Pedra Longa lies undisturbed in the area of Baunei .
There are countless reasons why people fall in love with this natural beauty: temptingly turquoise waters wash continuously on the tiny rocky beach of the Pedra Longa Cove.
Baunei on the seaside view photo by Sakanatravel 2020View over the bay – Pedra Longa Baunei photo by Sakanatravel
Its name meaning “Tall Stone” due to the presence of the so called Aguglia a Tramontana or Agugliastra, a kind of Calcareous Pyramid made of limestone and dolomite which rises up above the sea for as high as 130 metres, that is the PEDRA LONGA.
The beautiful cove from Pedra Longa Baunei photo by Sakanatravel 2020Pedra Longa Baunei view of the bay photo by Sakanatravel 2020Stunning view of Pedra Longa – Baunei – photo by Sakanatravel 2020
In the proximity of this wonderful spot you will find a car parking area, a cafe and a restaurant.
Highly suggested for scuba diving and snorkelling enthusiasts
Pedra Longa view from inland photo by Sakanatravel 2020
Cala Goloritze’
Cala Goloritze’ Arch photo by L.C. for Sakanatravel 2020
Cala Goloritzé is a stunning beach on the eastern coast of Sardinia in the southern part of the Gulf of Orosei near the town of Baunei.
Cala Goloritze’ along the pathway leading to the beach . Photo by Sakatravel
This panoramic spot shares dramatic coastlines of plunging cliffs and blue sea, backed by cypresses and olive groves.
Cala Goloritze’ arriving from the Supramonte of Baunei. Photo by Sakanatravel 2020
Cala Goloritze’ beach is one of the most iconic in all Sardinia, with its 143mt high pinnacle that rises above the bay and the marble rock natural arch which lies beautifully on the right side of the cove.
The pathway leading here is simply spectacular with a vertical drop of 470 metres in an hour and half you will reach this wild escape.
From the parking lot of Su Porteddu, on the Golgo plateau you will pass through the magnificent Supramonte di Baunei, we certainly are in the heart of Ogliastra region.
Simply Cala Goloritze’ beach – Baunei –
Obviously you could rent a boat at Arbatax, Santa Maria Navarrese or Cala Gonone and be amazed by the sea and mountains unite in an idyllic harmony of colours.
Article by Dan Nosowitz first appeared in Atlas Obscura Magazine online on October 8, 2019
A fiercely unusual musical style from a fiercely independent island.
A traditional Sardinian cantu a tenòre quartet. Sardegnabella / CC BY-SA 3.0
On an island in the Mediterranean, there is an incredible musical style unknown to the vast majority of the world. Because describing music often ends up as a series of references to other music, here’s what that style, cantu a tenòre, evokes: one part barbershop quartet, one part traditional Mongolian drone, one part political punk, and one part bar band. It’s also one example of an unusual vocal strategy, one that almost doubles as a wild anatomical experiment, that appears in scattered places around the globe.
Cantu a tenòre is Sardinian throat singing, and it’s very, very cool.
To talk about cantu a tenòre, we first have to talk about the human voice—a truly amazing musical instrument, capable of an astonishing range of sounds. But it has the same weakness as all breath-powered instruments (including woodwinds and brass): You can only play one note at a time. Except sometimes your voice can play two.
The human vocal apparatus is made up of two vocal cords, which is sort of a misleading name. They’re not strings, really, but more like flat, folded, mucous-covered membranes, which can be constricted and vibrate at varying speeds as air pass between them to produce sound, either spoken or sung. This is the only vibrating tissue for most speakers and singers, but among the group of people who have learned how to throat sing, there’s another option.
A little higher up, there are two vestibular folds, sometimes called “false vocal cords.” These are, like the regular vocal cords, mucous-covered infoldings, but they aren’t ordinarily used for making sound. Instead, they’re kind of like guard membranes that keep food and water out of the airway while you’re eating and drinking. Throat singers have figured out how to control the muscles in these folds, and can constrict or relax them to produce noise as air passes by them. It’s almost a body hack that creates harmonies out of some internal bits that few know can even produce sound.
