Cisternino Celebrates San Quirico 2015

We fitted in an extra visit to Puglia to surprise our friends who were staying in Trullo Azzurro. As luck would have it coincided with the feast of the patron saint of Cisternino - Saint Quirico.

The first thing we noticed is the repaving of our street. The town council are laying quality flagstones from Via San Quirico along our street, Via Manzoni, down to Corso Umberto. It's looking good.

Still work in progress. Our street is one of those that form the circumnavigation of the city walls which means that all the parades and festivals that involve a tour of the town pass under our window.

It would not be a trip to Puglia without a visit to our favourite seafood restaurant: La Rotonda de la Rosa. Reviews vary wildly but we love it.

Over the weekend the saintly celebrations included lights, live music and fireworks. In the evening the passeggiata was in hyperdrive.

In Via Roma the stage was set up for Italian rock chick Greta Manuzi.

In the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele a stage was set up for some classical music we heard brass band versions of some Verdi arias.

There were two days of celebration; Saturday was more secular, Sunday more religious. We had holy men of God pass down our street complete with a quaint PA - battery-driven loudspeaker on wheels - so the priest could broadcast the blessings.

Then came the great and the good with the holy saints, mother and son Julietta and Quriaqos, carried shoulder high.

That evening we were originally due to fly home but moved our flight out one day to fit in a concert from George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. That didn't start till 10:30 pm and went on till 1:30 the next morning.

We got back to the apartment just in time for a spectacular firework display which from our terrace gave us ring-side seats.

A real shame to go home but it has taken me so long to get round to writing this post that we are already back there now.