Taranta Night 2020

Taranta Night 2020

music to start over

Nobody believed it, but again this year we had our Taranta Night 2020.
On 28 August the main square of Melpignano hosted a more intimate version of the most representative concert of the Apulian soul in the world.

Taranta night 2020

The 10,000 spectators of the previous editions are a distant memory, but this has not prevented those who have been able to follow the evening on the Italian national TV, to get excited and live it, perhaps dancing the taranta near the sofa at home.

What happened that August 28, we will try to describe it in this article, but before we proceed, we like  it to thank those who believed in it, those who, this year, wanted to make the taranta itself felt as strong, clear and passionate as always.

Night of the Taranta 2020: what is the taranta

The term taranta recalls the ancient phenomenon of tarantism. According to popular belief, tarantism was a disease caused by the bite of the tarantula (Lycosa tarentula), which occurred mainly in the summer months (harvest period) and which caused a state of general malaise – abdominal pain, catalepsy, sweating, palpitations – in which music, dance and colors represented the fundamental elements of the therapy which consisted, in fact, in a musical exorcism.

Music is therefore the fundamental element of this therapy of other times, we could easily speak of a first form of music therapy.

Today there are no more spiders to chase away and diseases to exorcise, but the music has remained.

And it has become a real symbol of our Puglia. Thousands of people come from afar every year to experience a crazy but unforgettable night.

Night of the Taranta 2020: guests

For the 2020 edition, an authentic Apulian was chosen as the star of the show: Sergio Rubini, from Grumo Appula, as he said, a village pretty much unknown to the world, but which remains important because it gave him its roots.

Guests of honor included the rock soul of Gianna Nannini and the warm voice of Mahmood.

And then music, dance and songs: many artists took turns in a Taranta Night that looks really good.

In this context of excellence, it is impossible not to mention the Taranta Popular Orchestra and the Roma Sinfonietta Orchestra, maestro Paolo Buonvino.

The concert opened with the song ‘Quannu te llai la facce in the morning’ – When you wash your face in the morning – and immediately after this piece, it was a crescendo of strong emotions.

The difficult situation we are experiencing was just a bad memory for two hours. This is the power of music. The notes managed to give us the strength to start over, to still believe that next year will be better.

"Is it worth sacrificing one's happiness in the name of reasonableness?"

This phrase inspired us when we were thinking about our next blog post. We live times where the unthinkable is our new normal and we are learning to adapt like probably never before in the name of our sanity. We scrambled to find ways that are “acceptable” when it comes to work, school, family, relationships and of course travel.   

Ode to Life

As soon as Sergio Rubini uttered words taken from Erasmus of Rotterdam’s Praise to Madness, the words got stuck in our mind and gave meaning to the whole evening.

Can you be happy and reasonable? Or do you have to be crazy? And what does it have to do with the pizzica dance?

Everything!

The pizzica was danced almost as a cure for hysteria. You were dancing and you were happy. You danced and the hysteria went away, even if only for a while.

This is what events like this need, even in 2020, even when it seems like they can only create problems.

We all need two hours of madness, unleashed pizzica dance and a rich meaningful life.

This, will help us gain the strength needed to cope and wait for next year. For a better year!

And we at Beeyond will be ready to welcome you, whether you take a full tour or simply a stay in one of our villas,  we will wait for you so we can give you some evenings of lucid madness.

Praise to Madness

Excerpt in English

In 1509 Erasmus of Rotterdam publishes a small book entitled Eulogy of Madness, the question that Erasmus asks is: is it worth sacrificing one’s happiness in the name of the reasonableness of rationality? The answer is No!

Erasmus says that to be happy you have to be crazy; yes, crazy because it is madness that helps you to forget and overcome all the things that are wrong, the things that are not right and that hurt you, even death.

Erasmus writes that if life spreads it is only due to madness because only madness helps us to find pleasure even when there seems to be no trace of pleasure, it is madness that makes us fall in love with a stranger and rely on him totally, which makes us love children even before knowing them, before knowing what they will become; that makes us cry watching a movie or listening to a song; it is the madness that makes us happy as children if the soccer team you support wins the football championship.

In short, to be happy, you need to be crazy, to look for unknown paths, to throw oneself into unthinkable undertaking and accomplish the impossible; it is only madness that allows us to live and dream.

Our take

According to Erasmus of Rotterdam, it takes a “bit” of madness to be happy. As absurd this may sound at first, we think that a bit of lucid madness could be the answer to many problems.  Because we love being happy, travel, meet new people and enjoy life, we invite you to reflect of this concept.

