Zee Michaelson Travel
A Travel Podcast. The Zee Michaelson Travel Podcast is devoted to the travel industry. Produced by Collage Travel Media Network, a company that produces Podcasts, Streaming Radio, Travel Expos and Travel Advising. Your guide to travel is Zee Michaelson a Travel Advisor and Jay Lawrence your concierge of podcast travel. Episodes are about 30-minutes about everything and anything you want to know about travel. Travel tips and more. Guest Travel Advisors. We work closely with travel vendors to bring you the latest information. Zee Michaelson Trave Podcast. And check out https://live365.com/station/-a03518
Zee Michaelson Travel
Unraveling Puglia's Magic: Hidden Gems, Culinary Delights, and Travel Tips with Dominica
Imagine luxurious accommodations at a fraction of the cost of five-star hotels—yes, that's Puglia for you! We'll guide you through the charming streets of Bari, renowned for its walkability and bustling seafood markets. Ever tasted olive oil like a sommelier tastes wine? You'll love our deep dive into the region's culinary delights, from its unique durum wheat bread to the sophisticated art of olive oil tasting. And let's not forget the allure of Bari as a cruise ship destination, making Puglia easily accessible for travelers.
Head further south to the unique city of Matera, where history and geography converge in a labyrinth of winding streets and multiple levels. We'll share tips on navigating this cinematic city, featured in James Bond films and "The Passion of the Christ," and discuss the practicalities of small cars in its older sections. Whether you’re flying into Rome and driving through Puglia or considering a guided tour with local experts, we've got travel logistics covered. Ready to explore Italy's rich regions? Follow our journey and share your travel dreams with us at ZMichelsonTravel.com.
Welcome to the Z Michelson Travel Podcast. This podcast is devoted to the travel industry. Z says let your imagination run wild and start dreaming about where you want to go. And dream big, reach for the stars, and if you only get to the moon, at least you enjoyed the trip. Your guide to travel is Z Michelson, a travel advisor, and sitting at the controls is Jay Lawrence, your concierge of podcast travel. Now here's Z.
Speaker 2:That's me, that's me, it's Z, and of course I am here with Jay.
Speaker 3:I am at the controls.
Speaker 2:You are pressing a lot of buttons over there today.
Speaker 3:I am very much in control.
Speaker 2:Don't turn my mic off. No, well, I want to let everybody know we are brought to you by Collage Travel Media Network.
Speaker 3:Which streams radio stations?
Speaker 2:Yes, we stream quite a few stations and also my podcast.
Speaker 3:And podcasts, and we produce podcasts for other companies.
Speaker 2:Yes, and of course we always talk about travel.
Speaker 3:And you are the travel advisor.
Speaker 2:Right, we call them travel advisors. Now, we don't call them travel agents.
Speaker 3:No, you're no longer an agent, you're an advisor. We call them travel advisors Now. We don't call them travel agents. No, you're no longer an agent, you're an advisor.
Speaker 2:We're an advisor. Just like years ago we used to say secretaries, now we call them administrative assistants, right? And you know, jay, we are going back to Italy today. Yes, and that's because, as promised, we're bringing back your lovely wife and we're talking more about some of the places in Italy that you may not have heard of, but we're going to want to check this out. So, yes, dominica is back today.
Speaker 3:And I brought my wife into the studio. Isn't that exciting? Yes, she is here.
Speaker 2:She is here and I love her music. So, dominica, welcome back to the show. It's great to be here. Thank you for having me. So tell us, where are we going today?
Speaker 4:well, today we're going to pull ya pull, ya p u g l I a see I told you, it sounds like an l in there yeah, yeah the gl is a yeah yeah, and it's.
Speaker 3:It's a region in italy how many regions are in italy? There are 20 regions in italy, oh my and so a lot of people go to other areas, but you've got an area that's very unpopular at the moment.
Speaker 4:Well, I wouldn't say that, because it is the hottest spot now.
Speaker 2:It's a hot spot.
Speaker 4:It's a hot spot, and people are just learning or beginning to see the beauty of this part of Italy. And it is the heel. It's on the eastern part of italy, very bottom. It's actually a peninsula, right it's by, it's by the water it is, and so it's surrounded, uh, by water, except where it's attached, of course it's kind of like.
