Trani Amokura Sciascia... x we thought of you the entire time we were here Miss Trani
A long trip of two and a half hours and we arrive in beautiful Trani. It's a little after 1pm and the sun is out, blue skies and the marina is looking spectacular. We find our hotel, which is fairly hidden; the only clue we had was some writing on terracotta pots outside two enormous wooden doors. Aha! We've found our home for the next two days.
The Mare Resort is located on the water front of the Trani Marina with beautiful sweeping viiews of the low leveled city, port and sea from it's rooftop. Our room is one of the best hotel spots we've had on the haerenga. A bit of luxury - why not! Like I said, it was a little after 1pm so we thought it's a good time to get some lunch. To our surprise, many restaurants are closed by this time; we remembered that Italians close up shop around 1pm and do not open again until 7/8pm for dinner. It's no wonder they are so slim and beautiful here in Italy; they don't have 24/7 access to food all day everday like us.
After a snack at one of the very few places that were still open we walked around the port towards the Cathedral for some snap opportunities. The water of the Adriatic Coast is so calm and clear. There's a Cathedral and Castle right on the coast. The roads here are white stone and many of the buildings are either brick or white marble. The streets are so enchanting! Small and narrow that weave around buildings, you take a look down one small road and you see venetian blinds open and planters and pots lining the small balconies, you see bicycles and people walking or small coffee shops buried in the brick building. It's magical. A truly special place.
After a little hikoi, Tu is feeling the tiredness from having driven all morning so we head home for a siesta. Dinner tonight is at Pesevenghi (google it) we were the only ones in the restaurant, which by past experience has told me that the place is clearly not that popular so maybe the quality is not that good... Heoi ano, we were greeted with the loveliest smiley lady (our host) so of course decided to stay :)
She had limited English, but managed to explain the very Italian/Trani/Puglia menu to us in English. We ended up having cheese sticks and breads for starter, with Puglia olive oil. Then we had a degustation antipasti which consisted of three antipastis to share; the first was riccotta drizzled in olive oil, paprika and walnuts. This went wonderfully with the rustic bread. The second entree was grilled vegetables of funghi (mushrooms), Italian marinated olives, grilled capsicums and blue cheese wrapped in sundried tomatoes. DELICIOUS! The third antipasti was another vegetable and cheese stack... Simply delicous
Again, this is only "appetisers". The fourth course was handmade pasta (made in the restaurant) which is a typical Puglia short pasta, with ricotta, basil, olive oil. Oh Em Gee, this ws the best pasta I've ever tasted. It was moreish and so simple, no fancy vegetables or meat, just pasta and sauce. I loved every mouthful
The sixth and final course was for Tu; grilled sword fish and patate (rosemary roasted potatoes) and I had grilled beef (local beef) with patate. I loved my dish but Tu didn't quite enjoy his sword fish... so we switched haha. I loved the fish (and the beef actually) it was caught locally and was fresh. All the whille, this is being washed down with house Blanco. Seriously... such a good meal. After feeling so stuffed, we just had to leave and go straight home to bed. Food coma much?! We said goodbye to the lady (sorry, I forget her name) with a kiss on the cheek and say thank you. She was fascinated by us being Maori and Tu being Italian. Since we had the place to ourselves, she was all ours and she loved to converse with us. We told her that we have a niece called Trani and she reckons "not possible"!
Day 1 in Trani is done and dusted
Day 2, we wake up to the best European Breakfast I've tried thus far in Europe. Fresh orange juice, eggs, cold cuts of meat (proscuitto, salami and other meats), fresh cheeses, cereals, fruits, pastries, muffins, crossaints, juices, toast, yoghurt and coffee. Delicious! After our breakfast we go and grab a bicycle each from our hotel for a joyride around the city. Tu was really keen to find Vico La Rosa, a little street where his tupuna; Nicola Sciascia lived in the 1840's. We found it! He lived at number 6 Vico La Rosa, so nice to be here and see where this tupuna lived. After this we pulled up on our bush bikes to a coffee place for some mid-morning pick me up and then cycled into town for some shopping.
Still full from our amazing breakfast, we headed home around 1pm for the traditional Italian siesta! Haha I like this! Our flash resort room has a large bath so we relax and unwind a little for the afternoon, pop some rosso and take a bath and a nap. Dinner time again and we venture into the city area (last night we ate on the waterfront, tonight we dine in the city). The city is BUSTLING by this time. Kids, adults, kaumatua, babies - everyone is out and it's 7.30/8.00pm! Lots of vendors and markets are open, all the shops are open, restaurants, cafes, gelato bars are all open too. The city is alive!
Nicola Sciascia was born April 13th 1840 in the village of Trani in the Italian province of Bari. He was the eldest Son of Carlo Sciascia and Maria Giancinta di Toma. The Sciascia couple had six children – Margherita, Nicola, Giacinto, Bartolomeo, Rafaella and Orsolina. Not much is known about Nicola’s early life except that it can be imagined that the family was moderately well off and perhaps educated, because all six children survived into adulthood and all but Orsolina married and had children - a fairly rare occurrence in those far off times. Father Carlo was a fisherman so the sea was in Nicola's blood. At age 16 Nicola left the family home and went to Fiume, a city to the north of Bari. He was granted a safe conduct pass to move from one province to another by the Duke of Traetto.
The first we hear of Nicola in New Zealand is when he obtained employment with the Marine Department as coxswain at Foxton. In 1882 at the age of 42 he married Riria McGregor at Foxton. They had 11 children - the first Margaret Carlotta was born in 1883. Then followed John de Tomba, 1884, Mary Christina, 1885, Nicola James, 1887, Lydia Louisa, 1888, Elsie Maud 1890, Charles Rangiwawahia 1891, Ellen Ruth 1892, Emma Hannah 1895, Frank Tariuha 1896 and Pirihira 'Waikawa in 1898.
It's said he taught some of his children astronomy or how to recognise the constellations of the skies and he most certainty would have imparted knowledge about the weather and tides to his family. Coupled with his wife's own natural skills and abilities any children of the Sciascia’s would have made an impact on New Zealand's life anyway, but the feeling remains that the early death of Nicola shattered the family.
Nicola Sciascia’s lonely grave on Portland Island off the Mahia Peninsula stands as a tribute to the baby born in Trani in 1840, who lived in this country for no more than thirty years and leaves the inheritance of at least four thousand descendants.
(Taken from sciascianz.com)
No reira, ka tuku nga mihi aroha, nga mihi maioha ki a Koro Sonny Sciascia, nana nga hononga o te whanau Sciascia o te kainga ki te whanau Sciascia o Trani i whakapiri. Mei kore ko koe e te rangatira! Moe mai ra koe i roto i nga ringa o nga tupuna. Ka whai whakaaro nui ki a koe i a maua e hopara ana i tenei whenua ataahua. Moe mai, moe mai, moe mai!
The next day, we have an early start as we're headed back to Roma to join up with the Contiki whanau... 4 hours of driving... here we go :)
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