The Sardinian tradition is a rarity among rarities.
Vibration of the vestibular folds can be done either with or without vibration of the regular vocal cords. “You can sing with only the false folds but it will not become throat singing any more,” says Giovanni Bortoluzzi, who, along with Ilaria Orefice, runs the Sherden Overtone Singing School, the first and probably the only school for Sardinian throat singing in the world. You end up instead with a growl, which may be familiar from certain varieties of heavy metal. It’s particularly common in death metal, and is sometimes referred to as “monster voice.” But if you can sing or speak—using your regular vocal cords—while vibrating your vestibular folds, you end up, incredibly, harmonizing with yourself. The vestibular folds will vibrate at one octave lower than whatever tone you sing. That specific difference in pitch is consistent, and even the most experienced throat singers can’t change it.
There are multiple ways of manipulating these false folds. That harmony is called a subtone—bassu, in Sardinian—but there’s also something called contra, which is made by tensing the false cords. You don’t end up with two simultaneous tones, but anything sung is … changed. Bortoluzzi calls it “metallic voice,” and it’s kind of hard to describe. It’s a sound that can’t be produced in any other way, but it’s immediately noticeable as something unusual.
Throat singing shows up in various musical traditions, the most famous of which is probably Tuvan, or from a remote Russian republic bordering Mongolia. For some reason, it seems to appear most often in the native music of cold-weather communities: the Sami people of Scandinavia, the Inuits in Canada, and among Buddhists in Tibet. Sardinia seems to be an exception to this rule; its climate is as Mediterranean as you can get. This makes the Sardinian tradition a rarity among rarities.
Anyone can learn throat singing, says Bortoluzzi, though it takes a keen ear, both for external and internal sounds—those you hear with your ears and those your body makes. He says it usually takes about a week to teach the technique, though some find it easier than others. “The Sardinians, they have it in their blood, so it’s very easy to teach Sardinians,” he says. (Bortoluzzi, unlike Orefice, is not Sardinian, though he has spent a great deal of time in Sardinia.)
It’s not known when cantu a tenòre first emerged. It’s first attested, says Orefice (as translated by Bortoluzzi), in the 15th century, though it’s likely much older than that, possibly thousands of years older. Even though Sardinia is so unlike many of the other places that are home to throat singing it seems unlikely that it came there from somewhere else. Sardinia, like much of the Mediterranean, was conquered and reconquered throughout history—by the Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, and more. But Sardinia has always been a little bit separate from those empires, with a little bit more autonomy than its history might suggest. Even today it is a little bit separate from the rest of Italy.
For example: All of the various languages of the Italian kingdoms—including Neapolitan and Venetian—were shunted to the side in favor of standard Italian during the unification of the country. Of those languages, Sardinian—a romance language, but not comprehensible to Italian speakers—is the most widely spoken today, and a majority of Sardinians can speak it.*
An illustration of Sardinian men wearing traditional costumes from the 18th century. Photo12/UIG/Getty Images
Bortoluzzi says that given how fiercely independent Sardinia is, it is all the more unlikely that throat singing, something so fundamental to Sardinian culture, could have been introduced. Instead it might have just been independently discovered or evolved, the same way it was in Canada or Tibet. One thing Sardinia does have in common with all of those other places, from Scandinavia to Tuva: wide open spaces. Throat singing, says Bortoluzzi, is associated with herders and shepherds, possibly as a way to communicate over long distances, because the sound carries very far. Cantu a tenòre is a fairly rigid form. It is exclusively a capella. It is almost always sung with four members. And it is always, always sung in Sardinian—never Italian. This came in handy in the past, given that Sardinia was often under the control of some far-off power. “During the Inquisition they used to sing revolutionary lyrics in Sardinian cantu a tenòre in a way that the Inquisitors would not understand,” says Bortoluzzi. Rebellious or otherwise forbidden political messages could be inserted cleverly into songs that might appear religious—a way for Sardinians to thumb their noses at their oppressors.