Speaker 2:It's kind of like florida yeah, we're a peninsula well, but no, it's attached to the other body.
Speaker 2:I know, but we're talking about the little heel part right oh yeah, so it's a peninsula, yeah yeah, I would say, a lot like florida it's like florida okay yeah, right, and now this region is becoming more and more popular, and that's why we kind of bring you on the show, because you know everybody hears of the regular places to go in italy rome, ven, you know all of those places. But the places that you know all about are those little out-of-the-way places that you know we want to get there before it gets too crowded, exactly. So tell us about Puglia. What can you tell us about it?
Speaker 4:Well, it has some very interesting places. Can you tell us about it? Well, it has some very interesting places. First of all, there are two places that are religious pieces that people like to go to. One is called San Giovanni Rotondo, and this is where Padre Pio was, a little local priest in the 20th century and in a very small little church, and I believe that my grandfather actually was probably in his masses when he held them. Oh wow. So it is said that he had the marks of our Lord's passion and he performed miracles. So in 2003— and this was Padre Pio, yes, okay, and in 2003, they built this phenomenal shrine to him, and it draws millions every year wow uh, the other, uh religious site excuse me, did they make a movie about this priest?
Speaker 3:was there a movie like that?
Speaker 4:there is, there is that's right what was the name of the movie? I think it's something with padre pio okay.
Speaker 2:Well, we, I'll look that up. While you're talking about this other religious place, yeah.
Speaker 4:So the other one is Monte Sant'Angelo and it is a UNESCO Heritage Center and this dates back to the 6th century and supposedly St Michael the Archangel was in this area and even left his footprint there oh my goodness, oh, that's cool, that's very cool and they're, uh, so it is in a cave like 60 feet down, and they have built a chapel there and and they've been having masses there since the sixth. So that's another very cool place.
Speaker 1:Very cool place.
Speaker 2:And are these near?
Speaker 4:each other? Yes, and this is like the northern part of Puglia, did someone?
Speaker 3:write about. If God had known about Puglia, they wouldn't have sent them to the.
Speaker 4:Holy Land.
Speaker 3:To the Holy Land.
Speaker 4:If God had known Puglia, that would have been the chosen place for the Jews.
Speaker 3:Wow yeah, Instead the Italians got it.
Speaker 2:That's right. Well, I actually found the movie.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:And it is called Padre Pio.
Speaker 3:Uh-huh.
Speaker 2:And you know who plays the star in this movie.
Speaker 3:Padre Pio.
Speaker 2:Shia LaBeouf yeah, padre Pio Shiloh LaBeouf. You know him. He's Padre Pio. He plays the big kahuna and he's pretty popular in a lot of current movies. Shiloh LaBeouf and it came out in 2022, not too long ago so we know a good movie when we hear of one and they talk about um something in the movie. Uh, they talk about in the year 1920, the italian world war one. Veterans returned to the village and padre pio arrives yeah yeah, so it sounds like a pretty cool movie.
Speaker 2:Okay, it's historical, yeah yes got some history back to it and it doesn't sound like a lot of people are going there. It sounds like they are visiting, but it doesn't sound like it's like overly crowded like rome?
Speaker 4:exactly, it's not, as of course it's not as big as rome or anything, but millions do go there every year and uh and well, at any rate, the town is flourishing because of that.
Speaker 2:That's really nice that the town is flourishing. Would you say how much are in the town, how many people are living in there?
Speaker 4:No, I mean, it was a small town when he was living there, and now it's becoming.
Speaker 2:It's a bigger town, yeah Right, and the name of this town again is well.
Speaker 4:I'm not really sure, san Giovanni Rotondo. So that's. You know, that's the name of the town there's the church. I see it on pictures.
Speaker 2:As Dominica was talking, I'm pulling oh, there's snow there, it snows there if it snows there?
Speaker 4:If it snows there, it melts very quickly. Yeah, yeah, because this is the area also where my grandfather and we are, from Molise, just north of Bari. I mean, we're neighbors, and in the summertime they would bring the cows to Molise and in the winter they would take them down to this area, san Giovanni Rotondo, because it's flat and it's warm and there was plenty of grazing ground for the cows, and I think I talked about that in my last, you did talk about them moving the cows.
