is also in my schedule just as a visit in Matamata filming location that I missed last time. Countries and languages I prefer traveling to countries that I think I am able to understand. Starting with the language end ending with the local celebrations. You may say: how limited your image of the world is! But I see it quite differently. Most of all I appreciate when I am able to contact ordinary people, discuss issues important to them and simply feel like at home. Tradition and celebrations – equally important – are hard to understand without the previous background. And I am not satisfied with superficial “Awww, that’s cute!”. Thus, I am not lying to myself that I can fully appreciate India or Tanzania because I can’t. There is no way I can feel close to the people and their everyday life so  I chose to visit the countries I know about in advance even if it comes for a price. Books My favorite way of traveling is reading a book first and visiting a place afterwards. The world described by somebody in the past is precious. And reading books makes my travel multidimensional. I can compare how things has changed which always fascinates me. After all, comparative education field of research was my job for years! Old habits die hard. Through books about places I visit  I can feel the place with all my senses. I can stretch my perception and imagination. I can fully appreciate of what I see. I can see the history behind objects, monuments and buildings. I can try to understand the present through the past. Now, I’m not saying I am always perfect and I am always successful but at least I am trying very hard to see not only what is visible for the eye. I often carry a book with me about a place I visit and this time it is Nicolas Bouvier masterpiece:  The Japanese Chronicles. Yes, I will go to Japan, I will walk around Tokyo and Kyoto and Nara and will be reading HIS book at the very same time. What else I could ever wanted? I hope to bring you all the places visited as close as possible. Through the social media channels you can follow my journey and share my adventures. See the map below to know the itinerary and stay tuned for more! [UPDATE] …and here is the first post after I got back home!  

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My stay in Marche was rich in activities. My hosts made sure I won’t get bored. As a result of their hospitality I ended up in visiting a very particular place in Pesaro called In.PU.t You’re not the only one who wonders what on earth is In.PU.t so few words about it. It is a local initiative to combine touristic information with promotion of local products. From the outside it looks like an ordinary shop but when you enter you discover this is something quite different. People who work here give you a proper information on what happens in the city of Pesaro and Marche in general. They can give you precious guidance on where to go and what to see. Maps and a variety of leaflets are available. And that’s pretty much what all other information points would do. But people from Pesaro went further and decided to bring some local products so you could buy it. Taste before you buy Before you buy the local wine or famous cheese, you can taste it! That’s right! Something that I always miss in an ordinary shop. This makes your shopping easier. All local producers can place their goodies on a shelf and promote them to all tourists and residents. So there is a huge variety of local wines, cheese, sweets, honey, olive oil, ham and also small piece of local art. Every month a shopwindow is taken by one local producer to make it more visible. In.PU.t also organizes meetings with experts and cooking shows so people could interact and participate in this initiative. I met Giorgia in a main square of Pesaro and we walked directly to the venue. We received a warm welcome and a short introduction to the main products from the area. Further, we tasted few delicious salsa di tartufo and very particular wines. We also got a detailed explanation on how to drink wine in order to feel its real character and how to combine its taste with food. Tasting concluded with local sweets made of chocolate and truffles. This was a very tasty afternoon. Interested in wine? read my story of first wine tasting ever! My advice I found this idea of expanding touristic information very smart. If you think about ordinary tourists who visit Pesaro and other places you will realize how difficult it is to meet the residents and to taste authentic food from the area. Not all tourists speak italian. In fact, majority of them is not familiar with the local habits and products. Giving them an opportunity to taste it before they buy is a great idea. It’s a win – win situation. Not only the tourists have an opportunity to taste local food but also producers gain international customers. I would recommend this idea to all touristic boards and information centres. It’s brilliant! Here is a photo gallery of Urbino – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