If not political in nature, cantu a tenòre lyrics tend toward the hyper-local—often poems about townspeople. “There are many many poets in Sardinia, and the poems become music,” says Bortoluzzi. That local element is important, and cantu a tenòre groups are traditionally named after their hometowns.
The town of Castelsardo, in northwest Sardinia. Ellen van Bodegom / Getty Images
The name cantu a tenòre translates as something like “singer and accompaniment.” Of the four singers in a cantu a tenòre group, three harmonize as an accompaniment (in lieu of, say, a guitar or drum or piano) and one sings over that. The bassu sings with that subtone, producing the lowest sound and, an octave above that, the third-lowest. The contra, using that “metallic voice,” sings the second-lowest tone, in between the two bassu tones. The mesuboche usually sings suspended fourths above the bassu, before laying on the major third (if you know your music theory).* The three singers together are the tenòre, and they are basically singing power chords, like in punk music. The boche, the last of the four, is the lead vocalist, and the only one to actually sing lyrics; the tenòre are all singing the same nonsense syllables, like “beem, bam, boom.” The boche’s melodies are often improvised, feathery and vaguely Semitic-sounding. The harmonies are fairly restricted, and they are always, says Bortoluzzi, in a major key, which leaves them sounding a little bit like Tuvan barbershop.
The group tends to sing very close together physically, often with their arms wrapped over each other’s shoulders. There is a real intimacy there. Bortoluzzi says that there is often debate about what makes a good or authentic group, but some things are unassailable. “They all agree on one thing, and that is that to perform cantu a tenòre, you must be very close friends,” he says. Most cantu a tenòre groups are all-male, and none are all-female, but women are not discouraged from singing, even the bassu part. Mixed-gender groups are not unheard of, though it can be difficult to find a female throat-singing teacher.
Giovanni Bortoluzzi (center) and Ilaria Orefice (left) perform throat singing—and stretching the form with instruments. Courtesy Sherden Overtone Singing School and Paola Perrone
Over the past few centuries, cantu a tenòre has become drinking and dancing music. In the recent past, you would often, says Bortoluzzi, find a cantu a tenòre group in a local bar, singing for friends. (This is not so common anymore.) To many older Sardinians, this is the true form of cantu a tenòre, in the same way that punk really ought to be played in a low-ceilinged venue that smells defiantly of old beer.
The stubbornness of Sardinians about their musical form is not unusual for Italy in general; just try asking a Roman how to make a cacio e pepe. But that rigidity and a lack of global visibility for Sardinia has meant that, even as Tuvan throat singing became somehow famous in the 1990s, cantu a tenòre has stayed local. Bortoluzzi mentions a concert for which Tuvan throat singers came to collaborate with Sardinian throat singers, only to run into a brick wall of tradition. “The Tuvan group accommodated a lot in terms of pitch and the choosing of the rhythm and stuff like that,” he says, “but the cantu a tenòre group was very stubborn. ‘Oh, we always sing like that, you should follow us, this is the Sardinian way.’”
Bortoluzzi and Orefice’s school started in 2016, and teaches workshops in addition to putting on performances. They have, says Bortoluzzi, more than 100 students, most of whom are in their 30s and 40s. “Not so many young people are interested, for now,” he says. But there are some signs of change. Young groups, such as Tenore Su Remediu de Orosei, are stretching the form, sometimes adding instrumentation and influences from outside Sardinia. (This song has a distinctly Southern-sounding slide guitar.)
As with any other very old tradition, there’s a balance to be struck between remembering the way it’s been done for centuries and exploring new ground. Either way, cantu a tenòre feels ripe for global discovery.