Speaker 2:Yes, I remember that. Now I'm also seeing that, in order to get to San Giovanni Rotondo, they're recommending that you fly into Naples. Yes, does that?
Speaker 4:make sense to you. Yes, you can fly into Naples, rent a car and you know people say it's not that hard to drive, you have a lot of curves and so on. However, it's not like driving in Rome or some of the northern.
Speaker 2:To get out of a big city. Yeah, they're saying that it's about 152 kilometers away.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so once you leave the city, you're good, fabulous.
Speaker 2:Yes, so there's lots of things to do there Now, isn't?
Speaker 3:Puglia on the. What sea? Is it the Red Sea? Is it the?
Speaker 4:Okay, it's the Adriatic.
Speaker 3:The Adriatic.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're in a different part of the country.
Speaker 3:I'm not.
Speaker 4:Yeah, you're getting Break out your globe, Jay.
Speaker 3:Break out your globe. No, no, no, the problem was my geography lessons were not that great yeah.
Speaker 2:So this is pretty cool, whether you're into religious venues or not. I mean, this is still a historical place to go, and I also see that they have a Padre Pio wax museum there.
Speaker 4:That whole town is just filled with. I mean it's amazing. It's an amazing I don't know. I'd actually compare it to Rome. I think it's going to be. I mean it's popular with the pilgrims with the pilgrims.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that makes it makes perfect sense and it's. You know, I'm looking at the little streets here that you can walk down and things like that. Very cute, very cute. Now now the other place that you were talking about, with the footstep in there where was that?
Speaker 4:That was in Monte Sant'Angelo. Monte Sant'Angelo and that's the one that's a UNESCO Heritage Center.
Speaker 3:See, I love your Italian, you do very well in Italian.
Speaker 2:I grew up in an all-Italian neighborhood.
Speaker 1:I'm even told what kind of sauce I have to buy.
Speaker 2:when I'm making sauce, they tell me I have to have Tutorosa. If I get anything other than Tutorosa, they'll disown me.
Speaker 3:And it's red too.
Speaker 2:Now I'm trying to spell it, Monte, Monte, spell it for me.
Speaker 4:Okay, m-o-n-t-e Right, and then Sant S-A-N-T apostrophe.
Speaker 2:Sant'Angelo yes, Okay, it's a town in Italy. Oh how cute. It looks like it's up on a hill here.
Speaker 3:It is yeah.
Speaker 4:It is. I believe there's also a Norman castle there from the Middle Ages.
Speaker 2:Oh, I love my castles. Yeah, there's a lot of archaeology.
Speaker 3:Is that correct?
Speaker 2:Oh, there's the castle that she's talking about. I see it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, and it's well preserved. Yes, very well preserved.
Speaker 2:Now, have you been to this city? Have you been to Monte?
Speaker 4:Oh, yes, yeah, oh cool and some people might criticize the church. Why? Because it is painted in gold paint. I don't know how much gold is in that paint. It might be ostentatious. And some people will say Padre Pio would have given the money to the poor.
Speaker 4:However if you stop and think of what this has done for that area. It has given the people there that had a hard time making a living. Now they have the tourists, now they can do their restaurants, now they can enjoy life. So Padre Pio, I do believe, has helped the people from that area as well. As well, cool beans. So you want to say it's ostentatious, why? But look at St Peter's.
Speaker 2:Basilica. That's a little ostentatious, I think yeah.
Speaker 4:But okay, compare it to our stadiums in this country. How much money do we put in that just to watch? Football oh yeah, so anyway.
Speaker 3:Hey, don't dong my football.
Speaker 4:I'm not going to knock that, I'm just saying, you know, just to compare.
Speaker 2:And I just found out that the castle, the first Sunday of every month, opens up the doors to all visitors for free.
Speaker 1:Which is kind of cool.
Speaker 2:So I mean it's another place to go in the area of Puglia.
Speaker 4:Yes, Very good.
Speaker 2:Very good pronunciation. I got it, yeah, so. So here we go. We got two different locations, but we're going to have to come back because I hear music that we have to do Our trivia question. That music says it's time for trivia and, you know, because we're in Italy, I'm going to throw out a trivia question that pertains to Italy. Now, dominic, you can chime in, because I think you'll probably know the answer.
Speaker 3:You'll probably know the answer to this one.