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The gentle hills of Chianti are widely known and appreciated. It is much less so in case of Marche – a region that is just around the corner. These two regions have much in common but being little neglected makes Marche so much more intriguing! This gallery here shows only a small piece of this majestic landscape but hopefully it is enough to make you wonder. For me Marche hills were a nice change after living in the middle of Emilia – Romagna lowland. In Marche wherever you go there is a hill or a mountain. There are no straight roads either! Curves, ups and downs make it such a fabulous place for every photographer. Hills of Marche create many layers which is perfect to practice depth of field (DOF) at your photos. Hilly and mountainous landscape makes also cities and towns fascinating. Urbino – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is an excellent example of  a picturesque town with tiny little streets, endless stairs and small squares. And what I appreciated the most: there are no hordes of foreign tourists. You may eventually meet an Italian family that spends their holiday here but that’s pretty much it! So, visit Marche before the world finds out how awesome it is!  This marvelous landscape is a perfect place for a truffle hunt! Read my story here. Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

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This was a memorable day! Driving a scooter in Italy is one of my favorite activities. A very simple skill I acquired instantly after my first scooter ride few years ago in Ferrara and since then I simply love it. I owned a scooter while I was living in Italy but unfortunately I couldn’t keep it when I left. All in all I use every opportunity to drive a scooter again and so from the moment I knew I went to Sorrento I had a plan to do it. Why scooter? There are many wonderful feelings attached to driving a scooter in Italy. Most of all a sensation of freedom and pure happiness of doing a joyful thing. Then, the sunny weather and the wind in my hair. It is often very warm in Italy so the wind created during a ride cools the driver down. Also, the size of the scooter guarantees that you will always find a parking spot which in case of a full size car is often impossible. Not to mention passing the cars stuck in a traffic jam! Effortless move around the city is also a good excuse to use scooter instead of a bike and also considerable distances a scooter is able to cover. Is it for you? These are only few arguments to drive a scooter in Italy. However, I am far from encouraging every tourist visiting Italy to drive a scooter. Why? As they say in the UK: security first! So if you have never driven a scooter before don’t start in a places like Sorrento: far in the south very busy touristic places. If driving a scooter is you dream – just like mine was – think about trying a short drive somewhere safer than a busy crossroad of Positano. Or ask your Italian friend to give few advices and a short ride outside the city or in a parking lot. What is the traffic in Sorrento? Traffic in Sorrento is very particular and it’s not only about busy tiny little streets and many cars around. It’s also about habits of other drivers or better said: lack of them. I think this is one of the reason why literally EVERYBODY looked pretty scared when I told them about my idea of driving a scooter in Sorrento. I think that driving any mean of transportation in Sorrento including a car and a bike is an activity that requires certain skills. Most of all: a determination. And creating impression of being firmed that is easy to catch by other drivers. There are no traffic lights in the area but people don’t need it. The locals wouldn’t stop on red anyway! And so when you approach a crossroad and it is your turn you just go! Trusting all others will read this signal and will pass you through. It worked pretty well in my case and I got used to it in no time. How to rent a scooter? There is a variety of renting companies in Sorrento and I think they are pretty similar. In a place where I rented a scooter one day rent for a 125cc scooter costed about 30 EUR. I needed to show a valid driving license and a credit card with 1000 EUR deposit. The only funny thing was a guy who worked there. He tried to discourage me and he did everything he could to actually do this. He appealed to my sense and an argument that I owned a scooter for couple of years and drove it safely in Italy did not impress him at all. As I said: a strong mindset is everything. The Amalfi Coast So how was it? Well, it was fabulous! The weather was perfect and the traffic was moderate, at most. I had enough time to stop at every panoramic site to take pictures, shot some GoPro clips and enjoy the ride. The final piece in city center of Positano was a thrill! It was all downhill, numerous curves and turns, a crazy crowd of tourists from all over the world and breathtaking panorama as a background. This UNESCO world heritage site and scenic route was a totally awesome idea. This birthday gift will last forever in my memory. I hope to share some clips shot there in nearest future. So stay tuned! (By the way: my Italian friend, the one who taught me to cook, after seeing a short clip from Sorrento called me pericolo pubblico but I think she exaggerated! See for yourself below!!! A short movie clip from Sorrento is right here! Amalfi Coast by scooter from Null & Full on Vimeo. …and from Sorrento I’m taking you right to a small town in Emilia-Romagna: Brisighella! Have you ever thought about visiting Italy? Here is an alternative way on how to visit Italy and get really close to the Italian way of life. I created a project ‘I love Ferrara‘ so you could join me and experience how beautiful and tasty Ferrara is. If you wish to immerse in Italy book your holiday now!  

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