* Correction: This story originally stated that Sardinian is not taught in schools. It is, but fewer young people speak it than in the past. The story was also updated to further explain the tone the mesu boche sings.
Article by Dan Nosowitz first appeared in Atlas Obscura Magazine online on October 8, 2019
Laconi is a fascinating mountain town sheltered in a fold of the hills on the fringes of the grand massif of Gennargentu.
Laconi Parco Aymerich Pond photo by L.C. SakanatravelLaconi Parco Aymerich Stream Photo by L.C. Sakanatravel 2019
This charismatic small hamlet shows a fresh and bucolic feel with views of green, magical ponds and swinging streams. It is a fantastic place to explore full of traditions, archaeology and Cristian devotion.
Parco Aymerich Waterfalls photo by L.C. Sakanatravel 2019
Parco Aymerich
The Aymerich Park in Laconi is a lovely and peaceful 22-hectare heaven ideal for an unusual excursion in the centre of town.
Laconi Parco Aymerich Trees Photo by L.C. Sakanatravel 2019
You will be amazed by an array of streams, springs, and waterfalls overlooking calm ponds, all around woods of oak trees, olive and locust groves and a big variety of plants from all over the world….. read more
Article by Rob Waugh first appeared on Daily Mail online 29th February 2012 .
The 5,300-year-old ‘ice mummy’ known as Otzi suffered from the world’s first-known case of Lyme disease, a bacterial parasite spread by ticks, according to new DNA analysis.
Otzi, who was 46 at the time of his death and measured 5ft2, also had brown eyes, had relatives in Sardinia, and was lactose intolerant. Otzi was also predisposed to heart disease.
The new research focused on the DNA in the nuclei of Otzi’s cells, and could yield further insights into the famous ‘ice mummy’s life.
Oetzi the iceman, whose 5,000-year-old remains were found in the Alps 21 years ago, might have died of a heart attack had he lived longer and was allergic to milk products, according to a new DNA scan.
The ancient natural mummy was believed to have died 5,300 years ago when he was hit by an arrow during a hunting trip, or possibly in an accident.
The new analysis found genetic material from the Lyme disease parasite while investigating Otzi’s own DNA.
Albert Zink of the University of Bozen said that the new analysis also showed that Otzi has relatives. Earlier analysis of his mitochondrial DNA, passed down through the maternal line, found no living relatives.
”His ancestors came from Europe originally from the East and spread over most or part of Europe,’ says Zink. ‘His original population was somehow replaced by other populations, but they remained quite stable in remote areas like Sardinia and Corsica.’
A reconstruction of Oetzi the Iceman in Bozen, Italy. Oetzi was lactose intolerant and had relatives in Sardinia according to a new Dna scan.
He was unearthed in September 1991 by a couple of German tourists trekking through the Oetz Valley, after which he was named.
He was about 46 years old when he met his death.
The iceman has been crucial to our understanding of how prehistoric people lived, what they wore and even what they ate.
Researchers examining the contents of his stomach worked out that his final meal consisted of venison and ibex meat.
Oetzi the iceman’s true identity has been shrouded in myth and mystery – a faceless corpse that has embodied a bygone era of humankind.
Archaeologists believe Oetzi, who was carrying a bow, a quiver of arrows and a copper axe, may have been a hunter or warrior killed in a skirmish with a rival tribe.
Researchers say he was about 159cm tall (5ft 2.5in), 46 years old, arthritic and infested with whipworm, an intestinal parasite.
His perfectly preserved body is stored in his own specially designed cold storage chamber at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology in Italy at a constant temperature of -6°C. Visitors can view the mummy through a small window.
Alongside his remains is a new Oetzi model created using 3D images of the corpse and forensic technology by two Dutch artists – Alfons and Adrie Kennis.
Article by Rob Waugh first appeared on Daily Mail online 29th February 2012 .