Speaker 2:Maybe not. What was the original purpose of the Leaning Tower of Pisa?
Speaker 4:Well, I would say it was a bell tower.
Speaker 2:Jay, would you like to chime in?
Speaker 3:It was to be a lookout for incoming warriors, I mean. So it's a defensive mechanism.
Speaker 2:That would have been nice. But Domenico is right, it was originally built as a bell tower. Congratulations.
Speaker 4:And I did not know that question ahead of time.
Speaker 3:Were the bells. Are the bells still there? No, because that's why it's leaning. I wouldn't put more bells up there, it was leaning.
Speaker 2:Well, actually they are trying to fix it so it stays a little bit sturdier because it can fall at this point.
Speaker 4:So they have been reinforcing it. We can do that in another podcast, reinforcing the leaning tower. Oh gosh, they have been reinforcing it.
Speaker 2:We can do that in another podcast Reinforcing the Leaning Tower, oh gosh. So now that we've got that out of the way, let's get back to Puyo. So where are we going next in that region?
Speaker 4:Well, there's another. The capital of the area is Bari B-A-R-I, and I do believe that there are some cruise ships now that go there. Really, yes, b-a-r-i and I do believe that there are some cruise ships now that go there.
Speaker 2:Really, yes, b-r-i, b-a-r-i, b-a-r-i. All right, it's a city in Italy and it's right there on the water, fabulous.
Speaker 3:It is. Did you stay there?
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 3:Yes, and what kind of accommodations did you have?
Speaker 4:All of our accommodations in Puglia were phenomenal, and some of them, I actually would say they were five star and beyond, wow.
Speaker 2:That's good.
Speaker 4:They were fantastic. So if you think, oh well, this is a poor area, we're not going to find any, oh no, this is the best of the best now.
Speaker 3:And would you say the accommodations were not? I'm going to say five-star prices.
Speaker 4:No.
Speaker 3:I mean, they were very reasonable.
Speaker 4:Very reasonable.
Speaker 3:It was amazing. Let's not tell anyone.
Speaker 4:I know and that's part of this too, too is like do I really want to tell people? Because, because? Now you're giving away all your secrets and, yeah, I'm gonna go there yes, so then you also have further south, you have seaside town, so if you like, beachy areas and there's Polignano and Monopoly, not the game, but that's the name.
Speaker 2:That's the name of the town, okay so let's, let's stay in this, let's stay in body for a little bit longer okay okay. So first of all, a lot of people say can we walk it? Is it easy? Walkable city?
Speaker 4:oh, Very walkable and while you're there, you can also get local tourist guides, tour guides.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's even better.
Speaker 4:Yes, and they have us, you know, I mean, they're very familiar, and they tell you what restaurants you can go to.
Speaker 2:Now, italy is separated in their foods in a way correct. Like certain areas do certain types of food, other areas do other types of food. They're not all you know. They're not all olive garden, so to speak exactly yes what mcdonald's isn't there either so when, so, when we're in this area, what type of cooking do you recommend? What type of dishes would you recommend?
Speaker 4:Okay, so Pula, because it is surrounded by water. Guess what kind of food you're going to get? I'm thinking fish, uh-huh, lots and lots of seafood, and I mean even different types of things. And if you watch the what's the Steve's?
Speaker 3:Steve's, oh, rick Steve's the steve's um steve's your?
Speaker 4:oh, rick steves, yeah, rick steves, uh, he does. Uh. Shows on the food in pool. Yeah, he does a lot of he does a lot of food. So you know if you want to look up his his shows too, they're great for the food yeah, sometimes I watch his shows with the food and I think I think it was in it.
Speaker 2:They do a lot with squid ink.
Speaker 4:Yes, so this is Puglia, this is Puglia. Hey, I got it, and they've got the squid, they've got the eel, they've got the octopus.
Speaker 2:I've never had eel. How is that?
Speaker 3:Tastes like chicken.
Speaker 4:That was a tradition for Christmas.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know that's one of the popular. Is that the Feast of the Seven.
Speaker 4:Fishes that's one of the ones and they make a fish soup in that area called Chambot sounds good it's a fish soup, some of the other things that Puglia is known for, their bread, and their bread is made from durum wheat flour with a sourdough starter.
