Europe Fall 2024 - The Bride of Ortona Exploring Continues

 It was supposed to be a cold and unpleasant day. Wife and I were really beat up from our two days getting out and about in Ortona. Has fate would have it by around Noon, the weather had gotten really nice. We had relaxed in the morning. We felt we could go out again. So we did. 

Now our exploration is going deeper, looking at this as a place we might spend more time. Particularly, we wanted to get an idea of what kinds of daily shopping might be available within walking distance if one was staying in the areas that we are contemplating. So our wandering was more going deeper into the streets of the Old Town plus exploring out of the Old Town to get a feel for how the we might live in a place like this if we didn't have a car (something important to our longer stay analyses)

The short answer is we're not sure. It doesn't seem as if there is a whole lot of shopping in a close distance of where we'd hope to stay. However, there are other parts of the town we need to explore in terms of finding a place to stay that might work out well. The weather is supposed to be rainy the rest of the time we're here so we will see how much research we can continue to get done. 

Today's Photos

The Battle of Ortona in 1943 between Allied Canadian soldiers and Nazi Germans left the city in almost complete ruins

So when we look at the city today, we are seeing it as almost completely rebuilt

If you see things that look like they are older era decorations, they're probably not or at least they are replicas

Though some have made it through. This is an ecclesiastical library

It looked like rain but it did not

There are a lot of areas with vending machines

Whenever one is in a new area, it is important to know where your local Socialist Party headquarters is.

 

This city is still the capital of architectural renovation scaffolding

Before - Blah looking

Afterwards - Way Better

Another example

But the best is the renovation they are doing to the Cathedral of St. Thomas the Apostle. 

(Note to Self - If they rebuilt this all after WWII why is it in need of renovation so soon?)

We were actually able to get into the Cathedral which shocked me as we'd read it was closed for the renovations.

Signs of the World

We may be Catholics but we welcome Sun Worshipers too!