In an antediluvian lemon grove near the Valencian
town of Sagunto stands a medieval martyrless chapel.
It's heavy oak doors have long since become fodder
for worms and the iron gates which replaced them haven't been unlocked since
General Franco lost a testicle at the battle of El Buitz.
The whitewash exterior weathered and cracked by
countless summers reveal a mosaic of terracotta render that is also loosing its
fight against the elements.
Through the gates a lustrous taffeta of golden
light illuminate decaying frescoes, human figures with grotesque heads, elongated
tongues and bulging eyes.
Ahead of me lies 1140 kilometres of road to the
Italian boarder.
It's from here that Hannibal began his march into
history. I had read dozens of books on the subject, spent countless hours
pouring over maps both modern an ancient and now it was time to follow, to make
my own pilgrimage, more of a curious wayfarer than a crusader. A blind leap of
faith into history to discover for myself what drives us to do the things we
do.
Pitching my tent for the first time in the Spanish
countryside in the shade of this ageless chapel surrounded by ripening fruit
trees I begin to understand the gravity of my undertaking, and for a moment I
start to think that this whole idea is batshit crazy. What is this kid from
West Tallaght doing following a 200 year old map retracing a voyage that took
place 2228 years ago!
My mind raced uncontrollably, Valencia is only 40
kilometres away, I could be home by breakfast if I wanted to. If.........I..........Wanted............To.............
Then I realised I'd thought about nothing else but
this voyage for the past 2 years.
I awoke the next day feeling reborn, that my life
up to that point was to to sail the prevailing winds according other peoples delineation.
Now I was in uncharted territory by 21st century standards, this was
terra nullis for my human precondition. The ungovernable part of the
human spirit that resides somewhere within each of us.
Casting off the cotton chains of moderm comforts
and travelling 22 centuries back to a simpler bygone age.
And thus the Hannibillica had begun......
Part of me has never left that orchard with its diminutive
sanctuary and green lemons.
A callow untried sahib on the cusp of adventure.
Following a dream. Now that dream is a reality. I can’t justifiably convey the
emotional impact of such an untertaking, all I hope is that the movie will take
you along with me on this transcendental transformative voyage.
I’d like to thank each of you for helping me get
one step closer to realising this dream, for sharing a belief in the merrits of
this film and the vigor of our humanity.
There’s just 8 hours left in the campaign, fingers
crossed we get over the line.
As Goethe said:
“Whatever you can do
or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it”
