European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 1, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Continued from Page 9 May Cost As much As like most of the seacoast communities on the farther Inland you the less expensive most recreation moving North along the Corsica Western visitors to the Island learn quickly Why the greeks once called Corsica or the sheer Mountain Cliffs drop to narrow beaches or sea smoothed rocks where sunbathers from throughout Europe find seclusion or although the drive from Bonifacio to Ajaccio pronounced one of the largest cities in is Only about 70 hairpin curves and narrow Mountain roads make the trip nearly a three hour journey by Ajaccio Napoleons Birthplace and known during the 18th Century As the prettiest Little town in the Ajaccio offers a cosmopolitan atmosphere along with the pleasures and scenery of a seacoast tourist brochures claim the City was founded in about the same time Columbus whom corsican claim was a native of their port City of Calvi discovered like most of Ajaccio culture is a mixture of genoese and most hotel clerks speak some English but the main language is French although italian is the islands accepted second the Price of a hotel room in a Onestar hotel in Ajaccio ranges from a night for a room without Bath to As much As a night for a room in one of the cites three Star most hotels accept major american credit cards the Walls of Bonifacio seen from the but Many hotels add a surcharge for credit card visitors to Corsica should be wary of arriving on weekends without prearranged accommodations or enough French currency to sustain them until Money exchanges open on weekends Are very quiet in Corsica and except for nightclubs and most major stores and tourist services Are like most of Corsica seacoast communities offers a variety of unique shopping French clothing is moderately priced away from waterfront and souvenirs of the Island include specially items ranging from Coral jewelry to French handmade pottery to elaborately designed linens and without a the most notable feature of Ajaccio is its historical tie to its native son Napoleon it has been is Napoleon with houses the City devotes squares and plazas and monuments to the former emperor and tributes to Napoleon in Marble and in on afoot and standing in various poses Are scattered throughout the City where he and Many of his family were born and there Are the Grotto and the statue of Napoleon in the Casone Garden and Casa a three Story dwelling where Napoleon was born and where his family lived for several driving North from Ajaccio to the Mountain town of Corte the scenery changes from seacoast to terraced mountainsides spotted with Lemon Trees and Chestnut Mountain roads climb and descend through Fertile farmlands where shepherds carrying gnarled wooden staffs tend flocks of sheep and where horses and cows Graze in open As some natives the tourist invasion and urbanization of Corsica coastal Region has caused irreparable the Lack of attention tourists have Given the islands Mountain regions has left it a Panorama of natural Mountain streams Cascade through Small camping areas and Marine Pine Trees form canopies Over Long stretches of winding roads that connect Ajaccio with the Nort Central towns of Vena co and about 80 Miles Northeast of some corsican claim Corte is the heart of the True cafes line the Small squares of the Mountain communities and men of All Ages display their prowess at the ancient Corsica pastime of a simplified version of the indoor american corsican Bowling More closely resembles horseshoes except that opposing players throw balls of either steel or compressed Clay into circles about 20 feet corsican men can spend hours a Day Bowling in local piazzas or Parks and drinking the Rich corsican said a waiter in a shop bordering a popular Bowling Park in the Small Mountain Community of nearly every Small Mountain Community has statues or monuments dedicated to corsican leaders who played a role in the Many Battles the Island waged against italian and French forces who sought to occupy the onetime Island escaping to Corsica less than eight Miles by ferry from Mainland Corsica can be reached by ferry or plane from several Points in Italy and Marseilles is the major embarkation Point from France while Piombino and la Maddalena in Sardinia offer regular ferry service from ferries leave Livorno daily at 9 from july 6 through the end of Crossings for the four hour ferry ride from Livorno change during the Low september and october the More frequent daily Crossings Are made during july and which is considered the High tourist according to a spokesman for the Terrenia ferry transport which operates All ferry transportation from All ferries leaving from Livorno and Piombino on Mainland Italy Dock at the Northern corsican port of ferry fees from Livorno Range from to depending on the season and whether or not a car is being fees for the three hour transit from Piombino Are about the the Cost of the two hour ferry ride from la Maddalena to the Southern corsican port of the Culf of Manza seen from an Outlook near Porrovecchio next to the largest coastal Community on Corsica Eastern Porrovecchio is the port and stepping off Point to some of the most renowned beaches in the port although Small next to the harbours of Ajaccio and is a Haven for yachts and motor cruisers from around