Alghero, Sardinia

Another marathon day of travelling: a 45 minute drive to Chiusi, a two hour train journey to Rome, a 50 minute bus ride to the Ciampino airport, a three hour wait, a 50 minute plane trip to Alghero, a 10 minute ride to the car rental office and finally a 10 minute drive to our bed and breakfast. We arrived at "Rosso di Sera" in a daze, but we instantly appreciated our accommodation. It was a beautiful, modern house, on an olive farm, with a pool, only a short distance from town. Definitely a step up from the hostel we had just left. We enjoyed many chats with Claudia, our hostess, who manages the B and B for her family. Although she is in the final stages of her wedding preparations, she was a wonderful resource for us. We also appreciated the company of her dog, Fiocco, who was always out and about, running around the property.
Alghero is the main resort town in southwest Sardinia. It was a bit too busy for our liking, so we spent our days exploring the outskirts. There are beaches in town and on the road out of town. After a morning at the Grotta di Nettuno (that's 652 stairs on a return trip), we drove back towards Alghero. It wasn't long before Craig got his wish. We ended up at the Spiaggia del Lazzaretto with hundreds of other sun-seekers. Aaaahh, a sandy beach with turquoise waters. Craig dived straight in, but Lynda remained on the shore. Either the water was too cold or the weather wasn't hot enough. Either way, we have no photos to share because we were too afraid to pull out the camera. We didn't want to risk its demise so close to the end of our trip. The next day we headed north to the town of Stintino. We didn't actually make it into the town until later in the day because we were distracted by the sight of a beach and had to stop. This beach was much better - it was made of tiny pebbles. After several hours in the sun, we drove into town to see the Spiaggia della Pelosa. It was mayhem there and with good reason. The beach and the sea are spectacular. Lynda jumped out of the car to take several photos, but then we were on our way.
We have seen enough of Alghero for the time being (we do have to return to catch our flight back to Rome.) Driving and parking here is a bit of a nightmare. We were panic stricken when we discovered a small dent in the front fender of the car. We knew we hadn't hit anything, but who knows what happens when you leave the car in a parking lot? After a quick trip back to the rental agency, we were informed that the dent was previously there. What a relief! On our way to our next destination, Cala Gonone, on the east coast of Sardinia we stopped for lunch in Bosa, a small port with another hilltop fortress, looming over pastel painted houses. Luckily for us, Sardinia is a small island and we will be able to complete our trip in about two hours. We are looking forward to more sun, more relaxation and more beaches.

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