 |
| Rich with the 8 km long Poetto beach arcing behind that he ran there and back later in the day. |
I am surprised how good the roads are and they are pretty quiet. Driving is orderly too - such a contrast compared with my previous experience of Italy and particularly Sicily.
As the road winds down towards Bosa we get sights of the coast and then there is Bosa - picture post card pretty - multicolored terracotta shades - sat on a hillside above the River Temo with a castle above it.
Bosa is on the river but very close to the estuary mouth. It would be an ideal place to keep a fishing boat ! The guide book says Bosa is famous for its filigree jewelry and lace making. However my impression is this is almost exclusively a tourist town. As such it was very quiet when we were there with not much open. It is quaint, attractive and preserved. Mainly little old ladies only - doing their errands. I can see the tourist attraction. Richard had a type of burger for lunch - served in a green bun! Rich has acute taste buds and thought the colour only added colour - ha!
Some mob photos of Bosa
We then drive on to Cagliari in the south. Mainly motorway type roads - took about 2 hours. We are located in the centre. We are in a much more cosmopolitan place but it has a good feel.
As is always the case Cagliari was founded and developed because of its strategic position and natural advantages. It has a tremendous history - established by the seafaring Phoenicians in the 8th to 6th centuries BC. It has a large natural sheltered harbour flanked on three sides by either sea or salt marshes.
The two main areas the Marina and adjacent Castello districts (the old town) are on hand and really lovely to wander around. Plenty of cafe culture here. We had some great food. We really liked Cagliari. Another advantage - CAG is Sardinia's main airport and is only 10 or 15 minutes from the city centre. (We hired a car. I think that is the way to get around Sardinia.)
However we are here to enjoy the outdoors. Next morning we drive south to the unfortunately named Penus Village for a coastal/cliff walk to the Chia Tower. Wow! We are blessed with a bright sunny day. There is no one around. The scenery is gorgeous. There had been rain - so things were damp - but the effect of the drying sun really brought out the plant scents and smells. The paths were rocky but a lot of natural sand and gravel made the walking easy and comfortable. It was a 5 star walk - so relaxing to do. Definitely recommended.
 |
| Pickle Myrtle berries for their home brew. |
It is a very late lunch - but somehow Richard finds somewhere open (google) in a lovely small town called Pula. I have subsequently read about it. It is very popular in the summer apparently - sandy beaches and nightlife. It is the opposite of tacky however - stylish and discerning as far as I could see. We had cracking food - their bread is so good - served to the table warm in a brown paper bag.
On Sardinia - wining and dining. First of all it is not a give away but no grumbles (it is an island!). If you get off the tourist trail it is of course cheaper. Wine is the cheapest drink. We liked the Cagliari brewed Ichnuso beer. Another to try - they are very partial to a liquer flavoured by Myrtle berries. Thumbs up. On the food - so many delights. How can you go wrong with capers - anchovies - pecorino cheese - olive oil - so many types of pasta - calamari octopus - prosciutto etc etc. In Cagliari you are spoilt for choice. The only problem we had was adjusting to eating times. They don't get going until 730 - 8pm.
Saturday is our final day. The sun is out. There are more people around - nothing wrong with that. Our final walk is not far from the centre of Cagliari but it was the start of a really memorable day. The walk was on a limestone hill top - referred to as the devils saddle. It is Sella del Diavolo. Our walk started from Calamosca Beach. It only took 2 or 3 hours. The views of Cagliari and its setting were wonderful especially on this fantastic weather day - we were so lucky. Some photos below.
I want to round off with a personal account. As we closed to the top of Sella Diavolo the views had been behind us. However when we got to close the top we pushed through some bushes on a narrow path - the north side. The vista that emerged caught us by surprise. Rich and I were stunned. What layout below our cliff top was a brilliant azure, turquoise and green tinged sparkling sea. But that was not all. Before us was the 8k arc that was Poetto beach. The particular significance was Rich was planning to run the beach and back a bit later as part of his training for the forthcoming Bath half marathon. Seeing it like this was very motivating to say the least. After our walk we make the short drive around to Poetto Beach. The locals are out on this lovely weekend day. There is lots of activity - windsurfing and cat sailing. Rich sets off for his run. We plan to rendezvous at the finish from an hour. I wander a bit but settle at a beach bar to chill even further ha! The background music was great - the sun out and the Italian people milling around are fascinating to watch. I am looking directly at the cliff top where we had walked not long before. Everything was right as I sat there with a beer reflecting on the time we had had in Sardinia. As the time approaches for Rich to get back I stand up searching for sight of him because I want a photo as he closes. I see him too late as he steams past - I shout and he sees me but he is set to run the final 250 yrds to the beach end to complete what he had set out to do. When he gets back he is euphoric - he absolulely loved the run - said it was probably the best run he had ever had. He said he was listening to Fred Again but switched to Faithless - it was a Faithless run he said. At that moment I thought I totally get it - I know how Rich feels and it was special to see and feel his joy and satisfaction. Something clicked in my mind. Without being morbid or negative the thought I had was increasingly the joy in my life will be to watch my offspring do things. As I get older I will not be able to do everything myself in the same way. But no matter. The next phase. My role as the support team will be all I want and it will be a privilege and a blessing xxx
 |
| Poetta beach run |
 |
| Fantastic fish and chips on the beach! |
And just a few of Cagliari
 |
| Palazzo Civico |
 |
| Views of and from Bastionedi San Remy at closing dusk |
 |
| Dr Richard loves his food |
The week in Sardinia was really excellent. A lovely place although it will be much busier and hotter of course later in the year.
On that the busiest part of Sardinia in the summer as I understand it is in the north of Sardinia - the Costa Smeralda particularly. I have read there is so much pressure on some beaches that in an effort to preserve the quality and give nature a chance numbers are restricted and on some payment is required.
No comments:
Post a Comment