May Music, Taranta and Puglia inspire you and touch you with the same intensity it has touched us; opening doors we didn’t even know it existed. 

May you find your door, may you dream intensively and may you travel happy wherever your journey takes you! 

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Remedy to Vacation and Anxiety

Welcome home!

that special something you need on vacation

Have you ever felt super excited to go on vacation and yet, anxious at the same time? We have good news for you! We will help you get to the root of the issue so you can go confident on your long deserved vacation leaving behind any anxiety.  

Why do I feel anxious right before my vacation

First of all, you are not the only one! Many people feel this anxiety before leaving for vacation. This is even truer for those people who tend to be in control of everything happening around them. Going on vacation is something absolutely beautiful because of the new places you will see, the people you will meet, the wonderful experiences just waiting for you to happen, the relax and the fun. 

All this is good stuff but it also means you have to explore the unknown and that is exactly why some people start to stress out. 

The trick? Familiarize with your itinerary before you leave, this will help you a great deal. Hard to believe? Let’s do a quick and simple experiment: picture yourself in a pitch dark room trying to find the door or the light switch…you will be most likely moving very slowly with your hands straight in front of you to feel any obstacles that might be in your way and afraid to trip over something. 

You get the idea right?

Now, picture the same situation but this dark room is your bedroom, you will be absolutely fine because here even in the darkness of the night, because it is a very familiar place and you know exactly where the door or the light switch is so you have nothing to fear.

The same concept can be applied for your vacation anxiety, the more familiar you are with the itinerary, the less stressed you will be.

Agriturismo Serafina

What else can you do to enjoy your vacation?

Easy! You need to carefully select and trust the company planning your vacation. A company like BeeYond Travel falls into the “boutique” Tour Operator category so that means we have chosen to work with fewer clients but service them completely from start to end. We have also chosen to only specialize in few selected regions of Italy: Puglia and Sicily so we can really focus on these areas.

What does this all mean? It means that we are able to add the personal element often missed and so important for you. It means we personally know every villa, every supplier and this allow us to better match your needs. 

In addition, we have chosen to only work with those suppliers who share our same vision because they truly are an extension of our Team.

Real people, real stories

An example is our latest addition to the Villas/Accommodations portfolio: Agriturismo Serafina in Otranto. We have personally known the family behind this oasis of paradise in one of the most idyllic area all over Italy and in the world. Although they have this incredible place, their accommodations are geared to a clientele different from our typical Traveller so we could not work together. 

Until now!!!

All this changed when they decided to build the first and only apartment which matches our Travellers needs. We could not be happier to add this apartment to our inventory because the apartment is only the beginning of your incredible vacation. Upon check-in, you will immediately feel “at home” and with “Family”; everything will feel right and now the circle is closed…you can “let go”, because there is nothing else that can stop you from having an amazing vacation. When you come back, you will be thanking us for connecting you with such amazing people and the out-of-this-world homemade pastries prepared directly by Gabriella daily.

Check out Serafina Luxury Apartment

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Serafina Luxury Apartment near Otranto  5/5 Luxury apartment within Agriturismo Serafina, 667 square feet in size, pool view, private patio 2 Guests | Just 1.3 miles from Otranto. Serafina Luxury in Otranto Adults: 2 Size: 667ft² View: Pool Side Bed Type: Queen bed Categories: Luxury Apartment Amenities: Adults only, Air conditioning, Bathroom essentials, Bicycle, […]


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Slow Dining in Puglia

Slow dining in Puglia

an emotion to be experienced slowly

How many of you have ever tried to prepare a recipe seen on TV? How many, during this social distancing times, have followed video lessons with starred chefs who explain how to prepare a dish that you could only taste at the restaurant?

Let's face it, everyone, or almost everyone, has tried these experiences.

Many people nowadays follow online recipes considering that staying at home, is important to overcome this difficult moment. We know how much you enjoy delicious meals while you are on vacation so, we want to remind you that in Puglia preparing a recipe is a ritual, a sort of cathartic moment in which you go from everyday frenzy, to the therapeutic slowness of family moments.

Why not live this moment at least once in your life?

The online experiences to which we are now forced, sooner or later, fortunately, will end and we will be able to return to live true emotions, made of smiles and human contacts.

This is why we at Beeyond Travel have come up with this therapeutic experience

An experience for the palate and the mind, in an exceptional location, just outside the walls of Lecce’s historic center. Learning how to eat well is not only a must for our health, it is also living a unique moment, which you will remember for a long, long time.

So, ready to experience the Apulian cuisine?

