Gotthard: Four days to go – into the lion’s den
It seems the village is still asleep when I arrive in Faido.
Slowly the lights go on in the containers housing the miners. As any good visitor should, I check in at the reception of AlpTransit, the construction company. I must admit, I’m a little bit nervous.
What bothers me is that I feel like an intruder – a busybody who wants to infiltrate a world not his own to capture – or steal – emotions and feelings of the real heroes of the Gotthard tunnel. And I’m here at the wrong time.
During the most intense and busiest week for the miners and engineers a journalist comes along to poke around the work site and get in their way. I’m prepared to be given the cold shoulder and to be interrogated. What are you doing here? Leave us in peace.
But I’m given a friendly reception at the office, and I’m comforted by the warm greetings and smiles from the miners in the canteen. My initial fears fade away. I begin to feel like I’m one of them.
Luigi Jorio, Faido, October 11, 2010
Not a creature was stirring when I arrived at the work site.
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