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Published: November 7th 2013
Adventures in Alghero…stunning views, stereotypical family antics, smiles, sunshine and smuggling.
I have been sharing my house in London with a lovely Sardinian woman, L, for about a year now and she has always said that I must come to Alghero with her sometime. Trying to align our busy schedules was a challenge but we finally decided on a Sunday and Monday in mid-October. The direct flights from London-Alghero don’t go on Saturdays and she had to work on Friday. The forecast looked warm and sunny and that with the promise of Sardinian food and relaxation made the decision easy. We were picked up in a taxi at 4am on Sunday morning which was slightly painful but the promise of breakfast in Alghero kept my glass half full so to speak. Stansted Airport is a place I avoid at all costs but it is a necessary evil for this trip. At 4:50am it is complete chaos in the airport. There are people everywhere…stopping and looking around…blindly bumping into everyone. After a long trip through security and getting breakfast for the plane, we head for our gate.
We settled in for the short 2 hour flight. My travelling companion fell
asleep immediately while I was entertained by sales of food, drinks, perfume, lottery cards, swimsuit calendars (yes I really said that) and the child behind us who alternated kicking the seat with deafening screams. We landed in Alghero and it was lovely to walk down the steps without a jacket in the 27C temperature and bright shining sun. The early morning hassle had been worth it! We were loaded onto a bus and then driven about 50ft to the door of the terminal. This made most of the people on the bus chuckle and all agreed it was a typical Italian way to make sure people kept their jobs. As we made our way through Immigration with a simple “Buongiorno” and a smile, my L said that her cousin would be waiting to pick us up and drive us to town and the family flat.
As we entered the Arrivals area looking for her cousin M, I heard her gasp. Her parents were there to meet us. This was a surprise because they lived in another town 3 hours away and were not expected at the airport. Lots of smiles, hugs and tears followed…and according to the father I
don’t smile enough (I would change this perception over the next 48 hours.) I had been awake since 3am and had no idea what was going on as hands were flying and Italian being ‘shouted’…no wonder I wasn’t smiling…yet.
Since M had no idea the parents would be there, we had two rides from the airport. With a flurry of hands and Italian banter it was decided that M would take us for breakfast and deliver us to our flat. We would see her parents later (they were staying at grandma’s flat.) The beach route was chosen for our quick 10 minute ride to town. I was told about the history of Fertilia (where the airport was) - it was built up in Mussolini’s day. There is a long public beach along the coast between Fertilia and Alghero and I enjoyed catching my first glimpses of the sand and sea as well as the scent of pine and eucalyptus in the air. It reminded me a bit of the smell of northern California along the Pacific Coast Highway.
Once we got into town I realised how small it was… since it had an airport I thought it would
be more of a city. There are 40,000 permanent residents and the population can swell to 120,000 in the summer. It quickly became clear that M was a bit of a local celeb as many people waved as we drove by and shouted “ciao”. We circled the breakfast location a bit looking for a parking space. Apparently the summertime parking restrictions have been lifted so everyone drives everywhere at this time of year. On the way in to breakfast we bump into the first of many uncles we would encounter in Alghero. This was the oldest brother of my L’s mother and formerly the local doctor. He didn’t speak any English but a few kisses on the cheek, a “piacere” from me and I had earned a “bella Americana” from numero uno zio. We walked into Ciro, a bustling bakery and coffee bar. Traditionally Italians have a coffee standing at the bar and eat some sort of sweet pastry or a cornetto (like a croissant.) At Ciro, you choose your pastry and coffee and pay the lovely lady at the cashier in the center of the room before you get your breakfast. It was recommended that I try a custard
tart sort of thing with a crème brulee crust (aptly called a Crema Bruciata) and also a latte macchiato. I am not a coffee drinker normally but when in Alghero…
After breakfast we went to the family flat to get changed into our bathing suits and head to the beach! For a London-dweller, the prospect of sunbathing in October after a short-haul flight was divine. Our trusty chauffeur, guide and companion (M) picked us up and whisked us off to their favourite beach in the area - Spiaggia Lazzaretto. I quickly could see why they loved it so much. It was a beautiful white sandy beach with crystal clear water, a few beach cafes and a lovely view back to Alghero and Capo Caccia in the distance. It was very warm so we quickly got in the water which was quite chilly though we spent an hour or so chatting while submersed in the lovely sea. Lunch was ham and cheese toasted sandwiches with a local beer – Ichnusa. Perfetto!
