Testo in italiano

Vendicari, one of the most beautiful places in the world, a Sicilian concentrate: nature, sea and history in almost ten kilometers spread over the sea.

Nature, sea and history raised to the nth power.

Puff Puff, pant pant… let’s start our exploration!

Jack Jackfly, our drone, follows us from above.

This Archeo-naturalistic reserve has several entrances.

We start from the southern one, a step away from the beautiful village of Marzamemi. It’s a beautiful sunny day in November.

KM 1

After about a kilometer we arrive at the Cittadella of the Maccari, a Byzantine area dating from the sixth century. We follow the path, behind the sea, and arrive at the catacombs.  We go in.

I say something here and there

Just beyond here is another testimony of the Byzantine period: a splendid Trigona, a typical church just behind the sea.

The prickly pears look great in this picture of Sicily: sea, nature and history.

I say something here and there

Puff Puff, pant pant… let’s go back to  the race

A few steps beyond there is a bird watching rabble.

This is the first bog, a mirror of seawater trapped by the earth.

Vendicari is full of these sea mirrors where birds wintering or earthen.

We are in one of the most important places in the world for migrating birds.

Here at Vendicari,  there are several species of birds that  rest during their migratory journey to northern Europe (in spring) or to the African continent (in winter).

Sicily is a so-called bottle-neck, a migratory staging area.

There are white herons and cormorants: wonderful!

Let’s take the race back.

By George!

The water has slipped into the path!

It is practically impossible to continue!

The only thing we can do is to circumvent the obstacle, and go back and take the street of the beach.

We’re back in the main path.

Nothing stops us!

A couple of people to chat with, let’s see what they tell me…

INTERVIEW

It’s always hard to explain to people that I’m not a madman who wants to bother them.

“Hi I’m a Sicilian writer and I’m describing my region running blah blah blah…”

Puff Puff, pant pant… hey there’s another observation bell

Let’s see a little

I’m not good… but I think those are grey herons.

Once again, nature wins and kidnaps me.

Km 3

Puff Puff Pant Pant… we’re in the fourth mile of the race.

Vendicari is a poker of aces: a well of the Arab era, X century; a Swabian tower of 1400 that warned the Sicilian of the arrival of the pirates; next to it a tub for the processing of the fish of the Greek-era and a little over a tuna trap of 1700!

A history book in a few square meters!

A classic here in Sicily.

This island is implacable in its greatness: the power of history and nature, here in Vendicari, are extraordinary. Luck is on our side and gives us a breathtaking flight of some flamingos right above our heads.

Once again, the heart fills with wonder and the head empties out of matter, of stupid matter.

Km 6

Puff Puff, pant pant…

My body releases energy from all pores.

Here I just arrived  to the beach of Calamosche, a paradise.

November in Sicily is still summer.

Interview here and there

I go back to my race.

Let’s see what those two explorers have to say.

Always if you are not afraid of my physical condition, that I have become with the race under the sun, to say the least it’s embarrassing!

“Hi I’m a Sicilian writer and I’m describing my region running blah blah”

INTERVIEW

Ok German friends

I ‘m going to run again.

I run and look at sea, birds, sky and horizon. I arrived almost at the end of the reserve, I’m missing the last step.

By George: The river has enlarged and the last tract  that separates me from the beach of Eloro, the coveted destination, is flooded!

I have to go back!

No!

No way.

A providential bucket will become the lifeboat of my cellphone while me and the Go-Pro will stick in the water.

Glug Glug… it’s full of mud!

Okay, I did it!

Km 8

I deserve a nice bath before visiting the last great masterpiece of Vendicari: the ruins of the Greek city of Eloro!

Greetings from one of the most beautiful places in the world

I  ran the history