29 March 2024 – It Was All Yellow

Miles driven today = 116

Total Miles to date = 3,060

As well as being one of the longest drives we have done since we have been in Italy, today’s was also one of the most enjoyable as we followed the E90 around the coast into the arch of Italy’s boot.  The road successfully bypasses the only major town en-route of Crotone and also likewise Ciro, which promotes itself as being the Calabrian wine capital.  We certainly saw more evidence of neatly pruned vineyards around that area than we have done for a while.  

We did pass through a few smaller seaside towns but there was very little in the way of traffic and streets were generally broad enough not to have to worry too much about the paintwork.  As we swept around to head in a more north easterly direction near Congliano we spotted a few snow capped peaks beyond what was for a while a relatively flatter landscape.  This is reckoned to be one of the poorest parts of Italy and it was noticeable how many properties had been left half built and also how many of those which had been completed were well on their way to falling back down again.

Another thing we noticed as we drove was the colour of the wild flowers, whether they were mimosa, acacia, gorse, marigolds, rape, rocket etc. etc.  They were predominantly various shades of yellow.  There were other colours in there as well of course but the sheer abundance of yellow blooms gave the entire landscape a noticeably golden glow.

Apart from one short toilet break we did the whole journey of a little over three hours in one hit.  Our initial plan was to go on a bit further to Metaponto, but there is some confusion as to whether the campsite we were planning to head for there is actually open at the moment.  So with relatively few alternative options in the area we decided to haul up a little earlier in a motorhome sosta at Nova Siri Scalo.  It’s €15 a night with hook up and they have a servicing area and dish washing facilities but no loos.  The first thing we did on arrival was to wind out the awning for the first time this trip in order to afford the fridge a little protection from the Sun.

The beach is just a hop, skip and a jump away and as you can see we nearly had it all to ourselves.  It’s a public holiday.  Where is everybody?

It’s predominantly sandy but there were lots of interesting pebbles down by the shoreline.

Our stroll was cut short by a stream which we could have paddled across but decided not to get our feet wet.

Upriver was this pond with tall rushes, darting schools of fish and croaking frogs.  

I had hoped that by now we might find the occasional beach bar which would be open but all the ones here look very ramshackle and unlikely to be operating anytime soon.  So we’ve spent another afternoon relaxing in the sun.  I semi-successfully streamed the Tractor Boys’ nervy 1-0 away win at Blackburn which puts us top of the Championship for a couple of hours at least. 

Before we went to bed last night we could hear a repetitive noise outside which sounded a bit like a rusty swing.  We thought it was some kind of alarm at first but then realized it was actually a bird call as a second, a third and a fourth bird all sprung into action.  I have an app called “Bird Nerd” on my phone which is useful for recording and identifying birdsong and using that we found out that we were hearing Scops Owls.

They didn’t carry on late enough to keep us awake last night but they seem to have followed us here because we can hear them again tonight and a right old racket they are making too.

30 March 2024 - Matera