June 12 - 15, 2014 First time in Bari

June 12 - 15, 2014  First time in Bari

Things seem to change daily for me.  I have an idea and or plan one day and by the next all has changed.  However, it is all good, as any way it works out is the way it is going to be and so far, it all seems to work out for the best.  By just letting things come as they may sure takes the stress out of life and I am very happy to just let things happen!

Bari Train Station

On Thursday the 12th , I spent the night at Giulia and Mirabela's, then got up early and her friend, Mimeno, took me to the Lecce station to catch the train for Bari (just a little over an hour train ride.) There I was meeting Anna Maria (75) and Concettina (81) (sisters and ministers in our faith) to spend the day.  They were delightful!  We had such a wonderful day.  And the stories they shared.. loved hearing them!

 My original plan was to go back to Porto Cesareo that evening, however, Guilia had done some calling around the day before to help me with my VISA, so I needed to go to Vicchio instead, to get my paperwork where I had left it with Piccolo's.

After spending the day with the Grassi sisters, that evening Mariella picked me up and I went to her son's home for dinner and the evening.  Nicola and Mariella will be where I will go to church on Sundays while I am in the South.  Just over an hour train ride from Porto Cesareo, then they offered to pick me up at the station in Bari, otherwise, I could catch the bus to their home.

Cristina's parents were there also, visiting from Greece.  This pizza was very very good.  Wonderful thin crust and no tomato sauce.  Just how good?... well my normal is one piece and if I am really hungry, maybe two, but I actually ate three pieces!!  Marco and Cristina are going to visit her parents in Greece in a couple weeks, and invited me to go along.  I would love to do that, however my priority right now is to figure out my VISA and/or get an extension to stay here in Italy first, so if I accomplish this, I may just do that!  Anyway, about 11:30pm they took me to the train station where I would be catching the midnight train to come back up to Vicchio (about 9 hours) to get my paperwork and some other clothes and things.  This train went up the East coast, the Adriatic Sea.  

June 14th, when I got to Faenza, I changed trains to Borgo S Lorenzo where Mariano picked me up at 8:30am so I didn't have to change trains again to go to Vicchio, about another half hour, and then he bought me a coffee and croissant... he must have felt sorry for me, as I looked a wreck and had only dozed on the train during the night.  Needless to say I needed a coffee!!  Then we did a bit of grocery shopping and when we arrived at his folks I showered and then did some much needed laundry.  It was a warm windy day, so hung them on the line and they were dry in no time.  Mariano made a wonderful lunch for all of us, then I did something with my time... can't remember now, (I was a little sleep deprived) anyway, went to bed very early and had a wonderful rest and didn't get up until 7 this morning.  

After church, Aurora made a wonderful lunch and then this afternoon, I've been sorting and packing up my stuff to store here and also to take a few more things with me, since I will go back to Porto Cesareo on Tuesday, get my paperwork in order on Wednesday and hopefully meet with the authorities on Thursday morning to start the process for my VISA. 

 I will have to get a rental contract and other things in order to apply for my VISA, so looks like I'll be staying in Porto Cesareo for at least a year.  Other than being a little far south, it is a wonderful place and I especially love the sea there!  I am so glad to have Giulia and Mirabela there.  They are wonderful young ladies and Giulia has been a great help in getting me to the right authorities.  Anyway, if I don't have success getting my VISA without coming to the US, she has certainly worked hard to help me.

Going to miss being here with the Piccolo's, but will be seeing them again in July and August and maybe even sooner, depending on the outcome of my VISA.

Will purchase my train ticket tomorrow for the long ride back down there.  Getting pretty good at all this train stuff, but no more night trains, anyway unless it is a sleeper car... had to try it just once though :)

All for now... Ciao