Promises of love at high altitude
From how many different perspectives can the beauty of Elba Island be observed, and how many different visions can a single gaze take in? If all knowing is a form of recognizing, what does the beauty of a panorama awaken within us, to the point that we are willing to strive to climb ever higher, allowing our eyes to embrace as much space as possible? It is clear that, in seeking panoramas and places capable of giving us emotions, we are trying to satisfy the attraction stirred within us by the beauty of a vision, or the sense of peace that a “pleasant” place can offer, where time seems to stand still. In this, we recognize something ancient that never truly belonged to us, yet which we acknowledge as part of a heritage passed down by those who came before us. Is this perhaps what led a young couple of newlyweds to exchange their promises of love at high altitude? And what drives all mountain enthusiasts to embrace infinity with a single glance and to find themselves in this almost unreal dimension? In the earthly paradise that is Elba Island, the ascent to the highest peak, namely Monte Capanne1, rising 1,019 meters above sea level, is one of the most moving experiences one can have. The panorama is truly unique, because—especially on the clearest days—the gaze takes in all the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, including the most distant ones: Montecristo, Pianosa, Capraia, and even Corsica. This is a territory characterized by mixed woodlands with holm oaks and Mediterranean scrub, which dominate the granite rocks of which Capanne is the most imposing representative. A whirl of scents, shades of green, and countless colors depending on the season unfolds in spectacular scenery, in every direction. And during autumn there are even mushrooms—over 200 varieties, including the black porcini. In the sky, birds of prey can be seen in flight, inhabiting the scrubland, or one might catch sight of mouflons and fallow deer hidden among the vegetation. The beauty of nature on the summit of Capanne reaches its apotheosis. It is an experience that is difficult to describe: it simply must be lived. Upon reaching the mountain’s summit, one feels an indescribable emotion, immediately perceived as a shiver on the skin—the awareness of immensity and a deep sense of freedom. The landscapes merge with the sea and with infinity, giving rise to a state of suspension and mystical elevation of the mind, which seems to detach itself from the body. To experience something like this, allowing one’s gaze to embrace as much space as possible, means grasping that spark of infinity that belongs to us—the tiny fragment of life that we represent within the immensity of the universe.
