What an island, Pantelleria! Planted in the Sicily Channel, closer to Tunisia than to Sicily, imposing, black, green…
Many, too many stories hide on this rock. Starting with Giancarlo and Cristian from Konza Kiffi – Azienda Agricola, two young brothers who after working in catering abroad decided some ten years ago to return to their homeland to be farmers and create real high quality products. It was an honor to harvest tomatoes with you in one of the most beautiful countrysides I’ve ever seen, the one of Piano Ghirlanda.
The countryside, which always meant life and work in Pantelleria and which still survives, I think, especially when compared to other islands. With billions of km of dry walls all in rather good conditions. But, as Giancarlo says, you must want to work hard and get your hands dirty, in order for the story of this Mediterranean countryside to be continued…
Then Donnafugata. Those of Ben Ryé, the best Passito di Pantelleria. That’s right, people who get their hands dirty while being modern and up-to-date. A huge thank you to Ivan Caronna and Antonio Rallo for welcoming me into their lovely estate and tell me about the mythical passito and the mysterious panteschi gardens. The Ben Ryé, ça va sans dire, a masterpiece of wine 
Some artist had to collect all the energy that emanates from the volcanic Pantelleria. I was delighted to see Sebastiano Fischer Ceramic Art. A story of passion for this island and some raku ceramics (and not only) just sublime, born literally from the belly of this island. Thank you, Sebastiano…
Finally, a special woman. One of Italy’s first divers, which until last year, before losing almost definitively her eyes, was keeping educating new certified divers despite a clearly important age. Maria Ghelia, from Turin, fell in love with the waters of Pantelleria thirty years ago. She spent her life in building underwater knowledge especially among children, in schools. A magnetic woman with such a character, who had also drawn up a proposal, for once actually based on scientific analyses, for a Marine Protected Area that is still does not exist here.
Maybe more than ever I leave with the desire to come back. The beauty that is here, I’ve rarely seen it anywhere else…
But Lampedusa is waiting, despite the Scirocco blowing against my nose although weak. If I don’t melt on top of Maribelle tomorrow I’ll soon be there, in this other place so important for our good old Mediterranean…
Posted on: 12.Jul.2018 Leave a comment