Speaker 3:Salt and water. You're making me hungry when you talk about bread.
Speaker 4:And the Pugliese bread is very crusty on the outside.
Speaker 1:Oh nice, I mean if you tap it on the table.
Speaker 4:you can hear it tap, tap, tap and the inside is very moist Melts in your mouth. Yes, oh, it's fabulous, and you know you dip that in oil and body and Pula in general. Great olive groves, they make great olive oil. Oh, so olive oil tasting all around, yes, and we went to a town I don't remember where that location was where they had an olive oil tasting. I always wonder about that?
Speaker 2:What have you done? An olive oil tasting?
Speaker 4:I did. I mean, that was one of the things that my friend Beth Clancy, that was one of the things that she wanted to do, one of her bucket lists.
Speaker 2:It just sounds like olive oil.
Speaker 1:Okay, no, yeah, no Okay.
Speaker 3:Now we did a wine pairing the other day and you got four different wines Right. So how many tastes of olive oil are there?
Speaker 4:I think that they have four or five. Yeah olive oil, are they? I think that they have four or five, yeah, and you know, you just take a little bit and then they even tell you, they even educate you as to how to taste it, just like wine. Yeah, so you take this and then you breathe it in, right, you know you do that, yeah, and then, like, coat your teeth okay, so do wine.
Speaker 3:I mean olive oil. Am I drinking this, this? Do I ask for a glass?
Speaker 4:of olive oil. No, it's just very little. So you don't drink it like wine.
Speaker 3:So you use it for cooking? Is that it, yes, cooking?
Speaker 4:salads. And how many salads have you eaten at my house?
Speaker 2:Yes, I should say our house.
Speaker 4:Right with olive oil, so they give you like a little throwaway cup. Yes, I should say our house Right With olive oil.
Speaker 2:So they give you like a little, like a little throwaway cup. Yes, Okay, Well, but I'm just, I'm thinking of you know, because some have a nuttier flavor, some have a sweeter flavor, right?
Speaker 4:Yes, and then they add citrus. Right you know, like lemon, lime, orange.
Speaker 3:Which was your favorite?
Speaker 4:The lemon and the lime. It's fantastic, Just fantastic. Yes.
Speaker 2:Now we're jumping back into Bari again.
Speaker 4:Okay.
Speaker 1:She has us all over.
Speaker 2:Yes, I was looking to see if the cruise ships go there and yes, there are many, many named brand cruise ships that do go into this area.
Speaker 4:yeah, I told you it's a new hot spot viking, norwegian, they're all, they're all going in there.
Speaker 2:So it is a, it is a hot spot. It is, yeah. So now, now it's a walkable city apparently, uh-huh, and you know it'd be great if you get a tour guide. Mean you cheat because you speak the language? Well, they're.
Speaker 4:English-speaking guys. Of course yes.
Speaker 3:Thank goodness.
Speaker 2:And, just like we discussed, seafood is popular in that area and they're saying focaccia, which is a bread.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah, but there's no focaccia like the focaccia that you get in Puglia. I've never had focaccia in this country that came close to it. It's phenomenal.
Speaker 2:Okay, so now we're going to move out of Bari. And where are?
Speaker 4:we going All right. Another beautiful spot is Albero Bello, which means beautiful tree, and they have the truly houses there, and this is a fairy tale town, oh, a fairy tale town.
Speaker 2:That sounds like fun. What?
Speaker 3:do you mean fairy tale?
Speaker 4:Well, it looks like it came, you know, in the Wizard of Oz, where the Munchkins live. The Munchkins live, yeah, that's what puts me in mind. Oh, wow, but this is real. This is not a fantasy, Uh-huh. And what's the name of the place? Again, albero Bello, a-l-b-e-r-o-b-e-l-l-o.
Speaker 3:Did it look like Mickey's house?
Speaker 4:Oh, I see it. I mean people, if anything, the majority of people. When they think of Puglia, they think of Alberobello. They really are cute little houses, oh my yes, and they have one that's like a museum and it shows, you know, they have the antiques from that area, right it? I mean I, I spent hours looking at everything and took a picture of every single thing that was in.
Speaker 2:I would imagine you would now again. How is it getting around the town?
