Brindisi
@Jun/'05 Italy
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Port "Brindisi": it still is opened to Greece and neighboring
Middle Eastern countries
The road is used even today by Romaines who drive Alfa-romeo to their works.
Appia, the first route constructed by ancient Roman empire. It would be
the first infrastructure made by human being in BC 4 century. Amazing is
that the road can be used even today after 23 hundreds years after it had
commissioned. Originally, it was designed for exclusively military purposes,
linked 600km, between Rome and Brindisi. Ancient Rome was heavily influenced
by Greek culture of that time. People of that time and till today should
have travelled frequent between Greek and Italian peninsula passing through
this sea-port. Should it be the reason the first Roman highway had been
constructed in this part of the empire.
The column marking the end of Appia, the first ancient highway from the
capital Rome
The column of Roman time stands beside the residential house of today
Did Roman army march out from this point to defend the empire from the
enemy
A view of port Brindisi from the terminal point of Appia
The water is open to Adriatic Sea and neighboring countries
One day in June holiday, after spending couple of days in Frankfurt Germany,
I came down to Brindisi, the tip of Italian Peninsula. Appia, #1 trunk
route of the ancient Rome, ends in this seaport town. The purpose of this
trip is to see the whole Appia, #1 trunk route of Italy from the beginning
to the end. A little bit different way to the ancient Roman, I took, by
driving car on present Appia, High way A1. The present Appia Highway A1
is paralleled to ancient Appia. It is one of routes stretch out from Foro
Romano, the capital center of the ancient Rome.
In the early morning next day, drive out Fiat Pumt from the garage I parked
it last night, next to the two star hotel I lodged. The city was still
before the rush hour, not many cars in streets. Drove down Torino St. turn
left at Cavour St. now, you arrive in front of Rome Termini Station. Turn
left the square, you will see a big rotary Republica. Exit the rotary to
the south direction, Nationale St. Soon you will see the magnificent Vittoriale
Emanuell II monument located in Venizia Square. Turn this square to the
left, you will be on Imperiali St. which lead you to Colosseo. Turn around
Colosseo in clock wise, you will come to San Gregorio St. Now you can see
Foro Romana on your right hand with soil colored ancient wall. Turn left
when you reached to the Capena Gate Square, huge junction connected to
Circo Massimo.
You are on the Appia, ancient super highway #1 that links to Brindisi.
The road is paralleled with line of mushroom like pine trees on both sides.
The ancient Appia is covered with well shaped stone, and can be driven
by two cars of today in parallel. Actually, I got into the mass of present
business worriers in car rushing to their works on this road. You might
be amazed the straightness of the road that had made in 4 century BC. Their
determined idea on infrastructure of that day is not single inch below
to our present standard at all. I drove Fiat Pumt to Appia Nuova and highway
A1 down to Naples.
Hotel Blue Rose's in Mesagne
Current Appia is highway A1, or E45 in international road code, between
Rome and Naples, and A16, or E842 in international road code between Naples
and Bari, then final lag is E55 that runs along the Adriatic sea between
Bari and Brindisi. There is alternative route, A14 between Bari and Tarlant.
This time I took shore route, E55 to Brindisi. Total length of Appia from
Rome to Brindisi was approx. 570 km, I arrived Brindisi in 14:11, only
seven hours drive from Rome by car of the present day. It might have taken
dozen of days by heavily equipped ancient Roman soldiers.
The main street stretches to the port
Very few people are in the street since many shops closed for lunch.
I booked accommodation at Brindisi from a public phone in Rome. It should
be located in Mesagne, approx. 10 km from Brindisi along the route E90
connecting Brindisi and Tarlant. Route E90 is the alternative Appia. I
had a little worry, at that time, to find the hotel that I reserved in
Rome, since this town is real brand new for me. Moreover, only Italian
is understood in the town, and I do not know single Italian word except
"Bon jorno". This feeling of uncertainty I like very much, somewhat
ambiguous, expecting a lot of wonders and fantasies in new place. To my
relief, there are plenty of time, perhaps another six hours I can be get
lost, before it becomes dark. It was only quarter past two in the afternoon.
