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93/377: Villaspeciosa

INSPIRATION

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The good weather has finally arrived (or at least so it seems!), the blue sky of Sardinian winters that I remember! Today the distance is short and all in the plains. I am in the middle of the Campidano plain, which I will cross externally to Cagliari to head in the eastern sector of the island.

I go into town and I head to the Town Hall where the vice Mayor Elio and Councilor Claudia await me. At the coffee bar we are joined by the Mayor Gianluca, but he can not accompany us for the tour of the village. In this bar, which is also pizzeria at night, the pizza maker Mura had broken the record of preparing 12,000 pizzas in 8 hours of work (of course with several helpers!)

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The square in front of the town is large, contains a beautiful mural depicting the drama of landings of migrants. A little further on, an old Campidanese house has been deprived of the external walls and incorporated into the square. The arches of the ‘lolla’ remain and the beautiful entrance portal.

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We pass a beautiful monument to the War Victims in stone, and we continue visiting the church of the Beata Vergine Assunta, in which I admire several wooden statues of saints. Then we head to the Romanesque church of San Platano, at the edge of the village. A beautiful multicolored facade is also made of stones with the most varied ornaments. On the side wall, a stone ladder that allows you to climb up to the roof. Next to the church flows the Rio Matta, and there is a beautiful park, where the feast in honor of the saint is celebrated.

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Walking through the narrow streets of the village we arrive at the Teatro Comunale, an imposing structure in which we enter. The main hall is beautiful and spacious, and the stage, still set up for the last theater production, is well equipped. Once out, we take the car to visit the site of San Cromazio, where there was a Roman complex, inside which the excavations have brought to light a beautiful mosaic, probably the floor of a villa. There are still many remains of walls extending around a rather large area.

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Last stop in the morning is the Cixerri dam, the damming of the river that produced a huge artificial lake. On a bank, in a small relief, are the remains of the church San Giovanni Seruis, now ruined, from which I observe the panorama around, the slopes of Mount Arcosu on one side, the valley of Cixerri, the Campidano and the eastern mountains on the other side.

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In the afternoon we make a quick visit to the middle and elementary schools, where I can tell my adventure for only 20 minutes, since we have arrived late and the children go out soon! Then I spend the evening working at the Librart bookshop of Davide, and I retire to sleep at the bnb Tre Raggi di Sole.

 

SOUND FRAGMENTS

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SHORT SARDINIAN STORIES

I accidentally discovered the Librart bookstore looking for contacts in Villaspeciosa. When I received the message from Davide who offered me support for the day I was very happy, but even more so when we realized that we had been in school for a year together, middle school (and maybe even a month in the seme desk!) After several jobs and several disappointments, Davide decided together with a partner, to create this reality in his small village. Betting in culture. The bookshop does not only sell books. In addition to being stationery, useful for students from nearby schools, it is also a place where events, presentations and readings are organised, often accompanied by music, written and played by Davide’s partner, and many initiatives for children and young people.

So when Davide sets me up a desk to work in peace, I find myself inspired by such a reality that I work until late at night, still dressed as a cyclist!