One click at a fair of Vicoforte Sanctuary

Last night I was driving home, in Vicoforte, a small town in the province of Cuneo, was the last day of the famousfair of the Sanctuary. I passed through the people in my car and at one point I had the idea.

Luckily I had my trusty 40d with Manfrotto tripod because the night before I went to photograph the fireworks.

At the carnival this year there was a carousel incredible, at least 20 m high that revolved on a pivot at the ends of which were fixed 4 seats. Photographically beautiful.

The result is a click 4 seconds f 10 iso 200.

The event is one of the oldest fairs in the Piedmont that they are not lost. Every year on September 8 to 10 at theNativity of Mary, the patron saint of Mondovi and Monregalese, hundreds of stalls and cattle traders of all kindsgather around the majestic Sanctuary of Vicoforte.

The fair began practically together with devotion to the ancient shrine around which was built the Sanctuary. Legend has it that the chest of the fresco of Mary and Child gushed blood after Giulio Sargiano hit him by mistake hunting.We are in 1592. From those years during the feast of September 8, thousands of pilgrims from everywhere began to pour into the surrounding areas and also the fair was born spontaneously.

Once it was an unmissable event for all the inhabitants of the nearby Liguria Monregalese and today is a bit more commercial.

I still remember my grandfather telling how to Roburent, not very close, we went in procession to the sanctuary of Vicoforte through roads and trails lost in the woods. Logically did not go empty-handed, they brought the fruits of the summer almost over trying to earn some money or exchange it for products which are difficult to cultivate in the mountains in preparation for winter. Stories of the past that have transmitted to us the beauty of the event. 

Third Meeting Ternavasso military vehicles in 2013

I finally had time to fix some of the shots taken at the 3rd meeting held in military vehicles in beautiful estate Ternavasso organizer Paolo Vandini Thaon De Revel weekend of June 30, 2013.
The event was attended by about seventy military historians of the various factions, vehicles were Italians, Germans, Americans and British, also a hundred reenactor belonging to different groups have enriched the event with the construction of tents, trenches and simulated moments the daily life of a soldier during world War II.

Here are some shots

The German camp, with the trench, the minefield, the anti-aircraft flak, the legendary 42 mg.

Two shots even to the American camp with tents, the browning cal. .50 cal. .30.

Field radio operator with the Royal Italian Army and a rack that contains two machine guns and several models of breda and carcano 91.

Splendid location for the rally. It simulates the attack on the castle and the subsequent withdrawal of a German platoon.

Some German vehicle, bmw r75, Kubelwagen equipped with 34 or 42 mg, Schwimmwagen, SdKfz 2 Kettenkrad.

Two armed MG34 Schwimmwagen, there are only a few still in operation.

This means to transport troops there are about 10 in the world.

A half-British captured and painted in the livery of Germany. This means it is a concentrate of technology for its time, Litalia copied it with Breda Lince the Germans captured and used those quantities. Traveling at 80 km / h on any terrain and had solid tires. It was used to flush out enemy tanks, the armor stronger had it on the front with a plate of 4 cm. Once you have found the enemy tanks to avoid giving back to them was part of a reverse gear, and through a window at the back and the seat is rotated 45 degrees, you could drive at the same speed forward.

And finally one for which I think many have come to the rally, a Sherman M4 running. This was a medium tank par excellence of American troops, was built looking but very little aesthetics to functionality and simplicity. The blocks were sand castings, very rough and not finished, the front could be removed by highlighting the transmission unit for easy maintenance, the guide was designed taking into account that the bulk of American soldiers were farmers and then whoever was able to drive a big tractor could drive a Sherman tank. The engine was obtained with a radial engine normally mounted on the DC 3 Dakota. How armament had a machine gun in the turret Browning Cal. 50, a front machine gun cal. 30 and the gun was a 76

Some armored Italian, praise our military who faced wagons such as the above means much less efficient. 37 tl Spa, Spa ab 43


Spa ab 43, 43 armored cars, this vehicle was designed to have two places to guide the pilot if he could not turn around could travel from place to ride and drive in reverse order.

Our military went with this little box riveted against Sherman allies. Specifically, this tank M13/40 is a collector of San Marino who found it buried, not motorized, partially filled with concrete because it had been turned into a bunker on the border with Yugoslavia after the war.

Finally I leave you with this photo. Of course the German Empire could not have their own official photographers with Canon 5D and L series lenses strictly ... :-)