Speaker 4:I see it well in this one we had a truly home t-r-u-l-l-i and we had the whole thing and and it was on the outskirts, it wasn't right, right in the town but, you know, like two miles out right and that's kind of what I'm looking at.
Speaker 2:I think these little pointy cone top roofs.
Speaker 4:Yes, and the one we stayed in the kitchen was a truly. The bedrooms were truly the cone shaped. So you can look up, you know, to the inside is cone shaped.
Speaker 2:Okay, so we've been talking off mic about that one little place with all the caves and we're going to get right to it. But Jay is signaling to me that we need to do a travel tip. So here we go, and I know this is going to come as a surprise to everybody, but when you book, when you book something, try booking directly through the airline, through the hotel, as opposed to those third-party travel websites. Reason being this will reduce your chances of your reservation getting lost and it allows more flexibility if you need to make a change to your booking. Hotel or airline staff can't change any reservations that are made on these third-party systems.
Speaker 3:Now what about you? I mean, you're a travel advisor. Can't you book them for?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I'm not talking about travel advisors, we're not third parties. I'm talking Expedia, I'm talking Priceline, I'm talking those type of companies. Remember, they are third parties. You do get very good pricing out of it, but if you make reservations there, I forgot to do something. I got to add great-aunt Sally to the reservation, or whatever. It's not that easy to get them to adjust these things.
Speaker 2:Same when it comes to airlines, and particularly now with airlines. Airlines are having some difficulties right now, so they're going through some changes and if you go through a third-party airline thing, it can be problematic.
Speaker 3:Now, the other day, Dominica and I went to the the ark in um yes, I just saw the commercial yeah and um, we booked at the hotel right beside the uh the ark, which was great, great reservations and you went direct and no the. I thought I was going direct to the hotel, right, but it was a third party, so when I get there, can I get my rewards? No, you book through a third party.
Speaker 3:And I went bummer. So you've got to be aware of what you're booking through. Yeah, because when you go online you see all these ways you could do it and there's all these really they're third-party advertisements before you get to the real company.
Speaker 2:And the travel advisors are booking directly with the companies.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 2:So we book directly with the companies. That's how travel advisors get paid.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:But people think travel advisors charge extra. Most of the time they don't, unless you're going to make the travel advisor jump through hoops of fire, right, but usually that's how the travel advisor gets paid. They get paid by the hotel, they get paid by the cruise line, they get paid by, and usually travel advisors don't get paid for airfare.
Speaker 1:Oh.
Speaker 2:So just keep that in mind as well. All right, so there you go. Make sure what you're booking through, because you can't change reservations easy with third parties.
Speaker 3:Well, thanks for that too.
Speaker 2:Okay, and you know I'm biting at the bit for this other thing that Domenica and I were chatting about off mic. Yes, and it was about those caves. Where are we now?
Speaker 4:Okay, now, this is called Matera, m-a-t-e-r-a, and matera is actually located in the region of basilicata, which is right next to pulia, and, um, so don't we? I can't say that it's from pulia, but it's right next to it, and it is it another UNESCO World Heritage Site?
Speaker 3:When you say next to it, it would be on the western side of Puglia. Correct, correct, correct.
Speaker 4:It's on the western side and there's a part of Puglia that they call the Murgia area, and Matera is in the Murgia area. So what Matera is? It's a very unique city. It they're called sassy s-a-s-s-i rock dwellings, and these things are dug directly into the rocks and then they built like it's on a, it's on a hillside, on a rocky hillside, and one is built on top of the other. And when you get there, they make sure you go to a museum that they have there, because that museum will show you how the people lived. And this matera goes back to over 10 000 years ago and it is, to me, even more distinctive than Machu Picchu. You know we make a big deal about Machu Picchu and it is.
Speaker 3:Everybody wants to go there, I hear.
Speaker 4:But Matera is unbelievable. It leaves you speechless.
Speaker 2:It's saying that it's the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in history. That's probably why it outranks some of these things like Machu Picchu, because people have always been here, ever since it was first settled, which is pretty cool. They didn't leave. They liked it so much they stayed, and I see these pictures of the cave dwellings and buildings in the rocks. It's amazing.
Speaker 4:It's amazing and the place that we stayed in Matera, Melody Esposito, one of our travel friends, partners.