We went back to our towels and the little harbour gradually filled with sailboats coming for a swim and a good spot for the sunset. We were all
getting a little pink so decided to take a drive out to a nice panoramic vista from a lighthouse (el faro at Porto Conte.) The views were spectacular with the sun setting over Capo Caccia (a cape of land that is nicknamed “the sleeping giant” – you can see why in the photos.) It was lovely, calm and peaceful. I could have stayed here for hours but we had aperitivo and dinner with la famiglia ahead!
After a quick shower and change, we walked to the Sky Bar at the Hotel Catalunya for aperitivo. Another random fact about Alghero is that all the street signs in the city center are in both Italian and Catalan. M speaks both those languages and also Sardo – with the particular Alghero dialect. We entered the hotel lobby and took the elevator to the top floor. We turned the corner and were faced with the most breath-taking view. The sun was setting over the sea with Capo Caccia in the distance and the old town and port of Alghero just below us. It was a stunning setting and the perfect way to end our first day in Sardinia. We ordered Aperol spritzes and
as is the Italian tradition, they were served with some food. They don’t generally drink without eating in Italy. We were served bruschetta, some slices of pizza and potato chips. It wasn’t fancy but they were the perfect salty accompaniment to our drinks after a long lazy day at the beach.
We had two drinks and then thought we should go home for dinner. A quick call to momma revealed that there was no rush so M wanted to walk us into the city center and show us the hotel where he worked. We could see and hear the bells from the tower of the hotel from the Sky Bar. They use part of a very old building which is a working Franciscan monastery and was built in the 14
th century. It is built around a central courtyard and when we took our tour there was a mass being said on the ground floor. We could hear the echoes of the prayers and spotted one of the monks (who is apparently 90 years old) sitting out in the courtyard rather than being in church. I almost felt like we were invading something private and holy (being raised a Catholic)
but I was ensured the hotel guests and monks co-exist peacefully.
It was now time to head to grandmother’s flat and meet Uncle S who was with my L’s parents. He is 61 yrs. old and has Down’s Syndrome. The various members of the family take turns caring for him since their mother died several years ago. Keeping a familiar surrounding for S is important so the siblings take turns staying with him and taking him to their homes. I have not met S and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. We rang the doorbell and were buzzed in to the apartment building. S opened the door but my L and cousin walked straight past him and into the flat. They greeted the parents with lots of hugs and kisses and “ciaos.” I was not introduced and was slightly confused. After a few minutes of all these exaggerated greetings and deliberate “snubbing” of S, I realised this was all part of a game they apparently play. Finally S came into the kitchen and tapped L on the shoulder. She then turned and acted surprised to see him and warmly embraced him – we then all followed suit. There was
a lot of excitement as it was explained who I was…I understood “Suzy” and “americana” and “inglese.” S immediately gave me a kiss and a hug and asked if I was staying to eat dinner with them (this was in Italian of course.) The excitement and noise level slightly levelled off until the pop of the cork of the prosecco bottle! Then it all started again with enthusiastic toasts to one another and all sorts of debates about table setting and who would sit where. Though I may not have understood the words, I certainly could understand most of what was happening in context. My L and her cousin translated when necessary and her father also made an excellent effort in speaking English with me. Her mother was very happy for how much I understood as she was a bit shy to speak English. In my opinion if you have an open mind, pay attention, smile a lot and wave your hands around a lot you can be understood and understand a good bit of Italian!
Dinner is very good and stereotypically Italian. The momma served us all and encouraged us to eat more and more. We start with
the primi piatti of local Sardinian pasta called gnochetti with tomato sauce and parmesan. It is melt in your mouth delicious. The secondi would maybe more traditionally have been some sort of fish but since I don’t eat it they have prepared meatballs! You don’t eat these with pasta rather you eat them on their own or with the contorni (side dishes.) Our side dishes were roasted peppers and raw fennel. There was also a bit of octopus (polpo) for those so inclined. Now that we were stuffed to the gills (and had more prosecco, sparkling water and local white wine), it was time for fruit. And then dolce! You have fruit and then dessert which was a homemade apple cake with some lemon and almond in it. Delicious!
