I was going to title this blog something flippant like “A14 – but not to Cambridge” because we spent the whole day on the A14 motorway heading south, but the BBC carries news that a bridge, we travelled under today, has collapsed killing 2 people on the motorway. A bit of a shock to say the least.

Today we decided to put some miles under our belt. Our original intention had been to spend our month in Italy exploring the far south, which we have only previously visited once, for a week. We are now 9 days into that month and we were still firmly in the north. I had wanted to see Assisi on this trip, but when I looked at the guidebooks I saw a host of other towns in the area I wanted to visit. We love Italy so much that we will definitely be back so we decided to leave Assisi and come back to it another trip.

So we took our third journey on a toll road this tour and drove 240 miles due south on the A14. The road was excellent and hugged the Adriatic. One thing surprised us and that was the snowcapped, almost Alpine mountains inland, both bathed in brilliant sunlight. It was impressive to have the turquoise sea to our left and towering icy peaks to our right.

Apennines

I knew that the Apennines ran the length of Italy, but what I hadn’t realised was that this far south there were such large mountains. A quick look at the map told me that in the Abruzzo area mountains rise to over 9000 feet and there is even some skiing!

Basil mixes it with the big boys!

Our desination for the night was a private sosta on Lake Lesina (41.864607, 15.358161). The sosta was well laid out, but only just getting ready for the season. The cost out of season is €12 including electricity, wifi and showers. There was only one other motorhome parked up. It is on the outskirts of a scruffy town called Lesina. When we went for a stroll along the lake into the centre, it was so run down that Sarah said it would make a good set for an apocalypse movie. Apart from some tourism, the town’s main industry is apparently eel fishing!

Lesina – a set for the apocalypse?

Basil’s stop at Lake Lesina

Our overnight spot is located on a dead end road out of the town, but all afternoon and into the evening dozens of cars have driven up the road and back again, often at walking pace. The same cars went through this ritual repeatedly. Some vehicles with people on their own, others with several occupants. Sarah and I were fascinated but puzzled. We speculated about treasure hunts and less innocent pastimes. Eventually when the owner of the sosta opened his adjacent bar I went to enquire what it was all about.

Lesina Lake Front

I knew all about the famous Italian passeggiata. The evening ritual where people, dressed in their finest, strolled about the centre of town, to be seen. The owner explained that the car parade was a modern equivalent where people drive their cars endlessly up and down, just to be seen out and about. What a strange world we live in.

Memorial in Lesina to US Airforce

The idea for tomorrow is to drive round the adjacent Gargano Peninsular, which is supposed to have some of the most beautiful coastline in Italy. We look forward to it.