Our four days in Castelbuono were most enjoyable, offering us many surprising and unique discoveries. None more surprising than discovering that the village uses donkeys to collect garbage! Apparently in 2007, the mayor decided that using donkeys to maneuver the tiny lanes of the village was more efficient and environmentally friendly than using garbage trucks. So they reverted to a system that has been used for centuries.
We encountered this donkey on one of our first walks through town....
That led us to ask some questions, and sure enough, Castelbuono uses donkeys to collect garbage, and that led us to nicknaming them donkey dumpsters! On another walk through town, we encountered two more, each with full bins. Some residents lower their bags of trash with a rope, right into the wooden bins!
This one was named Marilu, and she had a jovial keeper...
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| "Marilu" |
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| "Hi Marilu...I'm Chris..." |
The next donkey we saw had a very full load and was waiting for the garbage truck to come up the main road. This one's keeper was more interested in his phone than talking with us...
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| Tossing the trash into the truck... |
Of course it turns out that the donkeys are not only saving the town some money and helping to improve service, they have become a bit of a tourist attraction.
In Castelbuono, the past has become the future, on the backs of donkeys...
Touch any photo to enlarge...
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