BLOG 3 - Sulcis & Carloforte

 Sulcis

Sulcis is a region in the South of Sardinia. It is especially known for its mining and the rich history behind it. We started off our ride to the mines in LandRovers! We drove through the countryside to see the vast green hills and never-ending ocean. Along the way we made a few stops. Our first stop was at a little coffee shop where we enjoyed the sun and some of us even hopped in on a little soccer game. For the rest of our drive, we explored the "ghost world" of the mining complexes in Sardinia. We stopped at a town on top of the mountains that was extremely quiet. We only saw a handful of people during our entire time there. It used to be a very lively city but after the mines shut down many people left. There were many abandoned mines and mine towns that were starting to crumble. It was interesting to see the impact of these mines. We saw streams that were red due to the iron mining and piles and piles of waste from the mining. 

Piscinas Beach

After our LandRover excursion we stopped at a beautiful beach called the Piscinas Beach. All of us had become very, very hangry throughout the day so we were thrilled to fuel our stomachs with some food. We sat at a long table that accommodated our group of over 20. The table looked out onto the beach that seemed to stretch for ages along the green coast. As we waited for our food we enjoyed a cold beer, but soon that seemed to not hold us over anymore... We had gotten very ... very ... hangry. 

But we finally got our food and everyone started to relax again while munching on their meal. The tuna salad with fresh veggies was a nice change after eating so much pasta and pizza. Once our meal was finished we headed to the beach and boy was that a nice view! The water was extremely calm which led to clear waters that allowed us to gaze down below. I spent the majority of my beach time relaxing, listening to music, and taking in the sun after a long, but amazing, first week in Sardinia. I did end up taking a walk on over to the nude beach that was right next to us!

Farm

Eventually we had soaked up enough sun and jumped back into our LandRovers to travel to our first overnight stay of the trip. All of us were in awe at how beautiful the farm that we were staying at was! It had a stunning view of the mountains encircling it and the property itself was home to wonderful greenery and a wide array of animals such as chickens, donkeys, horses and sheep! There was also a dog named Bingo and a kitty that roamed free on the property. I took a special liking to the cat. She was a fluffy, tabby cat that absolutely loved cuddles and belly rubs. 

A nice shower and some relaxation time was needed after our big day of exploring, but after our rest we jumped into hand crafting our dinner. We learned how to make our pasta by watching the chef take little bits of dough and carefully rolling it against a board to create a gnocci-like shape. After a bit of practice, I had gotten the hang of it and started to churn out pasta after pasta. It was amazing watching the chef work and see that even her young daughter was a pro at making pasta. Our work was not done just yet! Along with making our own pasta we also made traditional Sardinian dessert pastries that were filled with cheese. 

Finally, we were able to eat our hand crafted meal! It was nice knowing that the food in front of us was crafted with love from the whole group. Our dinner was not only pasta but an array of fun vegetable appetizers and even delicious lamb and potatoes. After our fair share of food and wine, we decided to take advantage of the remoteness of the farm and gaze up at the stars. I was lucky enough to see a shooting star! None of us are seasoned star gazers so the only constellation we could truly pick out was the Big Dipper... much to Elliots dismay. 

The stay at the farm was a really magical and wholesome experience and it may have been one of my favorite parts of the trip yet! 

Cave of "Su Mannau"

A good nights rest led us to be wide awake and ready for more adventuring and exploring. Our first stop for Saturday was to Fluminimaggiore to see the Cave of "Su Mannau". This cave was created over 500 million years ago and is still evolving today and stretched for 8 kilometers. The tour guide was a lovely man who truly had a passion for caves. He taught us about much more than just the history and science behind this cave. Instead, he also gave us a perspective of the spiritual meaning behind caves and the impact that humans can have on these wonders of nature. He told us that caves are the veins of the Earth and that although they have a negative and scary connotation, we should instead view them as peaceful and as a place of beauty. As we went further down into the cave we saw a river that was running through the cave and ripples throughout. This was a sign of the life of the cave as it fuels the continuation of formation of the stalagmites and stalactites. Towards the end of the tour, our tour guide explained that humans may be destroying nature and Earth now but soon nature will fight back and destroy us. 

Porto Flavia

We stopped at Porto Flavia which is a sea harbor that is home to an impressive mining complex. The area itself it beyond breathtaking. As we walked along the edge of the mountain we could look down and see the beachgoers hiding underneath their colorful umbrellas and frolicking in the crisp, clear water. At the port, we took part in a tour of a very successful operation. In the area, the people needed to find a better way to transport the mined material because at the time, the transportation was slow and very costly. The solution that they proposed was to have an electric train bring the ore to the site and then to build tunnels into the hills so that large ships could collect and transport a large quantity of the material. We were able to enter the tunnels and see where the operation occurred and what it is like inside of a mine. 

Sunset and Dinner

At the end of our second day we ventured out to the seaside to watch the sunset. The landscape around us was covered with little orange and green shrubs that eventually dipped down into the ocean. Birds swarmed around almost as if they were celebrating the sunset. It was really amazing watching the sun fade away in different hues of orange and pinks. The group shared a really special peaceful moment in silence. 

Piscina Naturale di Nasca

Early in the morning we hopped in our LandRovers and made our way to a secret little pool tucked away by rocks. We hiked down to the spot through dusty, sharp rocks. At the bottom we saw the little green, private lagoon. Everyone took turns jumping in, enjoying the scenery and even swimming out into the ocean. 

Carloforte

The island we were on during the second half of our excursion was called Carloforte. It is a quaint little town with a long history. We had a wonderful tuna filled dinner there and in the afternoon we all enjoyed a little bit of gelato. 

This little weekend trip was truly a great one that brought us all closer together through the sightseeing and activities and will be something to always remember!

Bridget, our lovely TA, next to a silly sign found in Carloforte