Speaker 4:Uh-huh. I mean she does a lot of this research and she found this cave dwelling and they have redone it, refurbished it and so it's very contemporary with modern. It had two bathrooms and the unique part about this the bottom half, the lower part, carved into the rock was a swimming pool. I mean some people they advertise it as a hot tub, but it is the biggest hot tub I've ever seen. I mean it's actually a small pool. I mean, some people they advertise it as a hot tub, but it is the biggest hot tub I've ever seen.
Speaker 2:I mean it's actually a small pool. Now was this in one of the cave hotels.
Speaker 4:It was not a hotel. They don't have hotels. They do in the new section.
Speaker 3:It's like a B&B but it's a C&C.
Speaker 4:It is a bed and breakfast. It is a bed and breakfast so in the old part of Matera, and that's where you want to stay.
Speaker 1:The old part.
Speaker 4:You don't want to stay in the city because that's just regular hotels. You want to find a B&B in the old part of Matera. So the other thing that was in the lower section, along with a hot tub, was a like a Turkish bath, and you know it's dry heat, and then it had a shower. After you use that, then you go into that shower. It was amazing with these blue lights and and then how did they get electricity in a cave? Well, OK, Very carefully.
Speaker 4:Matera has a lot of history and I know we don't have time to go into the history, but they have added running water, electricity.
Speaker 2:I mean it looks like a beautiful town to go and visit and everything in here.
Speaker 4:Oh, I mean, like I said, it leaves you speechless. I can't describe it. Oh, it's. I mean, like I said, it leaves you speechless.
Speaker 2:I I can't describe it so it's a lot of climbing, though there's a lot of hills, oh yeah, so if you are at all handicapped there, there's no way you're going to use. Yeah, this is a wheelchair the other thing.
Speaker 4:We parked our car um in a parking garage, and then they the parking garage and the bed and breakfast then provided transportation for us to go into Matera. So, some of the locals do have cars, so you do see small cars in the old section, but not very many Tiny cars, very tiny, and it's just a walkable.
Speaker 3:Wait a minute. Is this the city where you were trying to get from one side of the town to the other?
Speaker 4:Yeah, we were trying to find the restaurant.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it was like below us and GPS.
Speaker 4:GPS is useless because you know they're winding and you know they have so many different levels that GPS just can't do it, can't follow it, yeah.
Speaker 2:So we said okay, let's go back to our hotel or bed and breakfast. I gotta see if Dominica knows this.
Speaker 3:I gotta see if she knows this what.
Speaker 2:Okay, did you know that one of the James Bond movies was filmed there?
Speaker 4:Oh, yes, and the other one was the Passion of the Christ. Yes, that would make sense that was the other one, because this looks like you know.
Speaker 2:Jerusalem. Yeah, it looks like Jerusalem. Yeah, I'm looking at all the buildings and stuff and how the mountain, how they're built into the mountain peaks there. It's amazing.
Speaker 4:It's amazing. And then from that hillside so you have hillside on one side, then descending down to what might have been a big river at one time, but you know it's small now. So what they would do is take their mules, their sheep, whatever, and then they would take them to graze on the opposite side of the hill, where it was grassy, grassy, right, and you know. So they lived in the caves and then pastured on the surrounding on the opposite hillside. So then we went on the opposite hillside and then you can have a different point of view of Matera. So then you see this whole hillside and the caves built into it. It's amazing.
Speaker 2:Now, did you drive into Matera from somewhere else, or did you fly into an airport and then go?
Speaker 4:Oh no, so Matera is not part of Puglia.
Speaker 2:Right, it's off to the side.
Speaker 4:It's off to the side, so from Matera, then we drove to Naples, or not Naples we started in Rome.
Speaker 2:Okay, yeah, so you were taking the long way around everything.
Speaker 3:You flew into Rome, we flew into Rome. You drove.
Speaker 4:To Molise.
Speaker 3:And then to Puglia.
Speaker 4:Yes. And then did that circle and we went. All you know. The other city I left out was Lecce, which is in Puglia on the east side. Lecce, doesn't that mean like milk or cream or something? Like that Well it's Leche, the Spanish word for milk, right, but Leche is the name of the city in Puglia, and it's on the eastern side, and they call this one the Florence of southern Italy.
Speaker 2:So if somebody was going to go to Puglia, how long would you tell them to be there, because there's so much?
