Love, actually...

As the plane came in to land, I felt dizzy. The sky was the darkest shade of navy blue. To everyone else down there, it was just another April night...  "I" was looking at Van Gogh's Starry Night, because looking at the sky of my native Puglia, I just wanted to cry... Millions of stars were holding hands... I knew they were greeting me. I wanted to jump out of the aircraft, make myself the shiniest shade of silver and join the stars. I thought I could see a ferry on its way to Greece, but I discovered we were flying over the Isole Tremiti, the islands, and they wearing their most glamorous evening dresses covered in silver sequins. The Islands had lit all their lights to welcome me, I thought. And I felt so happy!

I stuck my nose to the small window and felt like I did as a child when, before Christmas, we would get out all our fairy lights and switch them on... the magic never failed! And it was happening again. Only, this time, I was a woman!

And that's how I felt as the plane started to make its way down, towards Bari Airport. My ears were hurting so much, but MY city was so big and beautiful and totally lit, like a huge Christmas tree, a bonfire on the 5th of November. I had  Pink Floyd music playing inside my heart. It was beating fast. I was Michael Shumacher driving a red Ferrari. I could feel the adrenaline flowing. I felt happy to be HOME once again, and though I was temporarely deaf in one ear I could hear the sweetest music ever and I knew I would sleep extremely well, that night...

As we waited for our bags, I looked through the doors, as they opened to let passengers out. I knew I would spot my sister's smile immediately! It was bright and beautiful and she was waving!

Out of the airport it was hot... nine o' clock at night... it was dark, it was busy with people laughing shouting, moaning, people kissing "Hello" and "Goodbye." The palm trees greeted me with a samba. I felt like I was on the set of "Love, actually" "Love is all around you" How true is that, eh?

 I remember sitting right where that girl is, in the fashionable Via Sparano, Bari.

Il Lungomare, Bari

This where my Babbo's family originated from. Bari.

Old Bari

The Norman- German Castle, Bari

Shopping

Outside Palazzo Mincuzzi, department store, Bari

Palazzo Mincuzzi, with Benetton

We even have our own Giorgio-Franco Armani (he ate my cheesy pig!)

I bet you didn't know you could light a BBQ with a hairdryer!