Sunday, November 7, 2010

Cagliari

The moment we got off the plane and I breathed deep the salty sea air, I couldn't help but feel a rush of nostalgia for another belle ville on the coast. How I've missed living near the sea.

Cagliari was where we got our first introduction into Sardinian culture. The beaches, the cafes, churches - all of it exuded a distinct culture, the kind that can only be cultivated by centuries of invasions and conquests.

In the mornings we explored the narrow streets, discovering 20th century apartment buildings sharing the block with old roman houses, graffiti next to ancient columns, and drank cappuccino in old cobblestone piazzas...



We strolled along the beaches, watching the wind surfers....



 ...chatted for hours, while sipping white wine...

 ...found hidden corners of the old town...

 ...frolicked in Roman ruins...

 (...really, really appreciating said ruins...)

 ...visited the Sunday market...

 ...finding buckets of live crustaceans, crawling around, for sale, of course...

 ...but never tiring of this view...

... and realizing that all Sardinians, even the cats, love pasta. 


 And, at night, we found ourselves seated at the Cagliarian dinner table, filled with squids, octopus, fish eggs, and sea bass. There were guitars, rounds of Mirto (a sweet Sardinian liquor), singing, stories and tarot cards. And you better believe there was dancing too.

1 comment:

smith, laura said...

what beautiful imagery! ....except the part about the table full of fish :/