Day 23 Saturday 7 September

Early rise, and another well executed pack. We even got down to breakfast before 7:30 and whilst there was food there, the lights were off until they had finished setting up. They wouldn’t turn the lights on early when I indicated even though it was only about 7 minutes till 7:30, so we snuck around and got a few items to get started anyway. Our booked taxi was waiting for us on time and weaved and boosted us skilfully to Centrale, taking only about 10 minutes.

It was actually raining lightly, but this wasn’t affecting our travel and made it slightly cool which was nice, especially after yesterday. The city was strangely quiet for Naples, and then we were reminded that it was Saturday morning, and Italy has a different time frame anyway.

I was looking forward to our 1st class trip, and whilst we had a nice carriage with air conditioning, there was no refreshment; not even a water. Quite a different experience from Russian and Finnish first class. When we last travelled in Italy on first class I am sure we got a cup of tea and a sandwich – maybe things have changed or its different down south.

The trip was actually quite scenic; we travelled through hills, valley and saw a bit more greenery mainly olive trees but also some native bush – trees. There was even one lake following a hydro dam. We also started to see the odd hill town amongst the small settlements.

When we got off the train, the small station was pretty much deserted and only one other passenger got off. A man came up to us and asked if we wanted taxi and tried to take our bags – he had very little or no English. We asked how much and he indicated 40 Euro. By this state we were at his car in the car park and I saw it was a private vehicle. Quickly cottoned on that this was not kosher and told Vernon to grab our bags. There was also a mini van in the car park with Matera written on it.

The next 15 minutes was an animated scene of me insisting the scammer go away, that we would walk if necessary (was mapping it on google) and trying to find out what the mini bus was and where it would go. Meanwhile the price of the ‘taxi’ started to come down and he would then have an argument with the mini bus driver who tended to stay a little in the background observing what was playing out – sticking to his simple €2, and we thought 10 minutes time he would leave.

We used our translator amongst the two of them surrounding us almost fighting over our bags and worked out the mini bus was it. Our opportunist scammer had gone down to €15 by this stage. When on the bus we realised that Matera was not a short 20 minute walk away like our hosts had emailed, but a 15 minute drive over the highway and up hills to the city. Whew.

Further checking once we arrived at the town centre, was that there are two train stations – a regional which is in the town – new part – and a 20 minute walk. And another intercity – the one we were on. When booking I did see two options, but didn’t want the slower regional one, that involved 3-4 changes in between buses and trains. No where did it say that the intercity was way out of town. As it transpired the mini bus meets this train, so no problem – just watch out for unofficial taxi!

We googled our accommodation which was an easy 15 minute walk down hill, but once we hit old town the hill was steep, very bumpy and slippery large, shiny, worn rock cobbles. Vern kindly took my bags for a bit like a wonderful donkey – one on each side for balance – as it was just killing our bag wheels.

Matera old town – Sassi – covers a couple of hills and sits on the edge of a large ravine (Murgia). How would I describe it? Ancient and other worldly – like nothing we have experienced before. It certainly has a wow factor – and a surreal beauty given it looks very crumbly, decrepit and old.

Matera is an ancient city that seems to have existed forever. It is the third oldest city in the world, after Aleppo and Jericho, with over 10,000 years of history. Cave dwellings have been carved out of the limestone rock, a bizarre architecture outlined an abnormal representation of buildings boxed into one another, creating a veritable tangle of alleys and small neighbourhoods, where the roof of a house may became the overlying floor of another, and a wall torn down would often combine two adjacent rooms or houses.

This woven structure and lifestyle has intrigued experts and has allowed them to learn how it had been possible to live with the absence of running water (artesian spring and communal well), and other aspects of this unique lifestyle that has given Matera World Heritage status.

It has beautiful old 14th century cave churches with faded fresco, a grand Duomo, gorgeous streets and traffic free squares where people live their traditional lives of the passeo come evening time. Alleys twist and turn providing new and interesting views – upwards or downwards and across the Murgia (the natural canyon of Gravina).

By the time we got to our accommodation we were a bit sweaty but happy an in awe of the movie like scene we had stepped into. As it happens they are filming the new 007 movie here at the moment and it was also the set for the film “Passion of Christ”. Our host offered us a coffee which was a very good one, and we got shown our cave room for the next two nights.

Our room isn’t quite like the picture, as of course they all put the superior room up and the bed is only a minor improvement on the Mafia rock bed. We have good air conditioning and a kettle to make tea and the big bonus is the location and AMAZING view out of our window – so we are happy. You look out the window and have to pinch yourself as really it doesn’t look real what you are seeing – it is so different.

Our accommodation is on the path, and just under a key lookout point and rock where an old church is simply carved into. After a settle and shower we went up the lookout and then for a wander – just getting lost in the maze of this fabulous Sassi.

On the way I bought a bottle of local wine (very nice), and a delicacy of a sponge drop type cake filled with custard. It was amazing – more like a very soft light skin around custard. We also stopped off for a Gelato and topped up on water as its a very dehydrating environment, not to mention both of us quite under the weather with heavy colds.

Photo above shows filming at base of cathedral, the other a set person doing work.

Our host recommended a restaurant to try local dishes. Key foods to try here are the fava bean dip, chickory leaves and turnip leaves, local pulses, and pork roulade stuffed with bread and herbs, wrapped with bacon and grilled.

Our meal covered off all the above except the turnip and it was really lovely comfort food – delicately seasoned and a welcome change from pizza bread. Also famous from here is the bread which is made with local semolina and fermented with fig and grape yeasts and cooked in a wood fire. It is very different in texture – bouncy, slight chew but soft and moist. Very yellow in colour and a dry crispy not so nice crust. The taste is very delicate and hard to describe – to me almost like a chick pea but with a sweetness – I think the yeasts bring out a grain flavour of the semolina. It really grows on you, and I rather like it.

We were pretty tired after the big day and meal, along with a good wine and are feeling less tense in this quiet ancient place. Wouldn’t have traded the experience in Naples, just think this is going to be a lot easier with no traffic and chaos to negotiate.