Taranto - Hello

 Today is Sunday 8th June and after 7 very relaxing days and nights on the cruise (some details to follow) we have arrived into Taranto, Southern Italy in the region of Puglia, 

one of our favourite location in Italy.

WIFI sucked big time over the past 7 days so a bit 

of blogging to catch up on.

It’s stinking hot and humid here at 30 deg but with the heat bouncing off the ancient stone buildings it feels way way hotter. It was a fare walk from where the cruise ship docked and over the bridge to the old town 607BC where we are 

staying for the next 3 nights under that fantastic 

vaulted stone ceiling.

So now having a little siesta time after a seafood antipasti for lunch, ohh and some very icy cold beers, just too hot for a wine.

Antipasti/o is famous in this region and we have been so looking forward to having more antipasti/o over the coming weeks while we are still down in southern Italy.

Being on the waters edge, Taranto’s antipasto are seafood based. At only 15 euro ($26.00) great value with some Octopus braised in a rich tomato passata, pickled prawns and calamari, potato and dried fish also pickled, salmon and ricotta in a filo pastry and a capsicum and calamari with capers and a very smoky taste. 

It was a true no english speaking Italian restaurant so it was fun ordering a bit blind as the antipasto is the whim of the chef but a win win around. 

The surprise dish … we didn't order it! 

We thought! we only asked about if they did a vegetable orecchiette as we have been hanging for some vegetables … well it’s pasta also then!

 Light, fresh and with a great chew from well cooked to order orecchiette.

Orecchiette “little ear pasta” is a southern pasta that is strong to the tooth as it is made from only water and semolina flour.