The
straight road to Salemi past the vines and olive groves.
Back in the car the view down the bonnet and a long road ahead
Head for Rudi de Gibelina, an area that was hit by a devastating earthquake
in 1968.
For interest or morbid fascination?
It does not disappoint. A shocked fragmented landscape , left and abandoned.
Buildings and towns partially collapsed, shards of architecture.
I park up and walk around.
An artist has made a huge concrete sculpture over the old street plan of the
town. I was looking for the amphitheatre that was built as part of a festival
to commemorate the disaster, Apparently they used to hold concerts of contemporary
music and theatre there, including works by John Cage. I can imagine the sound
of a prepared piano here.
All that was left was a few remnants of scaffolding and overgrown steps.
In the derelict garden of what must have been a grand house stood a lone fig
tree, black and dark against the light, its curls and knots form their way
out of a dark centre.
The tree says alot,
still here
dark in the shadow of the bright light
as a memorial.
The
whole place frozen and empty in this heat.
The only sound is the distant whirring of some wind turbines up on the hill.
