from Campofelice di Rocella: the hills are alive with the sound of progress

(Wednesday, post 2)

Our Tuesday hike took us to the top of Monte Zimmara. I had not known there would any summits involved. When Ed read the description to me, I focused on the part about gravel roads, relatively straightforward climb, all at the outset. If you’re going to strain yourself to death, I feel it’s best to get it over and done with.

But the hike was from The Book. The one published in 1998. Before the years where wind energy swept over Europe. Sicily has often been scornfully regarded as standing still, but here, in the northern mountains it has its share of these:



cows and wind "mills"


The hike was through a Riserva Naturale, but here, a Riserva Naturale can include villages and farmsteads. In the oak forests, in valleys and on mountain crests, the sound of cow bells is everpresent.

I would not call the climb easy. “Only 450 meters!” Ed said, using exclamation marks to emphasize his perception of things. But from the top, you could see pretty much all of Sicily.












sweat peas, poppies, etc.


Still, the quiet has been disturbed. When you get within a few feet of the tall masts, the whirling sound of the powerful spinning blades is close to that of a hurricane passing through. The cows seem not to mind. And you have to keep thinking how excellent a source of energy this is. In Germany, our hosts were less enthusiastic. Nuclear is the way to go, they told us. But here, in Sicily, where the winds are so strong, the arguments against its use fail, I think. And, there is something majestic about harvesting the force of wind.

(Even though I wish I had worn more than two shirts, a sweater and a jacket to protect myself from that same majestic sweep of air.)

As a post script, let me add that this is the third hike from The Book and the third time we lost our way, this time on the descent. Amazing. You would think that finding the trail down is easier than searching for the one to the summit. You would be wrong.



she reassured us that we were not lost


Oh, looking for evidence of dinner foods here? Back in the village of Campofelice, we went back to the tiny trattoria, where cheese and roasted eggplants joined forces with tomatoes to produce this: