Mola di Bari

This is the kind of town that makes me want to learn Italian and come back many times! It's beautiful and relaxing!

I didn't get outside till about 11 am, but there are people waking everywhere, little tiny cars parallel parking in the tiny spaces on skinny roads. Seems impossible, but they do it.

Then at 1 pm everything closes down, parents go get their kids from school and people are sitting drinking coffee or on their balconies. The only thing open might be a coffee shop. It's very peaceful and no one seems like they are expected to do anything at all, except relax! Then suddenly about 5 pm the town comes alive again. It's not small town, but it has a small feel to it. It's full of buildings very close together that are 3-7 stories high. Shops are randomly dispersed, so you can't just go to one part of town where the shops will be. They are just all over. Little grocery stores, or a bakery, or an electronic shop, a meat shop. On the roads there will be a produce stand with the most amazing looking produce. Or an olive vender, with 15 different kinds of olives! But at 1pm everyone takes everything down and close up shop! Then about 5 pm, I started hearing commotion and everything gets set up again, and the stores roll up their doors etc. I walked to the plaza or center of town and it was crazy. The same place I sat at 2 pm was now full of people. The benches around the fountain were packed full, kids were playing soccer or riding bikes. The shops and the restaurants were all busy. It was amazing the difference.