Finding the relics of St. Nick in Bari

Pontifical Basilica of San Nicola

While searching for the best base for travels in Puglia, I came across Bari, a major city bordering the Adriatic Sea with convenient train connections to Alberobello, Polignano a Mare, Ostuni and Matera in Basilicata. I was pleasantly surprised when I got there to learn that Bari is a destination on its own, with its fortified old town, a Norman castle, a promenade by the sea, a bustling shopping and business district and a variety of restaurants. Bari has also been a pilgrimage destination since the 11th century when the relics of St. Nicholas were brought to Bari from Myra, an ancient Greek town in Lycia (now Antalya Province of Turkey). St. Nick was known for his generosity and gift giving. Sinterklaas or St. Nicholas evolved into Santa Claus. His feast day is celebrated on December 6th.

Bari, Old Town

Cobble stone passages with religious shrines on every corner greet visitors to the old town.

The narrow alleys of the old historic center are for motorbikes and walking to better appreciate the wrought iron balconies with colorful laundry left to dry and the excitement of finding a way out of the maze.

Orrechiette

Orrechiette is a variety of ear-shaped pasta that is typical in the Puglia region. You can find these fresh, handmade pasta along the alleys of the Old Town where residents leave them to dry. Dinner's gonna be good.

Bari Cathedral

The relics of St. Sabinus, bishop of Canosa and St. Columba are preserved in the Baroque style crypt of the Bari Cathedral.

These fragments of beautiful frescoes at the Cathedral have withstood the ravages of time.

Castello Svevo

The Castello Svevo (Houhenstaufen Castle) was constructed around 1132 by the Norman King, Roger II. It changed hands a few times over the centuries and was reconstructed under the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II. It became a prison and barracks after the death of its last owner, Bona Sforza, Queen of Poland when the castle reverted to the Kingdom of Naples. It is currently managed by the Puglia Directorate for Cultural and Landscape Heritage and used for exhibitions.

Port of Bari

Boats bound for Greece leave from this port.

My trip to Puglia was one of the best trips I took in Italy in large part due to the people I met along the way who were friendly and helpful.

From the airport:
There's a shuttle bus that goes from the airport to the center of Bari every half hour and the fare is 4 euros (in January 2018).
Where to stay:
Best Western Hotel Executive
Corso Vittorio Emmanuele 201 in the city center
This is a 3-star hotel. Rooms are modern and spacious. The Old Town, sea promenade, restaurants, shopping and train station are all within walking distance. If you prefer to take a taxi to the train station, it's approximately 10 euros.
Where to eat:
Ristorante Murat at The Palace Hotel
Via F. Lombardi 13
Regional Italian cuisine and seafood choices.
Has the best view of the bell tower of Bari Cathedral from its rooftop terrace.
Koi Japanese Restaurant
Via de Rossi, 31
Brings in the lunch crowd with their all you can eat menu.
Italian Restaurants
There are many pizza and pasta restaurants along Corso Vittorio Emmanuele. A good pizza restaurant usually has a wood fired oven.

*Note: Restaurants in Bari are not open all day long. It's best to keep snacks to eat to tide you over until the scheduled opening time of the restaurant (12 noon for lunch and 7:30 p.m. for dinner). This was the case in January when there were fewer visitors in the city.

*****

Images by TravelswithCharie

Filipino Struggles in History - Carlos Botong Francisco

In 1968, Antonio Villegas (then Mayor of Manila), commissioned Carlos "Botong" Francisco to paint the history of Manila for Manila City Hall. The series of large scale paintings was called Kasaysayan ng Maynila (History of Manila). The paintings deteriorated over time and no attempt was made to preserve these historical canvases until 2013 when Mayor Amado Lim sent them to the National Museum for extensive restoration. Four years later, in 2017, Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and the Manila City Council signed an agreement with the National Museum to leave the paintings at the museum so they may reach a larger audience in exchange for museum grade reproductions to replace the originals. Kasaysayan ng Maynila was later renamed Filipino Struggles in History and is now on display at the Senate Hall of the National Museum . Carlos "Botong" Francisco died in March 1969, a few months after completing the paintings. He is one of the first Filipino modernists and

The Art of Carlos Botong Francisco - Progress of Medicine in the Philippines

Pre-colonial period Pag-unlad ng Panggagamot sa Pilipinas (The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines) is a group of four large-scale paintings depicting healing practices in the Philippines from pre-colonial times to the modern period. Carlos Botong Francisco was commissioned in 1953 by Dr. Agerico Sison who was then the director of Philippine General Hospital (PGH) together with Dr. Eduardo Quisumbing of the National Museum, Dr. Florentino Herrera, Jr. and Dr. Constantino Manahan. These oil on canvas paintings measure 2.92 meters in height and 2.76 meters in width (9.71 ft x 8.92 ft) and were displayed at the main entrance hall of PGH for over five decades. Owing to its location, the artworks were in a state of "severe deterioration" at the beginning of the 21st century from exposure to heat, humidity, dirt, dust, smoke, insect stains, grime, termites and an oxidized synthetic resin used in an earlier restoration. These canvases were restored three times, the last was

8 Heritage Houses of Iloilo

Lizares Mansion The province of Iloilo on the island of Panay has a rich trove of heritage houses, left over from the sugar industry boom in the 19th century. Iloilo also had the largest port in the Philippines at that time which facilitated the export of sugar to foreign shores and deposited money in the hands of the sugar barons. The barons dropped their earnings into the acquisition of properties in Negros and the construction of beautiful homes in Iloilo, many of which are located in the vicinity of the Jaro Cathedral. The Lizares Mansion was built in 1937 by Don Emiliano Lizares for his wife, Concepcion Gamboa and five children. The family fled to safety when World War II broke out and the house was occupied by the Japanese military. The family returned to the house after the war but left once again after the demise of Don Emiliano. It was sold to the Dominican order in the 1960s and was converted in 1978 to a private school, Angelicum School. The mansion now houses the

TravelswithCharie

Search This Blog