From kicking back on baby-friendly beaches to exploring meandering caves with teens, Sardinia’s family-friendly options are staggeringly diverse
Cala Brandinchi beach, Sardinia. Image: Getty
Article by Helen Warwick. Published on 28th February 2019 on National Geographic Traveller Magazine.
Travel with… toddlers
Like any self-respecting Italian region, Sardinia excels when it comes to spot-on kiddie staples. Pizza, pasta and gelato are all on the menu to keep everyone happy at mealtimes. But it’s not just food that will enamour toddlers. Don’t miss a trip on the Trenino Verde: a diesel train that rambles through miles of serene Sardinian countryside. There are six different routes to choose from, depending on how long your little ones will stick it out for, but the Mandas to Seui line is probably your best bet with young ones. Animal-loving tots will also fall head over heels for the island’s agriturismi (farm stays), where they wake to the sound of cockerels, eat freshly picked oranges on shady terraces, and pet farm animals before letting off steam in miles of rural space. Alternatively, decamp to BluFan Aquatic Park with its epic water slides and pools — always a winner with toddlers. Travel with… babies
There are two universal truths about Sardinia. Firstly, it’s fringed with beaches that look more like the Maldives than the Med. And secondly, Sardinians adore babies. Combine the two and your bambinos will be smitten. Babies love a good beach. And the thing about Sardinia is that many of its curves and coves are spectacularly calm and shallow. Head to Tuerredda on the southern coast to nab a spot on its buttery sand, where little ones can potter under the shade of umbrellas and paddle in gin-clear waters for hours. When your little ones need a snooze, load up the buggy and trundle beyond the beach and along the resort’s promenade: most are incredibly buggy friendly and backed with playgrounds. Many hotels have thought of everything for baby travel, with all the gear on demand — cots, changing mats and baby baths — but anything you’re missing, you can hire from Italian firm MammaMamma.
Family beach time, Sardinia. Image: Getty
Travel with… teens
Teenagers can be hard to please, but even they can’t ignore the pull of the island’s good-time vibes. The surf scene is cool and friendly and will welcome newbies to the west coast’s pounding waves with a pro lesson. Still in the water, the north coast’s resorts of Palau and Porto Pollo are big on watersports: kitesurfing, diving and windsurfing are all on the bill. A trip to Sardinia’s largest national park, meanwhile, is a must: the Gennargentu National Park is a playground for off-road biking, caving and canyoning, and a chance to discover the island’s craggy beauty. An all-round crowd-pleaser is a horse ride along the beautiful Piscinas Beach on the island’s south-west coast, with its dunes of orange sand and trails lined with fragrant juniper, beach grass and olive trees.
Travel with… tweens
Keep tweens happy with a trip to Laguna di Nora — a fascinating lagoon on the western side of the Nora promontory where pink flamingos stride through the lake’s shallows. Spot these creatures on a canoe trip — don’t forget your camera — and dip into the visitor centre for a wildlife lesson in the area’s aquatic fauna. But to really grab their attention, book a snorkelling tour in the dreamily clear water — a perfect place to introduce novices to the sport. Back on land and out of the blasting sun, Capo Caccia’s Grotta di Nettuno (Neptune’s Grotto)— an enchanting and cavernous cave network — will fire up young imaginations with staggering forests of stalagmites and stalactites. To make them feel like true pioneers, descend into the caves via the Escala del Cabirol — a hair-raising staircase that has around 650 steps — before clambering along narrow walkways and into the darkness. Travel with… multi-generations
Plot a course to the Capo Carbonara promontory,a protected marine park which will charm your entourage, where sweeping bays sit cheek-by-jowl with dunes and coves. Take it in turns to watch the tots craft sandcastles and pad about, while you dive its knockout waters or wander along the walking trails beneath chalk-white cliffs, or pile the whole family into a boat for a trip along the coast. Away from the water, sensational scenery and wildlife pops up in every direction at La Giara di Gesturi— a high basalt plateau that’s home to Sardinia’s indigenous wild ponies. Walk among its scrubland and ancient woodland, which is smothered in heather and wild orchids come spring, and head towards one of the area’s paulis (pools), where it’s possible to spot the charming ponies pausing for a drink.