Speaker 4:to see around there. I know I spent seven. I think we spent seven to nine days there. Really so at least a week oh yeah. I mean, if you love this sort of thing, at least that much. And if I had to do it again, I would do two weeks, because it's just unique, it's not just the big cities, you know?
Speaker 3:Well, what she just said is she would do it, she wants to do it in two. Yeah, in two weeks, so could we put together a tour to go do that.
Speaker 2:We might be able to try. That would be phenomenal, would that?
Speaker 3:be fun, uh-huh-huh.
Speaker 4:But then dominica would have to be the tour guide.
Speaker 3:Well, I can do that, I believe. I think she's highly qualified and she speaks the language yeah, so that really helps.
Speaker 4:Yes, yes, so when you go into the towns, however, you hire the local tour guides the local tour guides, because they know the little tricks of the trade and where to eat. And they have to be licensed to do a tour guide in that city. And if they catch you pretending to be a tour guide, you know yeah, so it is, oh yeah, so I mean so they really want you to hire their people which is good, exactly?
Speaker 2:Which is good because that brings the economy around so people can buy into the Shul Guide I want.
Speaker 3:I'm thinking.
Speaker 2:It's very bad when Jay thinks, well, we'll have to see, because we have a lot of things. What?
Speaker 3:would be a good time of the year to do this.
Speaker 4:Oh, we went in September and that was to me the best time. Right because it's after the summer crowd. Well, not just that, the summer crowd is over, but you know you don't have the heat, but it's still warm and you know beautiful climate. But sometimes, if you go, in July and. August in southern Italy it's going to be sweltering A little toasty, and if they don't have air conditioning, then you're really going to be.
Speaker 2:Well, I will have to look to see who would be interested in stuff like this, because I can imagine a lot of people would be, because they like to go off the beaten path and they like Italy.
Speaker 3:I'm hearing Italy is such a hot.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, oh yeah. I just came from a session on Italy yesterday. Yes, my learning, my learning for Italy.
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, we'll have to see if we can put something together, and particularly if that area is bringing in cruise lines and cruise ships yes, and they probably have other ships that go into that region, so there might be a possible way of doing stuff like this. All right, oh, here we go, yeah, but it's not going to be this september, that's no, no, no.
Speaker 3:2025 I'm looking next year, yeah, or?
Speaker 4:2026, even I mean it's yeah, yeah 26 I know it's getting.
Speaker 3:Things are getting booked overseas is getting booked, yeah well I they've been there so long, I think they can wait Well.
Speaker 2:I guess they could wait. I mean, you said they've been there forever. It's not going anywhere, that's for sure.
Speaker 4:But some of these places it is not handicap friendly.
Speaker 2:Right, this is something that you're going to have to really walk.
Speaker 4:Yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and you know, I was just looking at that last one that's a knee killer.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 4:I was looking at the stairs, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 4:Because, matera, it is going up and down, but you see things that are thousands of years old, the murals on the walls. You know they're very faint.
Speaker 2:But they're still there.
Speaker 4:And it's just, it's amazing.
Speaker 2:Well, dominica, I appreciate you coming again and chatting with us, because I'm sure we're going to have another region to talk about next time you come in. So thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 3:She's got 20 more shows to do.
Speaker 2:Right, there's 20 regions. We've got to get to all of them. Yeah, and there's so much in each region, yeah, we can't even get at all of those yeah.
Speaker 2:So, as I always say, there's so much traveling to do and so little time to do it in, so tune in every week for more travel info and insights and just plain old fun. Please follow me and like me on Facebook. Do you have a favorite location or an interesting travel tip? Let me know at ZMichelson at gmailcom, and remember Z is spelt Z-E-E. I'm very excited to let you know. My podcast can be heard on all your favorite podcast players. Feel free to give me a review. I'd love to hear what you have to say and again, thanks for listening today. Traveling truly opens up the world to you. You learn all about the different cultures, lifestyles and, of course, food. Then you realize we truly are really the same. So dream, dream big, reach for those stars and if you only get to the moon, at least you made the trip. If you're looking for great places to travel to, feel free to visit my website, zmichelsontravelcom, and remember Z is spelt Z-E-E. This is Z Michelson. Making your travel dreams come true.