PESCHICI and HOTEL ORCHIDEA (Gargano) First part
PESCHICI 2005 + HOTEL ORCHIDEA
Were over 20 years that does not put foot in the Gargano. The return of this has the flavor of a "how we were", the "good old days gone," of "that young people and prancing, then." In fact in 1982 my children were small. Then housed in a residence in San Menaio (town of Vico Gargano), a few km before PESCHICI. But the picturesque little town perched even then it was our favorite destination of each exit. And this year we are back with great nostalgia and poetry, also more mature to appreciate these places enchanted, magical, and above all its people, genuine and hospitable;
to enjoy a modus vivendi still very attached to traditions, positively village, very Italian, simple, very south, and to the uses and customs of this land of olive trees, sea, pine forests and a lot of sun, the sun of the ancient Dauni. Then you will speak particularly of PESCHICI, which I rediscovered an old love, a deep-rooted complicity of emotions and feelings. Memory of unusual smells, the language of music (to many - but fortunately not all - the tough language in its foggiano variants of Gargano), special accents and dialects. And to get better in their heart and into peschiciana, but especially for better understanding, I bought a Collins dictionary Italian-Foggia (with phonetic pronunciation) and a manual phraseology characteristic dialect. Because here in the Gargano dialect is the master, in all social classes without distinction of class and culture. Un po 'come to Venice. Indeed, the dialect is considered the language of the aristocracy of the town! A great help in the pronunciation (and not only ...) I was given by the good and simpaticissimo Emilio, rodiano doc - ie Rhodes Garganico - almost lawyer and logistic manager for this summer at the Orchid, which speak at length "below".
Obviously I was prompted to explore the area of PESCHICI, as if this charming little town of fishermen will be the focus: Vieste (now large cities); Garganico Rhodes (with the remains of ancient and not very distant future riches, beautiful palaces to witness); Tremiti the (some say "four stones in the middle of the sea, too much exploited for tourism", forgetting its depths and its beautiful pine forests, but especially the priceless archaeological treasure that is the fortress-monastery on the island of San Nicola, which alone justifies a trip to ... Tremiti "as they say here), the wild protettissima Foresta Umbra (a piece of deep trentino sudItalia). A particular merit San Giovanni Rotondo veneratissima with the young saint, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, and the jewel of Monte Sant'Angelo, on the morning and the capital nautica Manfredonia.
San Giovanni Rotondo I was not particularly impressed (it was predictable) if not for the witnesses, many, of the work of Padre Pio. A journey of faith, charity and love that has no equal in Italy and perhaps in Europe. And then after all the sad merchandising (we say today) annunciatomi, that is the commercial exploitation of this area is still far from disgraceful peak Lourdes and other holy places of Christianity as the mystical internazionalissima Assisi! Certainly the pilgrims and the curious are many. Those who are making the portrait photography along with relics of the saint (very many) are very ridiculous ... but so goes the world ... and faith.
Monte Sant'Angelo (20km from St. John R. and approximately 80km by our PESCHICI) is a rare and beautiful testimony of the medieval hill town (we are 800 meters), defended, well-maintained pier, well organized, with breathtaking views and tourist adeguate.Ma also the famous shrine of St. Michael the Archangel is the main reason for this uniqueness. A church in the huge cave dug into the rock, ipogea with crypts and stairs that descend majestically in depth, with rich artistic heritage and remains a first-mystical atmosphere with relise that really takes you into deeper problems. A spiritual journey and architectural, archaeological, which justifies the one-day excursion.
But we PESCHICI and its (dare I say even our own, that is, customers and guests vezzeggiata cradled) Hotel Orchidea. (CONTINUE TO PART TWO, same topic)