Beneath the watchful eye of Brindisi’s towering stone memorial to lost first world war mariners, a lone rower skims across the still waters of the city’s harbour. It’s a beautiful day and tourists stroll the palm-lined quayside in the late summer’s afternoon sun. But the rower isn’t the only one on the water. Also in harbour is an Italian warship, the 133m-long ITS San Giorgio. Inside, waiting to launch, is an amphibious assault vehicle, and inside her, like a Russian doll, I find myself crammed shoulder to shoulder with my fellow mates. The vehicle’s rear door is closed and we are plunged into total darkness. The engine starts and for a moment the only thing to permeate the black is the roar of its 525hp engine and escaping diesel fumes.
在布林迪西高聳的一戰(zhàn)陣亡將士紀(jì)念石碑的注視下，一個(gè)孤獨(dú)的劃船者滑過該市港口的平靜水面。這是一個(gè)美麗的日子，游客們在夏末午后的陽光下漫步在棕櫚樹林立的碼頭上。但劃船者并不是水面上唯一的人。港口里還有一艘意大利軍艦，133米長的圣喬治號(hào)(ITS San Giorgio)。里面有一輛等待下水的兩棲攻擊車，在它里面，我發(fā)現(xiàn)自己像一個(gè)俄羅斯娃娃一樣，和我的同伴們肩并肩地?cái)D在一起。車輛的后門被關(guān)閉，我們陷入了一片黑暗之中。發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)啟動(dòng)了，在那一瞬間，只有525馬力的發(fā)動(dòng)機(jī)的轟鳴聲和逸出的柴油煙氣彌漫在黑色中。