Cala violina

This week witnessed a Monochrome Madness landmark: for the first time my contribution below was actually shot in black and white, rather than made to appear this way. Can’t see much difference, frankly speaking.

Ever since I first heard of it, I wished to visit it: Cala Violina, a hidden beach in Maremma, named after a sound effect that makes sand sound like violins (if you believe it – strangely enough, the sound of the video shot by my sister has all kinds of instruments in it, produced by waves hitting the surf, as for the violins, it’s a stretch).

But even bigger surprise was approximately 2.5 km it took to reach the beach from the parking which in the summer is payable. Last summer when we passed by it, we saw a heap of cars and the price and promptly turned back again. Even though the road to the parking led strangely uphill, I had a feeling the beach was just over a little hill.

Now we walked and walked and the sea refused to meet us half way. We had to go all the way down to it. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t imagine the horde of Italian beach-goers walking this stretch in the scorching heat, especially up upon return. Italians and walking do not go hand in hand. A transportation of some kind must be provided, or nobody would pay that much surely after driving a few km on the dirt road, only to walk.

As it is, I cannot promise to return in the summer and report on it. It was perfect now, with no heat, no people, no wild boar and no rain.