Kids playing in ball pool, Sardinia. Image: Getty
Ask the experts
I’m travelling alone to Sardinia with my three-year-old. Is it easy to find babysitting services and other solo-parent families?
Many single parents who travel to Sardinia, especially those with small children, opt for family-friendly resorts where the market for single-parent holidays is well developed. You could choose an all-inclusive resort that caters to families, with playgrounds, paddling pools and all sorts of entertainment options for children. Many resorts offer childcare resources too, from playground monitors to babysitters. The family-friendly environment makes it easy to meet other parents and have some time with adults.
Sardinia is incredibly child-friendly; locals dote over children — especially little ones — and welcome them in cafes, restaurants and hotels. One of the best things about Sardinia is its sandy beaches, where children can run and play freely; the area around Alghero, especially, has shallow, clear and calm waters. Car rental companies across the island can provide child seats, opening up more destinations like the wild beaches on the western coast of Sardinia, which stretch for miles — if you decide to go exploring further afield. Vesna Maric, Lonely Planet writer
Published in the Sardinia 2019 guide, out with the March 2019 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
Article first appeared on Fresh Plaza magazine online on 15th November 2018
Giovanni Pess is the owner of the company that bears his name, located in the Sardinia region. It is a business that produces large quantities of vegetables, but it is specialised in the Sardinian spiny artichoke, “For more than 40 years, we have been farming artichokes, to the point that today the production of Sardinian spiny artichokes represents the company’s core business”.
“At the beginning of this 2018/2019 campaign, we experienced some issues related to the unusually high temperatures. For a few days, temperatures here in Sardinia have been reaching 20°C – this is not an ideal situation for this kind of crop. Climate change causes several problems to the production of artichoke. Even though the campaign has started for a few days, we will start the big part of the harvesting only within ten days thus leaving to the market all the decisional power”.
“We produce almost 40.000 flower heads per hectare. If the weather will be as it should, we will be able to ship our volumes within 3-4 months. Yet, if the weather will not be good, we will produce 40.000 flower heads within not even two months thus resulting in an offer overlapping and in a market saturation which will inevitably affect the prices”.
“This type of artichoke is mostly consumed in Genoa, Milan and Turin. We market 6 millions of flower heads through different sales channels. We rely on a renowned distributor for our placement within many distribution chains such as MMR, Auchan and Esselunga”.
“This produce has very important organoleptic characteristics. It is rich in iron, potassium, minerals and fibres. This vegetable can be tasted raw if it has been carefully cleaned”.
A superb scenery entices the photographer on this secret part of Sardinia.
Located only a few miles from Cabras lies a pretty and mysterious small town: San Salvatore of Sinis.
San Salvatore Typical Village Houses – Cumbessias – Photo by MC. Sakanatravel 2019
The hamlet was built around the Sanctuary of San Salvatore a 17th-century church and one of Sardinia’s “Chiese Novenari” usually open only for the town main country festival.
San Salvatore Typical Village Houses – Cumbessias – Photo by MC. Sakanatravel 2019
Nine days long celebration (Festa di San Salvatore) at the beginning of September.
San Salvatore Typical Village Houses – Cumbessias – Photo by MC. Sakanatravel 2019
The cumbessias – small village unadorned dwellings – are opened to guests pilgrims from nearby towns that attend the religious gathering.
San Salvatore main square sign – photo by MC Sakanatravel 2019
The peak of the commemorations commences at daybreak on the first Saturday of September with the barefoot race challenge, Corsa Degli Scalzi, a re-enactment of a frenetic salvage mission set about four centuries ago to rescue the statue of San Salvatore from Moorish repeated assaults.
