Cycling in Sicily: the signs of history along the way of my bike tour 
"Making del
cicloturismo in Sicilia significa
pedalare nella Storia ".
Quando ho chiesto a
Giuseppe Montalto qualche dritta per organizzare il mio
tour individuale in
bicicletta per le strade della
Sicilia orientale (bellissimo, lo consiglio a tutti!) è questa la prima risposta che ho avuto dalla voce simpatica e sempre cordiale di
Peppe .
Soltanto che quando uno sente una frase del genere il pensiero va subito ai
resti archeologici greci e romani (bellissimi anche quelli!) che tutti siamo abituati a vedere represented in postcards and brochures of travel agencies du.
I, however, cycling along the coast, dotted with beautiful beaches, which runs between
Portopalo Capopassero and
Syracuse, I had an encounter with a
History much more recent but no less engaging. The picture you sent along with this article is a subject that I have met several times along my journey: one of the many bunkers built by the German army to defend the coast of Sicily
during the years of World War II.
I've met many, some camouflaged among the rocks, others in plain sight, like this foto, disposto a presidio di un tratto di costa. Sono quasi impossibili da smantellare, mi ha spiegato la mia guida cicloturistica: ho persino visto, nella zona dell'
Arenella , una villetta che ne ha incorporato uno all'interno del muro di recinzione, pur di non sostenere i costi dello smantellamento... chissà che non ci abbiano ricavato un ambiente abitabile!
Era una mattina grigia, quella in cui ho scattato questa foto (ho fatto il mio tour in bicicletta nel mese di marzo) e non ho potuto fare a meno di fermarmi a pensare. Ho fissato a lungo le feritoie intorno alla parete circolare del
bunker , ed ho potuto immaginare le canne delle mitragliatrici e dei cannoni spuntare da quelle fessure. Nella mia mente le I saw them pointing to the Allied ships that stand suddenly on the horizon on the night of July 9, 1943.
Joseph had told me, but I wanted to come home substantiated in detail on those facts, to give a rational basis for the strong emotion that I felt in those places. Anyone wishing to know more, visit Wikipedia here
.
The Italian Campaign began with the invasion of Sicily, among the most massive military operation that history had seen until then: Operation Husky.
To fold the fierce resistance of the German defenders were employed seven Allied divisions (three British divisions, three U.S. and Canadian) belonging to the 7th U.S. Army commanded by General Patton and the 8th British Army under General Bernard Law Montgomery, united to form the 15th Army Group, led in turn by the British General Harold Alexander. The landing (that is until today the largest amphibious operation ever in history) came along a huge stretch of the southern coast of Sicily, between Gela and Scoglitti and between tomatoes and Syracuse. To understand the scope of just think that they were involved, just over 160,000 men on the allied front.
hours must have been terrible, endless, where the deafening roar of explosions covered everything. Pure
silense in that March morning, broken only by the gentle swish of the surf light, I seemed to hear the distant echo of those screams excited, the terrifying noise of cannons, machine guns and dark rhythmic chant. How many guys have left their lives on those beaches ... how many men have died for the folly of a few powerful.
E 'was a very touching, I must say. When talking with Joseph
at the end of the tour, I told you experienced this emotion, he suggested I read a good novel
just written by a Sicilian author,
The echo of taste , set in Sicily during those years. Well, I read it and I really liked the way the author brings to life the atmosphere of Sicily ...
To join a bike tour, individual or group, contact
Free Cycle:
cycling and bike rental in Sicily
.
Free Cycle:
cycling tourism in Sicily and bikes for rent.
