Life is a beach…
Ok, so you may think that doing 4 to 6 hour days on Sardinian beaches is an easy task, but let me tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks! I admit that I have been living it up in the island of my birth these past couple of weeks, spending much of my time on the beach. Here is a general overview of my daily routine:
8:00 am: Wake up time. Nice shot of espresso and a couple of brioche hit the spot nicely. Sometimes, I alternate and hit the bar on the way to the beach for a cappuccino and bombolone.
8:45- 12:00: Hit the beach! The best thing is to show up before 9am when the beach is still relatively empty and you can get yourself placed in an area near the sea. The thing is, you have to choose carefully because those are also the spots that families want so that they can keep a close eye on the kids in the water. Once 10am strikes and you can no longer take the heat, it is time to have a quick dip in the sea to cool off. It’s then when you face the beach that you realize the beach is quickly filling up and your little territory on the beach is getting smaller and smaller. It is absolutely essential to place your bag and shoes by the top of the towel behind your head as otherwise you will get sand in your face as people walk past you to get to the sea. Once 10:45am strikes you start to notice that as the sun moves so does the shade from the beach umbrellas and then you have to maneuver your way around the shade if your goal is to sunbathe. By the time 11am strikes, you have to go in the water again as the heat just gets unbearable. In between all this you then have to also plan out when to put your sun and tanning lotion on… and so it goes.
12:30: Get home, shower off and put on after-sun lotion before sitting down to a nice plate of pasta alle vongole (baby clams) followed by a simple salad and fresh fruit for dessert. Close off lunch with a quick espresso, and then it’s off to bed for a little nap because the sea really tires you out after all…
3:30pm: You then hit the beach again and so the routine goes on with some variations of beach locations of course. This particular afternoon I decided to stay on rocks to the side of Balai beach where it’s a bit quieter.
7 pm: Get home, shower of again, etc… you get the idea.
9pm: Hit the pizzeria for some ice cold coke and a yummy pizza! Round it off with yet another espresso, and then we are off for a walk along the sea road and pick up a gelato on the way. My gelato choice last night was fresh strawberry and mandarin. The night before I had panna cotta and stracciatella.
So yes, I have been relaxing a lot on this vacation, and my tummy has been very happy indeed with the food I have been feeding it. The food and sea in Sardinia is hard to beat…
Ciao a tutti, e buona giornata!
Category: Europe, Travel & Culture
che vitaccia Kat!
Ok sis, so tell it right. Who was the one who initiated 8 am wake up and the bombolone + cappuccino before hitting the empty Balai beach…?
I miss being there with you!
Until next year, va bene?
I cannot TELL you how jealous I am. Your itinerary makes me yearn for some baby clams, pasta and beach! Keep writing and sending us these updates! They are fantastic.
A real bit of nostalgia for this one of further years. My memories of the scrumptious cooking and the love with which it was prepared in the Sassarese, especially the sea food, ah, now there’s something to talk about. One cannot forget 23 years of one’s life!
As for the beach, was never much one for that except for the magnificent scenery, but take me to the Barbaggia any day. That’s the heart of Sardinia.
Kat..your post made me actually feel like I was on a break (it lasted for a couple of precious minutes) please keep writing …
The reference to the Barbaggia (the central region of Sardinia) reminded me of that area’s much sought after delicacy – casu marzu in Sardian, formaggio marcio in Italian and rotten cheese in English. The peccorino base attracts the cheese fly and the shepherds who produce it make fine holes in the cheese to encourage the flies to lay their eggs. The hatched larvae permeate the cheese promoting an advanced level of fermentation and breaking down the cheese fats. The texture of the cheese becomes very creamy and the translucent larvae grow to 0.3″ long!
Some people prefer to remove the larvae before eating the cheese. Others do not, but if you choose to eat the cheese in all its glory, be careful of your eyes because those larvae can jump up to 6″ when disturbed!
Not surprisingly the production of casu marzu is unlawful but connoisseurs have no difficulty in obtaining it. Maybe Kat could bring some back for her friends to try. Now wouldn’t that be interesting for US Customs and Immigration!!
Where on your blog do you share with readers how you got to be so fortunate to live where you live? How awesome is this trip/venture that you’ve chatted about! Can I come and visit you
!