After I left Pula, I headed back to Italy. I spent a few days catching up with an old friend roaming The NE section. We went to Pordenone, Conegliano and Lago di Barcis. While at Lago do Barcis, I received a wonderful compliment that was totally undeserved. I greeted the wine vendor in Italian and proceeded to look at his selection. I translated a paragraph for my friend about their red and the man says “very good! now, you look Italian, but no Italian would’ve translated. So, where are you from?” I literally responded back to him and said “Ahh, I love you even more” implying…you have wine in front of you and now you are paying me compliments!
After a few days in the NE, I headed south to visit a friend as well as discover and explore the area where my relatives are from: Basilicata. I took the night train from Sacile to Napoli and then the local train to Maratea.
I made it to Napoli easily, but from Naples to Maratea, a different story. So, it said track 23 for Cosenza Centrale. I got on the train and found it packed. I got a seat and waited until the train was to depart. A train pulled into track 22 and people got off. Then, I noticed a commotion and it took me a second to understand…our train was too full, not enough seats, so they changed the track. So now, several hundred pissed off people had move from one side of the train station to the other in 40 degree celcius temps, with 10 min to depart to end up locked out of the train. It was a mob scene and a half. I walked down to the front of the train and like this was normal for me, I worked my way to the front of the line and snuck in to get a seat, right in time for the train to depart. and then 5 min past…10 minutes…20 minutes….people started getting really agitated, yelling (sorry talking) to people who work for the train station/company, saying really mean things and all the conductors did was laugh at them. This of course agitated them even more. Finally, 45 min later, the train departed to applause.
In transit, the train oddly enough took too long at it’s first stop, and second and then third, Pompei, the train broke down. We stayed at Pompei for 30 min, now the train was an hour and a half behind schedule.
I finally arrived in Maratea, where my friend was waiting. We pull out of the train station, with a random couple in the back seat. Apparently, she promised them a ride to their hotel. no worries, I’m finAlly in Basilicata!! As she drove, I realized how beautiful the area was. Beautiful coastline, views, mountains and beaches…welcome to the land, where the sea meets the sky, for as far as the eyes can see.
