Author: Francois

Fautea Beach, Corsica

Francois Leave a comment

Fautea Beach is located in the town of Sainte Lucie de Porto Vecchio in Corsica (20 km north of Porto-Vecchio). This is one of the most beautiful beaches of southern Corsica. It is also known for its Genoese tower , which was built in the late fourteenth century , the site of Fautea has been protected since 1979 by the ‘Conservatoire du Littoral’. The beach stretches for about 200 meters between the bridge and the Genoese tower. It’s a family beach with a gently sloping swimming, it is easily accessible from the highway. At the end of the beach (the side of the peak Fautea), we find behind the rocks a small sandy cove, usually frequented by the neighboring campers because the campsite is located very close .

Tips

You can find free parking on arrival.
If you prefer to have just a drink or eat in this place you can find a well-integrated restaurant there.

Staggia Castle, Siena, Italy

Francois Leave a comment

The castle of Staggia Senese or French is located in the homonymous hamlet of Poggibonsi in the province of Siena. The first news of this fortified village are from 994. The Lords of Staggia (the Soarzi) later became one of the most powerful feudal gangs of Valdelsa, being several times in battles between Florence and Siena, cause their territory was located on the border between the two rivals. The period of greatest splendour of the castle was the twelfth century, while in the next century, when the village began to develop at the foot of the Castle thanks to the variations of the Francigena (streets leading from Central Europe, notably from France, to Rome); this splendour declined gradually. At the end of the century the French, family that had enriched with trade especially with France (that’s the reason of their name), bought the castle, enlarging and restructuring it. Some centuries later, with the introduction of fire arms and with the conquest of Siena (1555), fortresses became unused. The walls are well preserved today and are interspersed with towers of various shapes (rectangular, polygonal). We can also see some of them reinforced by stone arches. Only two doors remain of the three original ones. Now the castle is private and is managed by the “Rocca di Staggia Foundation”. The castle of Staggia is open to the public 365 days a year.

Tips

The visit of the castle can be done individually, there is a guide and the visit lasts about one hour. The cost is 5.00 euro. There is no need to book and you do not have to be in a group.
The castle is used for making different events. It is possible to rent it for personal events (wedding, birthday, etc.) or with commercial purpose.
If you want to make other excursions in the region of Tuscany, it is possible to do it with the help of the Rocca di Staggia Foundation. Its office is located at the entrance of the castle.

 

The history of samba in the interior of São Paulo, Brasil

Francois Leave a comment

For a long time, the samba’s roots have remained highly rural, it was called ‘samba de roda’, ‘ samba de bumbo’, ‘samba de lenço’ or even ‘samba rural’, according to the intellectuals who have studied it in the 1930s. People just called it ‘batuque’. At the beginning, in the said province of São Paulo, it was structured and strengthened in large farms where blacks were taken as slaves to plant first sugarcane and then in increasingly large number, to develop the profitable cultivation of coffee. There it was danced in the districts of slaves and on the terraces, to the sound of the large ‘bumboes’ dug out on fire of trunks of huge trees. Samba has begun to win urban territory taking its place in the cities of the interior of São Paulo, in secular religious celebrations. It was this samba of rural origin (which flourished in many inland cities like in one of them, President Epitácio) and the samba wins therefore a characteristic of integration because the characters through music and dance, these new Brazilian, also poor and immigrants, found their place in the economic field, but also in the cultural space and leisure of the cities that were growing. Today, the current tourist town of President Epitácio is on the border of the State of São Paulo, with Mato Grosso do Sul, one of the best destinations to enjoy the ‘ Folia de rua’ (street madness). The Carnival of the city is considered to be one of the top events in the State of São Paulo.

Tips

Staying in the West of the state, the municipality offers a pleasant and conducive climate to enjoy the Carnival.
It is advisable to make the reservation for your stay there for being sure you’ll have your place for the event.