16-Jul-2004 -- Sicily is no longer far away. Since I left Austria I drove 3000 km through Switzerland, France and Northern Italy. When passing the region of Basilicata I recalled that there is a point quite close to the motorway A3, and from the former visitors' narrative I know it to be close to a house.

So I decided to leave the motorway and drove in direction Castelluccio Inferiore and Rotonda.

I knew to be right when I saw Castelluccio Superiore after about 10 km on a winding but well paved road. Then i continued in direction rotonda and stopped at the sign of the "Nuova Pizzeria da Angelo". I followed it and continued on a narrow paved road for about 500 metres. Then I bent left into a gravel road which led me directly to Giuseppe's domicile.

The point is located about 20 metres North of the courtyard.

Suddenly Giuseppe came out and had a look what is going on. I felt immediately sympathy with this lonely old man and as he had already made acquaintance with confluence visitors I believed it not to be a problem to explain him what I am doing. But it seems old Giuseppe suffers a bit of amnesia. Although I had absolutely no language problem (okay, he is talking in a broad Calabrian dialect and has only three teeth left in his mouth, but this does not matter) I could not manage to explain him even with the simplest words what for I am here. The initial dialogue was quite odd:

Captain Peter: "Hi, Giuseppe, I am here to visit your point, you know, a three years ago there were another three folks doing the same!"
Giuseppe: "Aaaah, yes, I see, you like to purchase some timber?"
"Beg pardon?"
"You are wrong here, you have to go up over there, they do sell timber there. Here not."
"Sorry, I am not interested in timber and lumber and wood and forests, I have to visit your point!"
"They do have pine trees!"
"Fine, no let me go to your point! You remember the three folks three years ago?"
"No, i have no recollection. But they sell birchwood as well!"
"Giuseppe, leave me alone, for the Love of our God Jesus Christ - I am NOT interested in this timber and wood!"
"Okay, do what you want, but later on you come into my house to have a talk and a bottle of wine!"
"Okay", i said, "but only when you come with me to the point! It's your point. You own it! You are one of the few point owners in Italy and even worldwide! This is something very special! You are not "The Old Man and the Sea", but the "Old Man and the Point"! Hemingway, you know?"
"Eeeeeh?"
"Forget it, now come with me!"

So we went together to the point, and here we see Giuseppe towards West.

Then I took the views towards North, East and South.

Then we had coffee and wine in his house. Of course he told me the whole history of his life. His wife died ten years ago, the kids are in Rome and Potenza, and so he was happy to have somebody to talk to. He wanted me to stay overnight, but I had to drive back home. Very reluctantly he let me go.

Giuseppe is still using an old Singer sewing machine. Three years ago he discontinued to grow wine and now one of his sons is doing it.

Late in the evening I took the ferry to Sicily and at midnight I was back at home.