Go Horseback Riding in Lama, Corsica
Male: The island of Corsica enjoys an inhabited position in the Mediterranean. The Greeks, Romans, Norse and Italian’s have all tried to be controller but in every inevitably Jesus gave their grasps. Like the animals that roam wild on the majestic hillsides, the mountain and the sea is a free spirit.
Female: Corsicans are passionate, honest, straight forward and defiantly proud. They have fought relentlessly to preserve their unique culture in the face of the modern world. There were French flag flies over the isle. A heart of the people is purely Corsica. The island erupts from the Mediterranean Sea just out to the glamorous French Riviera and the coastline of Tuscanny. The larger Italian isle of Sardinia lies just to the south.
Corsica is easily accessible by air from many European cities but there are also five ferry companies sailing to the island six ports from either France or Italy. We chose one of the overnight ferries and a wealth to a beautiful sunrise and the sweet mysterious scent of the Maquis.
Male2: Did you just made it to this morning. I take one wonderful live acts. Everyday is like that between May and the end of October.
Female: Maquis refers to the various shrubs, herbs and flowers that grow wild on the island.
Male2: The smell is extremely special, you can smell it very far away about three hours before arriving, you smell this sweet. Yes it’s marvelous.
Male: Departing from the port of Ile Rousse, we set out to explore the northern part of this mountainside. The true roots of Corsica can be found in its hill towns like Lama. Here, many of the same families who’ve lived in the village since the 1100’s.
Pierre Jean Costa: Because you can be personal might be removed so we have made deeper hopes. In my family they begins Lama maybe 12 generation before. If I build my house, I only build in Lama in another village. I’m proud to be Corsican, because I like this country because I know my roots because not sure the hunting, fishing, because of freedom.
Female: Just a few minutes below the village is the Costa family stables. Course second horses have been especially brought to be sure footed in the rocky mountainous terrain.
Pierre jean Costa: Just the top of Corsica lost because we need smaller seas, very agile to go on the coast.
Male: We were joined by a local adventure travel guide, Tina Serianni. We set out on the trail and headed for the coast.
Female: Tina moved Corsica from Switzerland six years ago and it doesn’t sound as though she’ll be going home anytime soon.
Tina: I have everything in Corsica even all. The rivers, the sky, the wind the suite, people, the food, the freedom. It’s a freedom that doesn’t exist in other places because we’re in an island. Where far way from the main land and the longs are made by the people, Just have an island and I would be there.
Male: Corsicans have fought long and hard to ensure some degree of independence and control over their island.
Female: The rules of society are based on the island ancient clan culture or family ties by generations to the laws of respect and honor.
Tina: It’s a safe country that people say what they think. The law is common sense and respect in the other person.
Female: There are few small nationalist groups fighting for complete independence but the majority, of Corsicans are contempt to be part of France as long as they enjoy some measure of autonomy.
Tina: Still recognition as an island, it maybe mainly not dictated by Paris, the main country of the time.
Female: Back in the village Pierre Jean talks to us about what it means to be a Corsican.
Male: Are you Corsican or are you French?
Pierre Jean: Yeah, of course Corsican and French, Interesting. Best criteria of the Corsican where the friendship and solidarity, infidelity, I don’t know the rest, honesty yes. We defend solidarity.
Male: So they’re very close?
Pierre Jean: Yes, they do. Independence is a great role; it’s a big role, too important. I am afraid we couldn’t be independent but maybe just little more autonomous.
Female 2: We’re from Paris so the order is we always say that in fact they hate us. Maybe a bit too much and they don’t like so much to people of the continent. They don’t want people to come over and spoil the place that something we can very well understands.
Pierre: If we’re going, we live in the nature and we want to keep it wild like that not to very big changes of nature.
Female 2: But in fact each time we stalk even tonight where don’t have room for the road. I mean we always fell on vain. I see people always hand painting. I’m having any problem of relations so its ought to with people they imagine all the time.
Female: Though relations between the island and the mother country have often been strained, Corsicans fought right along side of the French in both world wars.
Tina: The Corsicans, Maroquans, Senegalais were on the front line and the Corsicans lost 50 percent their population in the First World War and that’s the tragedy of Corsican.
Female: Today the government offers special grants to encourage young people to settle in the old villages and keep the Corsicans customs and traditions alive.
Male: We headed to the Costa family restaurant for a true Corsican meal.
Tina: Wild boar. They taste on the island
Female: Shop like here on the mountains.
Tina: Yes and fresh pasta we eat them together.
Male: The food is seasoned with herbs from the Maqui.
Tina: Kimy dumplings, and with our main salad with Corsican goats cheese.
Male: Corsica also produces its own wine.
Tina: Rose wine is consumed more in the summer times, it’s a fresh wine, it’s light and this one is made in the middle of the island.
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