The Long Hot Slog to Montelparo (24 km)

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Duncan (middle) Hiking in Beautiful Countryside

 

After another of Concetta’s delicious breakfasts consisting of fresh fruit, juice, eggs, toast, coffee and pastries , we reconvened at 08:30 (8:30 am) in Servigliano. You can see why we won’t lose any weight during these hikes in spite of the distances and heat! We began the trek up toward Montelparo. The sun was blazing overhead, and we had amazing views over this peaceful countryside. I regret that we did not stop to take photos of the view of patchwork quilt fields, punctuated by rows and rows of spent sunflowers with their wizened brown heads bent downward as if the heat was just too much for them. We found out later that these are used to make sunflower oil and that is why they are left drying in the fields. I enjoyed chatting with Christine English, another MSM trustee, from London, UK, whose father was in a camp at Sulmona south of Pescara. She’d already completed hikes in that area in the past and was determined to go the distance here on the first two days, as were John and Katie.  They will be leaving tomorrow to proceed to Fontanellato where there will be no more hikes, just celebrations! We’ve decided to try to complete the entire hike on the last day because we can rest up afterwards. I’m sure I’ll have serious blisters on my feet after that.

Ian McCarthy, an English local married to an Italian woman, Gabriella, led our walk and stopped along the way to read installments of a story from Yank Magazine, an American wartime publication, of a Brooklyner, Manuel Serrano, who joined the partisans after escaping from Camp 59. Here is the link to Dennis Hill’s website, so that you can read this exciting story.

http://camp59survivors.wordpress.com/?s=Yank+Magazine

Pancrazio Tulli Telling his Story



About halfway to our destination, locals, Pancrazio Tulli and his wife, Margret Cornelius, from the hamlet of Santa Lucia provided refreshments at their lovely stone cottage.  Crusty bread drizzled with local olive oil tastes delicious, slices of cantaloupe and watermelon, water, juice and wine revived us. Duncan and I even got to sit down to listen to Pancrazio’s story. He welcomed us warmly and expressed heartfelt gratitude for past funding from MSMT that enabled his son, Luca, to travel to London to study English for one month, all expenses paid. For the first of several times in the coming days, I was moved to tears to hear that his maternal grandparents had sheltered two soldiers who were later discovered and arrested. His mother, 16 years old at the time, recalled how she witnessed their arrest and could not look into their eyes as they departed for fear of incriminating her family. The stories today were very poignant and brought this era of history alive to me. Over and over we heard of the humanity of the local contadini, and it was so meaningful to meet their descendants. It dawns on me now that it does not really matter if I am successful in finding out the specific information about my dad. It is enough to be here and experience these moments. Somehow my soul feels at peace in this beautiful valley and I find myself very motivated to share these moments with other family members and friends who cannot be here with us.

 We resumed the march and enjoyed chatting with some of the Italians who were walking with us today. Emanuela Pompei was delighted that we have come all the way from Canada. She told us her mother was an English teacher and that she grew up speaking English with her students. Laura Strappa is a teacher and is here because she wants her students to know more about this period in their history. Her friend, Anna Maria Tentella, teaches primary school children, and we enjoyed sharing anecdotes about the rewards and challenges of being a teacher.  We dragged into the town hall after 12 km, picked up our lunch and departed.

Nick Young and Letitia Blake resting after the hike up the hill.



This day Laura was instrumental in finding us our ride back to Servigliano with Umberto Bufalini , photographer,  and Mario Dondero, photographer/journalist. Mario speaks English and explained that he was posted in Winnipeg and Calgary earlier in his career but spent a considerable time in Paris. He asked if we spoke French and we were  delighted to answer in the affirmative and to be able to converse in more detail about my dad’s experiences here.  Both men were  intrigued by the photos of my dad and mom and the two Italian women that Duncan has in his backpack. They offered to make copies that we could  distribute to better our chances of connecting with the descendants of family members who sheltered my dad. We agreed and the next day they made a special trip to present beautiful enlargements of the photos. We were amazed and gratified as we had expected that they would just photocopy them. We plan to make a special effort to thank them.

Tired Hikers Flanked by Umberto Bufalini (left) and Mario Dondero (right)

 

 

Upon arriving in Servigliano with our packed lunch, they offered us an aperitivo at the local cafe/gelateria in the piazza in Servigliano, and Mario gave me some sunflowers he picked along the way which revived nicely at our hotel. We shared a delightful half-hour sipping Campari, always a favourite of Duncan’s father, and snacking upon olives and potato chips at the bar. After taking a few photos with their camera and ours, they explained that they had to leave for Fermo. We headed back into the cafe for well-earned gelato before returning to our hotel. The hike has been exclusively on roads and we suspect that the Germans and the Fascists were more likely to use this route than the escapees! 

 

That evening when we returned to Camp 59 to say goodbye to the MSMT folks who were departing the next morning, we heard that the day had been long, terribly hot and exceedingly difficult with lots of up and down after lunch.  Many participants had sunburn, insect bites and heat rash. We, however, had enjoyed showers and our sandwiches and fruit in Jimmy and Concetta’s garden and though thankful to have missed the afternoon on the trail, felt a bit guilty. We caught up on our email and lounged in our room. Before the group straggled back after 19:00 hours (7 pm), we waited nearly an hour and walked around taking more photos of the camp outbuildings that were standing in 1943. We were so happy to see everyone and to say goodbye to our friends, both old and new.

 

Camp 59 Outbuilding

That evening Concetta outdid herself with a delicious stuffed puff pastry appetizer, baked pasta in homemade tomato sauce and fresh herbs, slices of turkey, potatoes with rosemary and tomato, green beans, a savoury carrot cake with dark chocolate on top and of course many wonderful wines.