From the team: after two nights aboard Clodia under a thunderstorm, Giacomo had a relapse. The doctors suggested him to get back to Italy for a couple of weeks, since resting seems not to be enough of a cure.

He will shortly be in Venice to undertake a therapy that should allow him to continue his voyage.

In the meantime Jacopo, who was working in a farm in Southern France, waiting for Giacomo to get better, has decided to walk his way back to Venice along the following itinerary: Grigioni region up to Tirano, Tonale pass, Val di Non, Val di Fiemme, Val di Fassa, Val Badia, Agordo, Belluno, Venezia.

He wants to thank al the people who helped hin in the last month: Francesca and Ben, Gerard and Costant, Serge and Patricia Desboulles from the Tejuliande farm, their son Laurent, Marion, little Celia, Stephanie and her partner Mickey, their daughter Emile and all friends from Sant Nicolas de la Grave. He also thanks Edy, her husband and their daughter Alice, Emma and the town of Savognin, Don Antonio, Don Matteo all the boys from Tonale school camp.

 
I know that you all are tired and annoyed by this long stop, as well as me, thinking that’s all ended: Be patient, please.

I’m recovering, I’m almost ready. I wish to leave on Friday to Ramsgate at first and then to Dover where I’m awaited by the Channel crossing, at last.

 
I feel down for this unexpected situation and I can’t wait to get moving once again, although Ali and Anne are wonderful friends and here I’m taken care of as a king.

They healed my body and my soul.

These days in London, despite recovering, have been intense. I also participated to a protest rally, in the anniversary of past year’s elections, against the anti-democratic dictatorship in Iran that is causing deaths and sufferings.

The western governments seem to look at Iran through George Bush’s eyes: A country to be wiped, controlled and exploited.

But Iran is not just corrupted and greedy governants: It’s lived by millions of wonderful people, looking for peace. Radar, satellites and television are not the right way to understand a country, we need to look deeper.

The embargo will be a failure that will make even richer who is already wealthy. Free Iran.

A few days ago, in Lewisham, in a small creek I spotted a trout.

The salmonides, whom trouts belong, are indicators of clean waters because they don’t adapt to pollution.

I was touched. Just under the jammed city traffic I could see the simplicity an purity of nature that always does the right thing if we don’t tamper it.

 
My dear friend and guru Marco Scurati moved me a deserved cricitism: I rarely talk about environment. It’s true and I apologize, but here it all seems so well protected that I forget the problem. I tried to talk about many environmental organization but I had no luck so far.

In the meantime I’m also gathering lots of links of interesting websites related to our project. I had to put aside the website for a while because I receive tons of e-mails and answering is a full time job! Not to mention that I was very tired. I try to communicate what I see and feel but unfortunately, even by using videos, it’s impossible to transfer the most of it: It’s just too much.

The core of communication happens here, in the different places and locations, meeting people: It’s still the best way.

The website anticipates what I wish to do in the real world: Bring the boat around Italy and Europe and, from the water (rivers, pools, lakes, creeks, any water place) tell my story, get people aboard, show as I lived and what I have seen by showing the wonderful videos of Nicola Pittarello and the beautiful shots of Massimo Di Nonno or Michele Spiller (and any other).
 
Both a real world and virtual show, a sort of “social poetry” as Beuys said, where participation is the essential part of the communication.
 
Somebody wrote that we’re “Gesamtkunstwerk” (see 70,8% and Doryman), which means Total Artwork (Richard Wagner, forgive us).

It sounds bombastic but I believe it’s true

Bye

PS: The Un Altro Po website is now up and running once again at www.unaltropo.wordpress.com, where you can find all information about the trip that I undertook in 2008 along Italy’s longest river, aboard a boat like Clodia.

I’m quickly getting better.

Apparently, the virus that attacked me could have been waiting within my body for a very long time.

The worst time, according to Doctors, was about a month ago and I barely noticed it. I now realize that, although not feeling well, in the excitement of sailing I didn’t care much.

 
Sometimes I couldn’t stand up but it was just a temporary feeling.

In short: The infection has gone and so has the virus, the inflammation is now under control and oxygen is now happily running again in my lungs and in my brain.

Dr Dennis Malamis from Queen Elizabeth Hospital of Margate told me that I now need to recover my physical conditions and this could take from one to three weeks. I set my goal on the shortest option and I’m already exercising, as long as my lungs support me.

 
Jacopo is now working in Southern France: Well’ get together as soon as I’ll be fit to set sails once more. Clodia swings in Ramsgate, protected in a safe harbour.

I thank from the deepest of my hearth Dr Dennis Malamis for his professionalism and care, Penelope Wells for her kindness and her smile, and all the woderful staff of the hospital that has helped me so much.

 

 
I’m now in Ali and Anne’ place in London, surrounded by a nice garden and watched by two nice cats.

During this forced waiting, I’m working on the return trip from Istanbul that I wish to be at zero impact and condider an opportunity to communicate along the rivers with meeting, slide shows, etc.

Any idea is welcome: Nothing is wasted.

Navigare necesse est.