Apulian cuisine is now considered one of the best in the world. Be careful though, we are not talking about a simple meal, we are talking about a real dining experience. We are talking about a dream to live with your travel companions. There is a subtle difference between a holiday and a dream; this subtle difference lies in the importance we give to the emotions that dream is able to awake.

What is the secret ingredient of Slow Dining in Puglia?

The secret ingredient is the Time we dedicate to this dream…lots of time. The secret ingredient is to live everything slowly, forgetting the ticking clock. Salento is the ideal place to experience this pleasant slowness and take the time to truly enjoy farm to table cuisine.

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What do they eat in Puglia?

What do they eat in Puglia?

Is Puglia a true culinary destination?

Il Lupo e La Rondine

By Il Lupo e La Rondine for BeeYond Travel

It is now known that Puglia is one of the most popular destinations of the moment, and the “Apulians” are insanely grateful to the world for this. We are sure they don’t mind to be in the spotlight, especially when they are asked to show the world what they do best.

You are wondering, what is it that they do best, right? But cooking, of course!

Food here is tradition, culture, it is part of their daily lives. Even the National Geographic, one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world, has also picked up on this. They were so intrigued by this food habit that they dedicated this beautiful article to the region.

In short, National Geographic highlighted the qualities of the Apulian cuisine including the sustainability of the production processes of raw materials, the primacy of excellence of raw fish, and the simplicity of the ingredients of the best known recipes.

In the article, the author named five must-eat items in Puglia: the Apulian Focaccia, the Apulian mozzarella, the wine, mainly red and intense – just think of Primitivo di Manduria,  orecchiette pasta with turnip greens (cime di rapa) and of course fish.

So, what do they also eat in Puglia? Since we know Puglia inside out, we hope the National Geographic will not mind if we add four more dishes to the list.

Paste di Mandorla

They are the queens of the holidays in Puglia. They are also given away for weddings in some towns. Very famous are those of Turi, in the province of Bari, which are real miniature works of art. For the almond, the choice should fall only and exclusively on the Almond of Toritto (BA), a Slow Food presidium. An almond of ancient origins and with very valuable organoleptic properties.

Panzerotto

His majesty the panzerotto, we would add. In Puglia he is a real companion of adventures, of evenings with friends. It is a gastronomic street food specialty, a circle of stuffed pasta, closed on itself to form a crescent moon, typical of the regions of central and southern Italy.

Braciole

Just say this word in Puglia and Sunday lunch immediately comes to mind, when the whole family comes together waiting to taste a nice plate of veal chops, meat rolls with garlic and parsley, cooked in tomato sauce.

Patate, Riso e Cozze

The famous tiella barese, made with rice, potatoes and mussels, in fact. Three simple ingredients, but which, combined, create one of the tastiest dishes of the Apulian cuisine.

In short, whatever they eat in Puglia seems to be a dish to absolutely try.

You just have to book your stay, perhaps choosing one of the amazing BeeYond Travel villas, where, after taking part in a cooking class – always by BeeYond Travel – you can actually try preparing one of the dishes listed above and offer it to your friends & family, on a warm summer evening to spend by the pool in the beautiful Puglia.

We really like this idea. What do you think about it?

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Pajare, old stone houses guardians of simple life

Dear friends, this week we like to go off track a bit but for a good reason.

Yesterday, while I was jogging in the countryside just outside Lecce with a good friend of mine from the area, I was listening to him talking about an old “Pajara” (old stone house typical in the Salento) in the area and it sparked my enthusiasm.

He said to me: “you know, it is not far from here, you want to go?”, I said YES right away.

So, right, left, left, straight through a dense forest of Lecci (Quercus ilex) that extends for about 60 ha and about 20 minutes later there it is the “Pagliarone”, used by the farmers of Salento as a place to rest after a busy day of work or to escape a sudden storm, the pajare, often, served also as real summer homes, ideal for close monitoring, both the livestock and the most delicate crops.

Built, tendentially, conical, interlocking and overlapping stones of dimensions also very different from each other, the pajare are a real architectural gem, characterized by the peculiarity of the roof that is supported by the stones that form the side walls and by the force of gravity.

In addition, the pajare have the ability to keep the environment cool and dry, even during the hottest hours and in the presence of torrid and intense temperatures.

I could not resist and I had to climb up to the roof from the exterior stone steps and once up there, the feeling of peace, infinity, and serenity immediately took over. It was luxury!!! The green sneaker you see in one of the pictures is mine, proof of that special moment I experienced.

Among my future goals for BeeYond Travel is to find a restored group of “Pajare” and add them to my portfolio so you can experience simple authentic living at its best and feel truly connected with the entire universe.

Until then, stay healthy and safe travels my friends.