LDS FHC info

charliemis · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:04 pm Post subject: Re: LDS FHC info

Poipu04 wrote:

Charlie, I can't wait to see your pics of Gargano and Vieste. A friend of mine in Celenza goes there on vacation and has described its beauty to me. BTW, interesting to hear about Foggia. When we visited Celenza (in the province of Foggia) someone told us that if we needed to shop, to avoid Foggia and go to Campobasso instead. They did not say why, but I guess it was the "gritty" aspect of it. I love your travel description too! The average tourists have no idea how wonderful the people down south are!

Foggia is a very old city, but it was completely destroyed by the Allies in WWII as there was an military airbase. My Uncle's house was completely destroyed and they lost everything except for a couple photos (including my parents' wedding picture). My cousin who is 74 said he ran so fast that he ran out of his shoes (which he said he had to retrieve or otherwise do without them as there was nowhere else to find another pair). My Uncle's family fled to Troia to live during the war --- they returned after the war.

The town had previously been destroyed by a major earthquake in the 17th century.

There are a few old buildings and churches left, but it was mostly rebuilt in the 50s. The center is nice with some nice shops, but it is nothing special. There is also a newly renovated shopping mall with about 30 stores. The outer areas are full of "old Industrial" buildings with lots of grafitti. Even another cousin's building (she has a large, modern, well apointed apartment) has a lot of grafitti at ground level --- it doesn't seem as if anyone ever cleans it up. Other southern cities seem to be always doing renovation, but I have never seen such activity in Foggia.

The surrounding towns are nice --- Lucera, Troia ---- but Foggia doesn't attract any tourists....just the locals............Charlie