12th May - To Martina Franca

We rise - both of us seem relaxed and looking forward to the day - we breakfast for a last time at Miro and bid our old accommodations farewell. 

We have decided to minimize Bernie's walking - she will wait with the cases in the edge of the old city while I walk to the carpark and pickup the car from it's resting place. This will be easy - Bernie waits and waits some more.

I take an indirect route and eventually reach the carpark - I ring Bernie - "won't be long" says I - after all I only need to put in her location and drive about a kilometer - I plug in the coordinates and set off - the police have blocked off the first roundabout - I follow the traffic - I turn this way and I turn that way - I arrive back at the first roundabout and turn off again - this way - not that way - must escape that roundabout - left - right - into a carpark - out of the carpark - the roundabout is avoided - Bernie's waiting comes to an end - we load the cases - I am just a little stressed and a lot relieved!

Bernie takes over the driving and we head out of town on the roads less traveled - our plan is to avoid the main roads and make our way through the Pulgian countryside to Ostuni and on to Martina Franca.

Soon we are in the countryside.

It is a beautiful day .

The country is flat but the verges and roundabouts stand as testament to the wholesale migration of lawn mower operators to Australia 

We see olive trees and more olive trees and yet more olive trees - we see vineyards and a few more vineyards - we see swathes of dead olive trees and wonder if the open weed- infested paddocks are resting after their trees have been ravaged by disease and uprooted by their poor unfortunate owners.

We pass Solar panels - we pass large juvenile vineyards planting and more mature vine plantings - we pass paddocks trying their hand at producing cereals - we pass more dead olive and more devastation.

We reach San Pancrazio - there is detour after detour - it is festival time in the town - yet another saint is being honored - it seems like am May must be peak saint time - we try to park - is it legal to park here? - you are holding up the traffic Bernie! - you are not in the right parking area Bernie! - your are too far out Bernie! - Mike is not as relaxed as he thought he was - it is a paid parking area - he decides to ignore the possibility of a fine.

We wander into the square - there are enormous lightweight structures surrounding the square and lining the streets for 100's of meters 

The church is full to overflowing with the faithful while the not so faithful wander the square and sit at the tables asking the street drinking coffee, playing cards and studying their phones.

We watch a while before moving on relieved to have noted that the "polizia locale" were to be seen playing cards in the square.

Onwards towards Ostuni

We pass broad acre paddocks with lush crops of rank, ugly weeds saved only by the bright yellow flashes of the wild daisies and the less common red tinges of the poppies.

We pass through small towns - in every case the roads are narrow - intimidating - stressful - Bernie soldiers on - Mike takes on the stress - he tries to internalize it but has limited success - still Bernie soldiers on!

The land remains flat and the agriculture dominated by olives- there are olive groves - there are open paddocks then more olive groves - more open paddocks and solar farms.

Another town - more Olives live and dead - Daisies and more daisies - olives and now olives - more overgrown verges and roundabouts.

As we move on towards Ostuni there are piles of olive wood cut up for fire wood - there are Trullis' amongst the olive groves which now have acquired locals stone fences and occasionally a nut tree grove as a neighbour

As we approach Ostuni the country side is prettier and more kempt - we see no wild life or farm animals.

Ostuni is hectic - it's drivers a little on the hectic side - we approach the old city but decide that it is all a little too stressful - we head on to Martina Franca .

The drive into MF is pleasant and pretty - Trullis' are common. 

We find an underground car park near our accommodations - we are there quickly - soon Bernie is sleeping and mike is destressing! 

We are in the old city - the main square is immediately behind us - we wander the square and dine at the 5 Senses - we meet a couple from the blue mountains - we chat awhile.