More Baroque

Blog 7

Otranto was a great place, large shallow harbour with beaches and cafes around it.  A massive shoal of fish came in and a bloke who was spinning caught one.  I bought a spinner straight after, let’s see if it works for me.  These places are massively fortified, for keeping out the Byzantines, Gallipoli, Toranto are the same.  Apparently when they refer to “the people” round hear they use the term “Christians”, to differentiate them from the Byzantines (who presumably aren’t).

Gallipoli is built on a small peninsular, with beaches on either side.  It was hot when we got there so we went for a swim.  It had so many Baroque churches I could get two into one photo.

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Copertino was equally fortified but had little else going for it, apart from being the birth place of St Joseph, who was born in a stable, which was recreated inside his church (when his dad was on the run from creditors).  The castle was defended by a curator and his sidekick, they hastily put out their fags as we approached and took up their posts, they gave us a booklet but it was about a different place.  A gadgie at the Duomo told me off for not wearing a jacket, weather it was because I was breaking etiquette or if it was because he thought I was risking pneumonia I’m not sure. 

Wherever we go there are faces, in mozaics, frescos, carved into archways, pillars; all over the place.  What do you make of these two.

Blog 7 b

Blog 7 c