BLOG 6 - Barbagia & Ogliatra

Barbagia

We woke up bright and early at 8:30 am to begin our treacherous 4 hour long bus ride, which many of us were not prepared for. As you can see to the left, Elliot made himself quite comfortable in his bus seat. Our travels led us to an area of Sardegna called Barbagia. It is known for the rough hills and mountains and the lack of human presence. Barbagia is actually one of the least populated areas in all of Europe and due to this the natural beauties of the island are well preserved. This area is also home to many centenarians. Sardinia is one of the five regions with a high concentration of centenarians. In fact, for every 100,000 people there are about 34 centenarians. People think that this may be because of their fresh unprocessed diet as well as their ability to work all of their lives. Our first stop on the trip was at a small farm tucked away in the mountains where Shepards produce all of their food. The farm itself was full of fresh fruit like little cherry trees, lemon trees and strawberry bushes. We saw butterflies and bees hopping from flower to flower and a beetle landed on my head to say hello. 

Lunch with the Shepards

We sat down for lunch and had taste of many classic Sardinia foods. First, they served us olives and pickled cauliflower. Then, we ate a platter of fresh meats (my favorite part) that had been slaughtered that day. After, they served us cooked goat meat and a platter of tomato. We ate different cheese that were also made right at the farm. There was a goat cheese, ricotta (with honey) and a hard cheese. Then, we munched on plenty of fruit like cherries. 

Throughout dinner we befriended some of the farm kitties. There was a dad with three young kitties. We fed them a few little snacks during dinner which led to them sticking close by us. To close off dinner, the farm gifted us a few different liquors. We tried limoncello, mirto (made from a special berry grown in Sardinia) and fire water. The fire water humbled us for sure. 

Hidden Stream

It was extremely hot that day. So much so that we were able to wander off to a little stream hidden in the forest. From the first pool that we swam in, we climbed up and up on the rocks finding small waterfalls and creatures along the way. I diverged from the group at one point and found an oasis. I scampered back to the group and brought them to enjoy the little place that I had found. It was a refreshing afternoon that we all needed after a long day of traveling, eating and laughing. We did end up leaving with a lot of scratches and bug bites but we were definitely more relaxed and at ease. 

Hotel Rifugio Goloritze

After our dip in the stream, our bus took us to a hotel up in the mountains in Oliena. It was a serene area surrounded just by nature. Our rooms looked out onto the breathtaking landscape. We had a group dinner that night where we ate typical meets and salads. My favorite part was the culurgiones which is a typical pasta of Sardinia. It is like a mix of a dumpling and ravioli. They are pieces of pasta stuffed with pecorino cheese and potato. At the end of dinner we sat outside to enjoy the warm summer breeze. The hotel puppy came to greet us and ended up being cuddled and hugged by everyone. 

                        

Trekking

In the morning we packed up all of our things to begin our trek to the beach. At the beginning we saw a donkey and a baby cow hanging out in the sun. Along our hike, our tour guides pointed out special trees that were suspected to be part of the reason why the pig on the island tasted so good. Apparently, the nuts from the trees gave the pigs the best ratio of nutrients. They also showed us Strawberry Trees, which did not grow strawberries but instead grew little berries that taste delicious but give tummy aches. 

         

Cala Goloritze

Our trek led us to one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The water was a crisp turquoise and was surrounded by ginormous cliffs that dipped into the ocean. We splayed out along rocks and soaked in the sun. Once it got too hot we dared to jump in the water that was infected with jellyfish. I got too comfortable and thought that everything was fine until I was attacked! I was stung three times; twice in the wrists and once on my ankles. That humbled me extremely fast so I spent the rest of my time at the beach cautiously in the shallow waters or exploring the rocks. I scampered across the beach and collected little crystal and rocks. In the evening, a tugboat picked us up and boated us off to the nearest city. Along the way, we saw more cliffs and caves. At one point I spotted a goat hiding in a cave. 

Exhausted and ready for bed, our group made it back to Cagliari in one piece. Here's to another great weekend!