the because Porrovecchio caters mostly to the seagoing Jet food and lodging there is More expensive than in neighbouring coastal a single room with Bath in Porrovecchio in a Onestar hotel costs about although smaller inns offer less expensive inn reservations must be made months before the beginning of the summer tourist the main attraction to the Porrovecchio Region is the Large concentration of beaches and camping resorts that extend from the port Community to about 20 Miles to the Camp Sites Are situated on Cliffs that jut out Over the smooth stretches of White Sand beaches Are divided by Rocky boundaries that extend into the sea from various Points along the its along Corsica Eastern coast that most of the islands nude beaches Are although topless bathing is permitted at most of the islands nude sunbathing is restricted to private resorts and the secluded beaches along Corsica Rocky whether visitors to Corsica choose to enjoy the islands coastal experience the wilds of the islands mountainous regions or the Solitude of Corsica Pine they will find truth to the legends that the Only constants in Corsica Are the nuances of color and Light that distinguish one part of the Island from Bonifacio is anywhere from for individual passengers to for Large cars and rates from la Maddalena also vary depending whether the crossing is made during the Low or High tourist even in bad weather when the ferry ride is a Little rough the Cost of the transit is Worth what awaits you once you reach said a Young German tourist during a smooth crossing from la Maddalena to Bonifacio earlier this Corsica is an Island with an International and it has scenery and climates to suit any Italy Rome a Corsica v Sardinia Paulette with her Hometown of Vena co in the by Lon Cabot Naples Bureau looking Down on a Patchwork of unbleached Stone houses and tiled roofs Paulette Jacobbi gripped her elbows As if she were hugging herself the town is Beautiful because of its she As she turned to face the stranger who wanted to learn about the corsican town is a lot like the corsican people a native of the Mountain Community of Vena co about 15 Miles South of is a naturalized born and raised in she married an american at the end of world War moved to the United states and lived there for 31 years raising three my husband died nearly 12 years my children Are grown and living in the Cincinnati area where we raised i decided about a year after my husband died to come Back to Jacobbi said As she looked a stand of scrub Pine Trees peppered with wild coming Back to Vena co was like stepping Back into the she the corsican people Are very frequently stubborn and very steeped in Many of the Home Down there dont have running water in she said As she look Down at the Valley but that Doest bother the people who live there proud of their simple Way of life and would As soon haul their water from a Well or Stream As lose their traditions to Progress and modern Jacobbi lived with her family for a year after her return to Vena co in the Early 1970s and then she met Martene another Vena co native whom she dated for a time and then it was quite a change getting used to the traditional ways of the corsican again after living for so Long in the she clutching the Gold medallion hanging from a Satin Choker around her Jacobbi smiled and looked Down past her american styled Blouse and shorts at her Bare my husband and some of the women in my Village would say in immodesty dressed right she True corsican women would never Wear shorts of any kind in Jacobbi said that especially in the Mountain communities where corsican stick stubbornly to Century old theres a feeling that Many corsican Are forgetting their Corsica has been ruled by the genoese of Italy and the French and Many warring groups Long before but theres a sense that Corsica needs to have its identity More and More people Are beginning to realize that they Arent they Arent there and they have their own history and cultural heritage to its this feeling of cultural and historic uniqueness harboured by Many corsican that is the Backbone of the corsican separatist strongest in the Northern Industrial City of Bastia but also present in cities like Corte and the corsican separatists believe the time has come to sever ties with Mainland France and set up an Independent corsican posters plastered to Stone Walls and buildings throughout the Rural North of Corsica Are vivid reminders that not everyone is Happy with the Long history of occupation and foreign Rule corsican have Una Terra one Una Lingua one Una Cultura one Una Storia one in Populu one people Corsica Nazione corsican nation Unita per a libera Zione Nazionale i u Populu Corse nationalists unite for a liberated nation of corsican the in Are emblazoned on postcards that plead the separatists although Many corsican have publicly denounced the separatist movement As the majority of native corsican believe its time for their country Paulette Jacobbi corsican Are very proud of their their traditions and everything else that tied to the corsican cultural she when people v visit Corsica and stay in the seacoast communities and dont take the time to visit the Mountain they Haven really seen Corsica is the mountains and the people who live Here and live according to their its a simple Way of life but it also Breeds a very proud August stripes Magazine 1q stripes Magazine August