living in Sardinia

17 May living in Sardinia

I really lucked out: I am renting a room in the main city of the island of Sardinia called Cagliari.

The apartment is a dream; owners Giovanni and Manualla are so relaxed, which is the icing on the cake. Speaking of which, Giovanni made an orange ginger cake today– he always offers me anything that he is making or a glass of wine. It is reciprocal. I buy some wine, and we all sit around having supper and share. I love it.

Their main dining room:

My room is a bedroom loft overlooking a little dining table, fridge and sofa. Oh, the best: a wrought iron balcony that overlooks the narrow cobbled stone road. Here are a few of the room and the street.

From ze balcony:

The weirdest thing, however, across the road, I have been woken up a few times to a woman yelling. We are not talking a little irrate, I am talking full on throat gurgiling yelling. I asked Giovanni and apparently it has been going on for some time–she`s yelling at her husband and kids. Cops can`t do anything unless there is violence, but I would think disturbing the peace might be an issue?

Back to the flat; Up the steep road is the best gelato stand ever. Fragola is my fav–strawberry. I cannot help myself–I eat this stuff like it is going out of style. I don`t care– every spoonful is creamy love. Chocolate and orange rind, cherry and yogurt, pistachio and lime, etc….

Giovanni also rides a bike; toured the beach a few days ago. Oh, and he set me up with my Italian lanugage tutor. Bene.

Yup, I am learning Italian.

My days go like this:

*wake and eat a killer juicy Sardinian orange and drink kick ass espresso coffee.

*Make my way to school –just up the road–for an hour with Maura–my teacher who is too cute for words.

*Next, I meader down the road back home, a five minute walk, and have lunch with my flatmates: another renter is here. Neala is a Spanish girl, 30, who is perfecting her Italian. She`s an engineer in Valencia, Spain. We click like peas in a pod. We have gone riding, gelato touring (a friend gave us a list of the best spots in the city!) and we are renting a car on the weekend to explore San Pietro Island. Transportation–buses–are the pits outside of the cities in Sardinia.

*After lunch, I email my online students and often write for the entire afternoon. I am sending queries to magazines and newspapers. Will let you know when the stories are published.

*I often hit the market for fresh eggplant, tomotoes and zucchini–a popular Sardinian veggie.

*Nightime is eating and socializing. Marcello invites me to supper with his various friends. We start at 9 pm and eat often until midnight.

I am riding with Marcello tomorrow scouting out some new routes for his bike company.  I made an eggplant pasta with olives for lunch. But, before head hits the pillow, here are some pics of Cagliari.

The original castle door in the Castello region.

Poetto Beach– 13 kilometres of soft white sand.

So tired. So refreshed at the same time. Every day feels so long here.

Melania