October 18, 2024
Brindisi
With the admonition from Puglia Cycle that this was not a cycle-friendly section PLUS the "yellow thundershower warning", we decided to train to Brindisi. Last night in Lecce, we walked to a supermarket to get some water bottles, and saw another of this chain of candy stores, all look identical, and they make you want to enter!
We biked to the station in the morning with the skies looking forbidding, but so far, no rain.
The train was barely a step up from the platform, and we were the only two bikes on our car - an unusual train/biking experience! Less than an hour later, we are in Brindisi. The good luck ended when we found there was no elevator in Brindisi station, nor even ramps - just stairs.
A quick check in and we kept the bikes to look around the town - heading towards the sea. Brindisi has a large channel which wraps around the city directly from the ocean. But first, you have to go through the duomo!
Below, you can see the channel which heads out to the ocean. Quite a wide channel which wraps around 2/3 of the city.
This is one of two pillars which held an arch or port of entry to Brindisi, made from that famous Lecce stone. Incredibly tall, the arch must have been majestic. The second pillar crumbled at some point, the arch fell, and Brindisi (in a fit of pique?) sent the broken pieces back to Lecce.
Then down to sea level. This waterfront was probably really buzzing earlier in the season, but now was quiet. I think we came to Puglia at the right time. We decided to bike to the other side of the channel which meant biking a long way around - about 7 km through pretty heavy traffic and narrow city streets.
On the other side there was first a marina (see in background) and then the "cheap seats" here as the small boats tie up in a parallel parking routine.
Looking back at where we started from, we notice a rowing class of some kind. This boat you see was heading one way, then the other but never in a straight line. No doubt much harder than it looks.
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We got to the end of the line (the road was actually called Via Terminus) where after a quick snack we decided to not press our luck with the weather and scoot back.
Once securing the bikes at the hotel, we went foraging for food and found this good little place that was actually open at what was now 2:30 or so. This is very unusual we have found, as you better find a place before 1:30 or its siesta time until they reopen for dinner about 7:30.
We enjoyed a glass of Sorento white, some grape that I will never remember but was very enjoyable. While eating, a group came in completely drenched from the cloudburst which we just missed.
This pic reminded me of how flabbergasted we have been when seeing how much people eat here. Starting with an appetizer quite often, this table was devouring huge plates of pasta when we arrived. When our food came, so did their second course, an equally large plate of fried fish. We have seen this every day here, and wonder how they burn off enough calories to keep this up!
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We are undecided on how to handle tomorrow's weather - 99% chance of rain, not a forecast you see too often - which is never fun to start out in. The train station is very close....
Today's ride: 20 km (12 miles)
Total: 453 km (281 miles)
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