Sometimes, when the time permits, I like travel with my friends Pierre and Carlo and visit the ancient and beautiful towns of the Garfagnana and Lunigiana.
For the few people who do not know, these are the lands of the mountain in Tuscany and Liguria in the provinces of Lucca, Massa Carrara and La Spezia (with a little 'of Parma).
There are trips that combine a love for the mountains with a passion for art and history of our country and, why not, the pleasure of enjoy traditional local cuisine. Even if, unfortunately, the
widespread use of "besciamella" and cream is destroing our capacity to recognize differents tastes.
During one of these trips, from a distance, a few hundred meters out of the driveway near Gragnana, we seen, hidden by vegetation, a beautiful bell tower made by stone and
we decided to stop and visit it.
There wasn't sign or indication, so we asked information to some people, noting with amazement that no one knew nothing of this church and even how to get there.
Finally, an old farmer showed us a path that has brought the ancient ruins.
Here we had a pleasant and unusual discovery. I think it is a case unique in Italy. A young mason was rebuilding the building, he has recovered the old stones and reassembled in accordance with the
characteristics of the old church.
But the real surprise, from what I understand, is that this was made without having before found the money. Stuff does not believe in a world where nothing is done without the scent of money (but this is a cliché that I have personally several times tested it is false).
I wrote this first episode (in the future trips I'll see if and as the work progresses) of this strange story in this last day of the year 2010 because I believe may be the metaphor
of our society. May be slowly deteriorate and reduced to a rubble or rebirth of our ancient foundations.
From Who is dependent ?
P. Orlandini