As dinner was being cleared away, L reminded S that I spoke English/inglese and he should speak with me. Apparently, though he does not actually speak English, he is aware that it is another language and has made up some words in English. So S holds up one finger and begins to count to 5 in his own version of English. Everyone is very supportive of his efforts though none
of us really understand what he is saying. As he reaches the full hand open with five fingers and says his final number, he then looked right at me and turned the “5” in his hand into a wave and said (in English) “bye bye!” A fun moment with a special person.
After dinner we headed back to the flat as we were too tired and full to carry-on. Momma sent some cake and coffee with us for the morning and we had a long good night’s sleep.
Day two was all about history and visual appreciation of Sardinia’s natural beauty. After a lazy breakfast and shower, we dressed for a stroll around the town and some shopping. As we headed into town we bumped into poppa (nicknamed babbo) and he said he would accompany us. It was a hazy and humid morning so we decided to walk around the town along the sea wall and old fortress. Babbo told us a lot of history and I was enchanted by its charms. There are old towers from the fortress and beautiful modern yachts in the harbour. The old blends with the new in a charming way…much like the new architecture school at the university has maintained some of the past while ushering in the new. Babbo left us to explore the shops of Alghero. We visited some cute boutiques, bought some fun tights and also some local Sardinian style jewellery. Now the pressure was to come home for lunch. We only had a few more hours and I didn’t want to insult the family so I asked if we could sit outside somewhere picturesque and have a simple bite to eat rather than a big (though fantastic) production like the evening before. L called her momma and told them we were going to eat outside, go to Capo Caccia and then have something to eat with them before our flight that evening.
Cousin M came to pick us up after our nice lunch outside – complete with a glass of local sparkling wine of course! We were off to Capo Caccia. It was a nice drive along the coast and up into the hills. We pull over for our first panoramic view and it is indeed stunning. The air is soft and the water a shade of blue I cannot begin to replicate with my camera. I have the feeling that I need to be in the water…though I am on top of a cliff and pretty high up so probably not going to happen just now.
We head further up Capo Caccia to another vista which is even more breathtaking. There are empty pistachio shells scattered amongst the rocks and I think that this would indeed be the ideal spot to stop for a picnic, forget your cares and watch a stunning sunset. It is in places like this that I am reminded what an absolute speck I am on this planet - a speck with a huge grin on her face but a speck nonetheless!
We had late afternoon coffee with an incredible view and sadly it was time to head back into town to get ready to fly home. M dropped us at our flat so we could pack and we would all meet up with the family for some dinner before our flight. A quick pack-up and decision to stay in summer clothes until the last minute saw us heading back to see la famiglia in grandma’s flat. Her mom had prepared melanzane (eggplant) parmigiana. This is not something I usually like but she had grilled ultrathin slices of eggplant before layering with cheese and sauce and it was nothing like the American version of thick slabs of eggplant breaded and fried. Yum. We had some fruit of course and split a piece of cake. It was time to change back into London-friendly clothes. L offered me the bedroom or bathroom. I chose the latter. Just as I was tying my second shoe, I heard a voice say my name and the door came wide open. It was a bit of a shock to see Uncle S there but also hilarious. Apparently I was lucky not to get the usual “treatment” which is the door to be locked from the outside and the light turned off! My limited Italian may not have been able to get me out of that one!
The final comedic episode in this brief but lovely trip involved a bit of smuggling. As I was the only one with a check-in bag, L asked me if I could give her a few of my lighter items to put in her carry-on as her mother wanted us to take back some food. Of course! Her father brought the scale out of the bathroom and stood on it. He then picked up my bag and weighed himself again. We had a 15kg limit so started adding items one at time and re-weighing babbo and bag. In goes prosecco. Check. Parmesan. Check. Pecorino, pane caresau, prosciutto and pasta. Check, check, check and check. We even managed to slip in a salami (oh my) and dolce (some almond type traditional cookies.) Once it was all in the bag and we headed to the airport they let me know that is not really allowed to export Sardinian pork products! I didn’t see any signs at the airport so thought we should be ok. After a big smile and an enthusiastic “buona sera” to the man at the ticket counter, we were checked in without incident. I did notice that my bag weighed 15.5kg and he let it pass…quite unusual for this airline. I do believe that a smile can get you a long way anywhere you go.
Sardinia was a welcoming and joyful place as was la famiglia. I will be back - presto!
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sardypaul
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Lovely Blog
what an absolutely lovely blog. we have lived her for 5 years (from gatwick area) and yours is one of the most interesting blogs we have read. Enjoy your next trip.