DOLO-MYTHIC MEETING

Lanfranco Colombo

For a few years now I’ve been spending two weeks of holiday in the Hotel San Raphael in Valsugana at Roncegno for a cure, diet and rest.
The lounges are mainly in wood, the long corridors still have posters approved by Princess Sissi, and under the pavilion, a twisted tree-trunk bears wisteria flowers which are also in perfect Art Nouveau style.
In this atmosphere we find a real Lady, holding the hand of a child who she calls Elia. I look at the child and he smiles at me with no trace of shyness. I don’t have children, and therefore I have no grandchildren either. Elia wants to become my little grandson, so he looks at me, glances sidelong at his mother and says Yes to me.
I think anything is possible in the mountains.
In fact Valsungana, the area where the river Brenta arises, lies in between peaks which are not very high but which are known to history, especially because of the First World War of 1915-18.
And in the peace of the large park I get talking to my new grandson’s Mummy. Her name is Mariapia and I immediately discover that she is the managing editor of a magazine, and I just need the name to fall in love with the periodical ‘L'Eco delle Dolomiti’, its paper, printing, pagination, photographs, I love it all. Without asking I find three issues of it at my table for lunch. It’s bi-annual.
Publisher, journalist, skier, climber... but all ex-, because having reached 86 years of age, I am left only with photography and a passion for mountains.
Mariapia allows me to collaborate, and for each issue I’d like to choose a photographer of the mountains, who will be presented in my gallery (the Diaphragm).
Her immediate ‘yes’ brought back to my mind the first peak I conquered, at the age of 14. What happiness.
Madam, I am not Rigoni Stern, I’m not Dino Buzzati, to name some old acquaintances, or even less am I Walter Bonatti, with whom I have a video phone relationship. I’ll try to make an effort!