E90 is well made trunk road just looks like real highway that links Brindisi
and another seaport town Tarlant. Got off E55 at Brindisi, where I found
the big road sign written Tarlant. Drove Pumt on E90 another 10 km, a road
sign of Mesagne was seen. Got off E90 by the sign, parked the car at Gas
station before the town to fill up the fuel after driving 650km down from
Rome. I only find the car was diesel fueled when I open the fuel tank cap.
I asked one of the staff of the gas station, where is the hotel located
in the town, but no communication established between us. I took out the
map of the hotel that I printed out from Internet, and showed it to him
again. He looked into the map for a while, and said some words pointing
the roads where I was heading. It seemed that the direction I took was
correct. It seemed that he was saying that the hotel is on this way.
The hotel was right on that road. Mesagne is a small Italian town, there
is a main street of approx. 1km centered by a square where the ruin of
medieval castle stands. The hotel was only 300m away from the town center
to Tarlant direction. Condominium type two story building equips American
Bar in the ground floor, facing to the main street accompanied with a big
date-palm-tree in street side terrace. It produces charming bright south
Italian mood
A yacht, pleasure boat of our age, floating on Brindisi water
First thing to do in Brindisi is to see the port that had been open to Adriatic sea from the days of ancient Greek. Before doing this, I have to find money exchange, since no local money (Euro) left in my pocket except few coins. I had fifteen Euro when I left Rome. On the way to Brindisi, I paid all high way toll by credit card, but some cash have to be consumed by coffee shop at service area on the highway. I was lucky finding a honest exchange dealer in the main street of the town.
The size of city Brindisi seemed quite large, reflecting bustling port town from the days of ancient historical age. Buildings are old, but shops are brilliant, long in depth and bursting bright in high fashion. Italian people seems having an instinct of selected sense of art at their birth. Displays of shops are all in top sense of high fashion. The street leading to the port is car free boulevard providing open and pleasant feeling to all strollers on the street.
Cathedral in Dome Square: Arch gate lead to Via Colonna
The next day, went to Tarlant via Appia alternative, or E90 in current international route code, connecting between Brindisi and Tarlant. Tarlant is 40 km east away from Mesagne. It was 40 minutes drive. Tarlant was unexpectedly a large and beautiful sea-port town, water cuts deep inside the land shaping magnificent coast line everywhere.
It was still in the morning before the town wake up in full business. Streets were busy with morning markets, vegetables from farm, fresh fishes from sea, moors just raised from sea water. Peoples and fresh merchandises were overflowing in the narrow street. In the main street, bus lane is made to have smoother traffic for route buses. Does Italian keep the lane for buses? Oh, it was me who disregarded the bus lane. Italian people kept driving off the bus lane. I have to remember that the level of Civilization is totally high in this country. This is not the third country on earth.
Appia Alternative between Brindisi and Tarlant,
or E90 in current international route code
Left Tarlant after just one hour stay, and got back to Brindisi. The main target of today is to see the end of Appia. Just after the noon, I was standing in front of big board showing sightseeing map of Brindisi at the Brindisi railway station. It was written all in Italian, and I could not understand any word at all. Finding some wards similar to English, and imagine the meaning of the words.
I had at that time, confident that the place where the column standing in front of the water was the terminal of Appia. The same place I visited yesterday, I could not find any indication at all about that column. But, now, I saw the description written on the wall of neighboring house in small and camouflaging color to the wall. This was what I wanted to do in Brindisi. I had full satisfaction in my mind of the trip this time, and slowly drove back to the hotel in Mesagne on E90, Appia alternative.
Downtown in Tarlant: Cars occupy every place of narrow downtown street
23/Jun/'05 ＠Brindisi Italy (Updated on 10/Feb/'06)
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