I'm back in Germany. And let me preface this next thought by saying that it's always nice to be back in Germany. I understand the language, it's my home away from home, and life here has become second nature to me. But lying here on my Ikea bed on a Sunday evening with a pounding sinus infection-induced headache and a dinner of scrambled eggs awaiting me, I feel as though my hard-earned tan is seeping out of my skin and into the dry German air, punishing me for having such a good time last week. It's not that Sardinia was perfect--we had our fair share of issues, such as bad weather, costly internet, and snails in the shower. But I've already begun to idolize the experience and recall how the breeze on the beach felt in my hair or the salty taste of mussels on my tongue.
Alghero is beautiful. I didn't believe that to necessarily be the case on the day of our arrival, because it poured down rain all day. The rain was exacerbated by the fact that our lodging did not sell umbrellas in their otherwise well-stocked store, and the walk into town was 30 minutes. So we got wet. Worse things have happened.
Alghero on the second day, in much better weather:
Alghero is beautiful. I didn't believe that to necessarily be the case on the day of our arrival, because it poured down rain all day. The rain was exacerbated by the fact that our lodging did not sell umbrellas in their otherwise well-stocked store, and the walk into town was 30 minutes. So we got wet. Worse things have happened.
Alghero on the second day, in much better weather:
As promised, I spent a good deal of time in our villini translating and reading. But Lauren and I still managed to fit in some sightseeing in our seven days on the island. One afternoon, we hiked 6 kilometers along the beach to the neighboring village of Fertilia.
Along the way:
Along the way:
We also met some awesome people (three sisters from upstate New York, all doing very cool things in Europe) and they convinced us to go swimming in the ocean on the coldest and rainiest of all the days we were there! It was invigorating during, but chilly afterward!
One day we went to Neptune's Grotto, which is the main tourist attraction near Alghero. It's an incredible cave formation just inside of enormous cliffs hovering over the ocean. When it was discovered by fishermen in the 18th century, they thought it must have been the dwelling place of the sea god Poseidon. I understand why . . .
The highlight of the whole week for me, though, was on the boat ride to the cave. As we were surveying the gorgeous scenery and taking in the wide expanse of crystal clear blue water, the guide calmly announced in a heavy Italian accent that there were dolphins to the right of the boat. Thankfully, I was not the only person aboard who reacted to this statement like a five-year-old, jumping up out of my seat, squealing with excitement, and crowding to the side to get a closer look. I took about a thousand pictures, hoping to get one good one. And my efforts were rewarded!
I still get giddy thinking about that.
We spent another afternoon touring a local winery with a group of elderly Germans. The winery, Sella & Mosca, looked like a paradise itself, with miles of grapevines spanning as far as the eye could see. The free tour included a glass of white wine (and a bonus one of red, because the guide was feeling quite generous) and was overall a great experience.
We spent another afternoon touring a local winery with a group of elderly Germans. The winery, Sella & Mosca, looked like a paradise itself, with miles of grapevines spanning as far as the eye could see. The free tour included a glass of white wine (and a bonus one of red, because the guide was feeling quite generous) and was overall a great experience.
You might be wondering when I was going to get around to describing the things we ATE while in Italy. I thought you'd never ask. The answer is: pasta, seafood, and gelato! We actually cooked most of our meals in an effort to save money, and let me tell you that I made some restaurant-quality gnocchi one night for a fraction of what it would have cost us in town. But of course we treated ourselves to a few meals on the town, and this post wouldn't be complete if I didn't leave you with some photos to make your mouth water . . .
Caramel & stracciatella gelato:
Caramel & stracciatella gelato:
Ravioli with Sardinian ricotta:
Linguine with mussels:
And one final Sardinian picture of a misguided poster, just to make you laugh:
Before I sign off, I'd like to give my dad a shout-out for his birthday. Without his guidance, love, and support, I could never have done any of the incredible things I've written about here over the past two years. He truly is the best father anyone could ask for, and I'm so lucky to call him mine!
He always knows when to flip the rice . . .
He always knows when to flip the rice . . .
He’s taught me the finest table manners . . .
And together, we've been some pretty cool places!
Happy birthday, Dad! I love you!
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