Cagliari Nature

During my last days in Cagliari I found a guide who led Land Rover trips and explained all about the botany, geology, ecology and local history. I really appreciated being able to get out of the city and into nature. We rode way into the backwoods and up to mountaintops on very rugged roads. The vistas were amazing!

Cork tree - Sardinia is the third largest exporter of cork.

Cagliari - Learning Italian

My teaching friends can relate well to this! That “deer eyes in the headlights” look – that fit me to a "T"! I did a home stay in Cagliari to be immersed in Italian, and I was immersed! The couple I stayed with was very nice, however they knew very little English, and always spoke to me in Italian. There were many times when I had no clue what they were saying! And if I thought I understood what they said, who knows if what I thought they said was really what they did say! Even when they spoke slower, or louder, I was often still clueless.

I had a wonderful private tutor who was patient and explained things well. Sometimes she would be talking to me, and all of a sudden I would realize that I was listening in Italian and was actually understanding what was being said! And then that realization would break my concentration and I would get lost again! I learned a lot, however I have A LOT yet to learn. There is so much for me to process and so I really need thinking time before I can speak, and understand what’s being said.

My lessons ended about noon, however I really didn’t enjoy having the afternoons to myself. I wish that I had had friends to do things with. I also really missed my bike. I tried to rent a bike, but the shop couldn’t give me recommendations for safe places to ride, and I couldn’t find any group rides. To get some kind of exercise I walked, and walked and walked and walked, all over Cagliari, sometimes for 6 hours a day. Finally I found a sign in a sporting goods shop for Asfodelo Trekking! I emailed, in Italian, and asked if I could go on the trip. Yay! He said yes! Read my Baunie Blog to find out all about it!

Cagliari was a typical Italian town where everything closes up from about 1:00 to about 5:00.  We ate dinner sometime after 8:30. Meri was a very gracious hostess and I think she felt obligated to be sure I was more than full every night! The topics of our dinner conversations, in Italian, included Italian politics and their economy, Obama, the pope, soccer, their B & B, plus Italian lessons for me.  I wonder how much of the conversations I really understood?!

Cagliari was a charming town; I hope you enjoy the photos!

Meri, Andrea and Pipo

The biggest skeleton key ever.

One of many skinny street I love!

Two person max old fashion elevator. I only used it to move in and out.
It barely fit me, my backpack and a small suitcase.

Baunei Trek

I enjoy learning Italian, and while in Italy, I really tried to put myself in situations where I would have to speak Italian. Going with an Italian group on a trek did just that.

I didn’t realize it, but I signed up for an “impegnativa” (challenging) bush whack trek 18 K up a mountain. To get to our starting spot, we had a wild ride on a rugged, narrow, twisting, dirt road, (on which I just about lost my cookies). The trek was indeed challenging. We went up dry riverbeds and with rocks ranging from the size of your hand to the size of your foot, to fields of boulders. The rocks would rock and roll as you tried to get your footing. Beautiful scenery though, with wild pigs, goats and cows. We spent the night in a very old stone hut. Dinner was served in another old hut. It was a delicious traditional spread - sliced meat and lard, olives, shepherd’s bread, ravioli and wine. After dinner the owner of the hut serenaded us with accordion music. The next day it rained, but we still had a nice10K hike to see some ancient ruins. It was a much easier hike through fields, however there still wasn’t a trail to follow, odd. 

While I really wanted to practice my Italian, the Italians wanted to practice their English, so they would speak to me in English and I would respond in Italian – FUN! I was so happy, one man said I spoke Italian very well! 

The photos don’t really show the beauty of Baunie but they’ll have to do! Enjoy the video clips of the goats and the music!

My fascination with bathrooms continues!
The toilet in the hut was literally tucked under the sink.
The only way to approach it was from the side. Also not that it is seatless!

Wild pigs!

How do you like the umbrellas?