The procession involves over 800 town boys ( curridoris) barefoot and clad only in white shirts and shorts that run along dirt road following the statue of the saint from the Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Cabras to the township. The simulacrum is then returned to safe custody in Cabras the following day.
It is an amazing sight lived with full enthusiasm by the locals and tourists alike.
San Salvatore Typical Village Houses – Cumbessias – Photo by MC. Sakanatravel 2019
The Church hides a beautiful and interesting past: just under the church left aisle lies a stone hypogeum (underground vault)part of a prehistoric pagan sanctuary carved into the rock which dates back to the Neolithic period, joined in Nuragic times with a water cult in a series of rectangular and circular rooms, where it is still visible a well and a spring source in the main chamber.
Sanctuary of San Salvatore a 17th-century church Photo by MC Sakanatravel 2019
Sanctuary of San Salvatore Entrance photo by MC Sakanatravel 2019
Later in the centuries, the sanctuary was dedicated to Mars, Venus, Cupid and Hercules as still visible graffiti and faded frescoes can be admired.
Hypogeum of San Salvatore I chamber just under the Sanctuary photo by MC Sakanatravel 2019
There are also drawing with black ink from a number of sources, most fascinating repeated “RF”, probably a Carthaginian prayer for healing that reads RUFU in their language. Greek and Arabic writing adds to the cultural melting pot, thanks to its proximity to the important port of Tharros and possibly dating back to attacks from Islamic marauders in the Middle Ages.
The chamber was also used as a prison in the Spanish period.
Entrance to the Holy Well – under the Sancturary Photo by MC Sakanatravel 2019
Of great interest are the ruins of Roman Baths (called “Domu ‘e Cubas) dating back the Imperial age (2nd century BC) with a beautifully colored mosaic floor and signs of the presence of a granary.
During the 4th century, the pagan shelter was transformed into an early Christian sanctuary, in fact, two rooms with rough altars and a large Nuragic basin to the sides were reused as a holy water source.
Fascinating small village house – cumbessias of San Salvatore photo by Sakanatravel 2019
Curiosity
Most of the year this beautiful hamlet is almost deserted, the sixteenth-century church surrounded on all sides by the shuttered cumbessias.
This magical town was used as a set for various spaghetti Western in the 1960s and 1970s. due to the similarity to the landscapes of the American borders so with expert hands of famous film directors became a village of Arizona or New Mexico like the film “Garter Colt” in 1968.
View of Cagliari photo by ajoheyho of goodfreephotos.com
Article first published on Sailingscuttlebutt News online on November 29th, 2018 .
The opportunity for teams campaigning toward the 36th America’s Cup to get a measure of each other will be at the first America’s Cup World Series event which will take place October 2019 in Cagliari, Sardinia.
“The first America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) event is the first opportunity for the Challenger teams and Defender to line up against each other. We are confident that Cagliari will offer excellent racing conditions and that the Sardinian hospitality will make it a very memorable event,” said Laurent Esquier, CEO of the Challenger of Record for the 36th America’s Cup.
As stated in the Protocol, there will be one or two events during the second half of 2019 announced on or before March 31, 2019, and three events in 2020 announced on or before November 30, 2019.
photo by sailingscuttlebut news online magazine
The overall results from the ACWS will determine the seeding for the Challenger Selection Series which will be used to select the Challenger to face the Defender in the 36th America’s Cup in 2021.
