RED RIDING HOOD

This city is placed in such a remote place that even dear Lord decide to say buona notte a tutti. Driving there, through various hills beautiful landscapes but scary landscapes… roads that are incomplete, the GPS that get lost, the moment of: Please let’s try not to make a wrong turn because we are not sure if the GPS is wrong or the indications and the road signs are incorrect.

Let me show you what I mean:

Corleone is located in an inland area of the mountain, in the valley between the Rocca di Maschi, the Castello Soprano and the Castello Sottano. Corleone is located at 542 metres above sea level.

I guess all the world pasta is coming exactly from these fields here. 😛

The only reason it came on my list is because of the movie The Godfather based on the 1969 novel The Godfather, including the eponymous Vito (Andolini) Corleone.

Several Mafia bosses have come from Corleone, including Tommy Gagliano, Gaetano Reina, Jack Dragna, Giuseppe Morello, Michele Navarra, Luciano Leggio, Leoluca Bagarella, Salvatore Riina and Bernardo Provenzano.

The local mafia clan, the Corleonesi, led the Mafia in the 1980s and 1990s, and were the most violent and ruthless group ever to take control of the organization.

When visiting the town today, do not expect dramas of any kind. The town works and appears as a traditional Sicilian town, and in recent years it has experienced a significant anti-mafia movement wave. After the tragic murder of the highly respected and admired mafia judge Giovanni Falcone in 1992, the mood of many Sicilians turned against Cosa Nostra , and a large number of anti-mafia associations emerged in the background. Part of the land and the property formerly owned by members of the Mafia is now administered by the state, and the ground is cultivated by various anti-mafia associations, which produce and sell organic products, including excellent wines.

I mean, really, the city is boring and unattractive. Perhaps the best way to observe how they behave is to enter a bar. We did so. It was incredibly hot and siesta time so not much sites were open. Except for this bar, with 3 locals and a bartender. All of them tattooed with tacky sleeveless muscles – shown shirts.

Some quick refreshments and using the toilet. Well, when washing the hands, you do not open the pipe with hands but pressing the clutch below with your foot. Ok, well.

We wanted to enter the church but it was locked. The locals from the bar were looking at us knowing we are tourists and trying to find a way to talk to us. We said we would like to go to church but we are not sure what time it opens. Looks can be deceiving! The tattooed guy in muscle shirt pulled out his phone and dialed a number. Last thing what I saw was the screen on which it was written: Il Padre. Yes, the guy was calling priest to ask him if he can open the church because there are two tourists in a bar wanting to know. I mean, total shock on my face: you do not call Padre because of that. A guy like that does not have a relations with church, or does it?

Poor Padrino, most probably was slumbering. It was hot. We went to see the church around only and bought the Corleone Amaro di Sicilia.

Chiesa Madre is dedicated to the 4th-century French bishop Saint Martin of Tours, started in the late 14th century.

And was it. Short, shocking, odd, to remember… back to car and driving again through the fields.