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Presenter: Justine Shapiro
Justine Shapiro begins her journey in Rome,
the capital of Italy and the gateway to the south. She rents
a scooter to get around and goes first to the Colosseum. This
was the scene of some of the Roman Empire's bloodiest excesses.
The first games were held here in 80 AD and lasted for 100
days and nights - enough time for 5000 animals to be slaughtered
and 9000 gladiators to fight to the death.
Next stop in Rome is Vatican City, the centre
of the Catholic Church and an independent state since 1929.
At its heart is St Peter's Square and Basilica which was designed
by Michaelangelo in the 16th century.
Leaving Rome, Justine catches a train south towards Naples,
stopping first at Terracina and the hill
town village of Bonito. Terracina is a fishing
village and Justine arrives for the festival of the Madonna
del Carmine. Every year the local fishermen and clergy
and their families lead a procession in honour of those who
have lost their lives at sea and to bless the waters for the
coming year.
In Bonito Justine visits an old man, known locally as Uncle
Vincent. He is famous for performing miracles, and people
visit him to talk about their problems. Until she actually
sees him, however, Justine’s unaware that Uncle Vincent
he is actually a corpse found in the remains of Bonito Church
100 years ago!
Two hours by bus south of Bonito is Naples.
Justine tries real Neapolitan pizza. Less than an hour's train
ride from Naples is Pompeii - a bustling
wealthy port until August 79 AD when Mt Vesuvius erupted,
covering the town in lava, ash and pumice stone. Justine walks
around the excavated frescoes.
From Pompeii Justine carries on south along the beautiful
Amalfi Coast to the picturesque town of Positana.
Heading inland from the coast she takes a bus to Alberobello,
a town best known for its rustic conical shaped homes called
trulli. Justine is taken out on a small boat with three Italians
who catch urchins and give them to Justine to eat raw - they're
supposed to be an aphrodisiac.
Finally Justine's journey takes her to the tip of the toe,
the vast wilderness of the Aspromonte National Park.
The best way to explore is by donkey. Along the way Justine's
companion Raphael tells her stories of Mafia kidnappings,
abandoned villages and old hermits. Their final destination
is the tiny, remote village of Galiciano. You can still hear
ancient Greek spoken by the village elders. Justine is treated
to a donkey race and a rendition of the tarantella - an ancient
dance named after the tarantula spider.
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