For more info about the event follow the link to the America’s Cup World Series website
La Maddalena view of the bay photo by F.F. Sakanatravel 2018
Article first appeared on Gambero Rosso Year 21 -number 116 – march 2018 pag. 72
2
La Maddalena and Coastal Gallura
La Maddalena is the largest island of an archipelago in the northeast of Sardinia. In all it consists of 60 islets that face the Gallura coast. There is only one inhabited centre by the same name and a coastal road of less than 50 km runs along the perimeter of the island. The coastlines are jagged, and characterized by granite rock walls that in some cases plunge straight into the sea. These rocky bluffs alternate with beaches and delightful coves boasting white sand that is reflected in the crystalline sea. For a long time La Maddalena was a base of the Italian Navy, proof of this is the Nino Lamboglia naval museum. Within the village, reachable form Palau with a 20 minute ferry ride, are beautiful eighteenth-century dwellings and the church of Santa Maria Maddalena.
It’s wonderful to tour the hills, and explore the woods and the granite quarries; even more sensational is discovering the hidden bays, white sand dunes, breathtaking sea floor habitat and visiting the other islets. This unique insular environment gave life to the National Park of the Maddalena archipelago, born in 1994 and which includes about 18 thousand hectares of surface ( of which 13 thousand are the marine extension).
The Wines
Cantina Vini Mura – Vermentino di Gallura Cheremi ’16
Vini Mura Azzanido’ photo by F.Fenu 2018
Siblings Marianna an Salvatore Mura passionally lead the family business which is located in one of the most suitable areas for Vermentino. The Cheremi is a white wine of great elegance and flavour, fresh and pleasantly acidic: excellent with seafood risotto.
Cantina Zanatta – Vermentino di Gallura Sup. le Saline ’16
The Zanatta winery produces two reds and two whites. Among the latter, Le Saline represents the highest selection of Vermentino di Gallura. A part of the mass ages in oak and the result is a riot of olfactory complexity; savoury and of good depth. Perfect when paired with a bitter vegetable flan.
Cantina di Masone Mannu – Zurria ’15
It is not just the white wines that star in the production of Masone Mannu. The goodness of some labels makes it clear that Gallura is also the ideal territory for traditional red wines. A fine example comes from Zurria, a wine made form carignano grapes vinified in steel: perfumes of Mediterranean scrubland, myrtle, but also of spices, blackberry and cherry. The mouth is rhythmic and juicy. excellent if enjoyed alongside roasted veal fillet.
Cantina Tondini -Moscato Lajcheddu
The winery produces Karagnanj, a great Vermentino di Gallura But within the range we also find Lajcheddu, a splendid passito wine made from muscat grapes. The bewitching olfactory notes are all based on strawberry tree honey, ripe peach, apricot and dried fruit. The mouth is sweet, but never cloying, rather sapid and fresh. Well-paired with traditional desserts or with Fiore Sardo sheep’s milk cheese.
artwork by Stefania Saragoni
A Word from the Chef
“Ode to La Maddalena always in my heart”
I was born 34 years ago in the Sinis peninsula, a land with long history: home to Monti Prama giants and great traditional products like Vernaccia and bottarga. But first experience was in Gallura, at Baia Sardinia for 6 months of seasonal work. It was the year 2000 when Costa Smeralda was a magnet. Quality ingredients were sadly not a priority in hotels back then, the preference was using products of large distributors. Then something changed. Over time, thanks to a vision acquired around the world, the search for quality ingredients finally started, no shortage of which in Gallura. la Maddalena is an island in Gallura with granite rocks and crystal clear beaches. Inland are mushrooms, wild herbs and farms; and then the sea’s bountiful catch: molluscs, crustaceans and other marine life. Besides ingredients, Gallura owns great gastronomic history, result of a peasant cuisine that blends elements of sea and land. Zuppa Gallurese or Chiusoni ( hand-stretched pasta with a beef ragout) are sculpted in y memory, as well as Sa Mazza Frissa Gallurese, clotted cream made with the remains of fermented milk and cooked aith wheat: umble yet tasty. The memories of this cuisine are alive and I bring them with me for inspiration – Salavatore Camedda chef at Somu n San Vero Milis https://www.somu.it/
Article first appeared on Gambero Rosso Year 21 -number 116 – march 2018 pag. 72
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