Sardinia – the paradise next door

Last time I was in Sardinia, it was August and I hated it!

Everywhere it was crowded, everything was overpriced, traffic and parking a nightmare, service generally appalling and people around were mostly loud and vulgar. I know that August is not a representation of how a place actually is, but I was left with such unpleasant memories, that I didn’t feel like I could do the trip again. However time has passed (a few years actually!) and given the chance to go on the first week of July, I did not pass on it, and I am glad I didn’t.

I was based in Golfo del Pevero, a gorgeous bay a few minutes away from the ritzy Porto Cervo, and we could simply walk to the nearest beach to enjoy crystal clear water. With a short drive (between ten and twenty minutes) one could venture to more amazing spots like Cala Liscia Ruja. I also appreciated (although I know that some would not agree) that almost everywhere there would be a beach club, or at least a chiringuito of some sort. I am not talking establishment after establishment, but merely one place for an entire bay. It means that you have the option to enjoy the beach in comfort, or, if you like to be more secluded and choose your own little nook, you still have a place you can go to if you want to grab an ice-cream, or sit down and sip on a fresh beverage. It means less cooler boxes, on the beach, which is a blessing, who can argue with that?

I tried a few restaurants in the area, some better than others, but I ate pretty well everywhere we went. La Mola is a really good pick if you are looking for an elegant restaurant with a refined menu. Il Pulcino is an old-fashioned place with a good variety of traditional dishes and Lu Stazzu was the winner with its lovely courtyard and delicious suckling pig.

For aperitivo, Hotel Cala di Volpe is an absolute treat, while if you want an Instagrammable place, Phi Beach in Baia Sardinia is for you. It’s rather a club on the beach, but it starts at sunset with people flocking in high heels and linen shirts, phones ready for a deluge of selfies.

To experience how a regular Italian beach town really is, I would recommend a walk in Cannigione, where you can eat some earthy food at Tavola Blu and shop the unnecessary at the night market.

If you get tired of lying on a beach and swim all day, take some time to visit a nuraghe. These ancient megalithic edifices, developed during the Nuragic Age (between 1900 and 730 B.C.) are typical of Sardinia and are fairly magical. I visited Nuraghe la Prisgiona which is incredibly well preserved. The staff at the sight was very helpful and shared plenty of information and anecdotes.

And finally, don’t miss out on La Maddalena. This tiny island is easily accessible from Palau, in just fifteen minutes, on ferry boats that leave every 30 minutes throughout the day. It is a natural reserve and rightly so, it’s legitimately stunning, with jaw dropping sights, topaz water and amazing spots, like Spiaggia del Relitto in Caprera. Caprera, a smaller island part of the Maddalena archipelago, linked to the main island with a bridge, was the home of Garibaldi, Italy’s national hero. It is possible to visit his home and a museum that takes visitors through his legendary life and deeds and to the events that led to the unification of Italy. A beautiful experience with a breathtaking view as a bonus.

Costa Smeralda is just a very small portion of a wonderful and diverse island, but it certainly is a big jewel in the crown. Jewels come expensive, that is clear. However, if you can afford the premium, it is well worth it. That is if you go off peak season so that you can enjoy the sea, the view, the food, the people at their best.

A presto

Golfo del Pevero, Sardinia

Liscia Ruja, Sardinia

Arzachena – Nuraghe la Sprigiona, Sardinia

Caprera – Museo Garibaldi, Sardinia

Tunisi – into Phoenician land

Only one hour flight from Rome, and you are into the blue.

Tunis is a quiet city that is overly underestimated. While the medina is not as impressive as the souks of Marrakesh, it makes it for a really pleasant walk, and some good shopping, without the hassle of the Moroccan hard sellers. On the main roads the smell of fragrant food, spices and soap fills the air; off the main roads some interesting artisanal boutiques offer unique, original pieces, Makhzen is where I found my happiness. There are hidden restaurants inside beautiful courtyards that serve delicious food and cafes perched on terraces overlooking the city where you can sip rose water scented coffee.

La Marsa, off the city centre, is where I stayed. It looks like an Italian seaside town, with the houses overlooking the shore, little cafes and restaurants all big windows and tables on the pavements. I had lunch in La Gourmandise, a chain with a few restaurants around town, pleasant, but nothing special, and brunch in Sabato and in Ivy, both pretty amazing. For dinner it was fish in a beautiful restaurant called Le Golfe, on my first evening and couscous in a very local place on the second evening.

I also had a small taste of Tunis night life at Le Carpe Diem, a very laid back place where young Tunisians (and a few expats) were dancing with lots of joy and little to no pretense to the rhythm of a local band playing Tunisian music and some well-known international songs.

Sunday was a glorious sunny day and I explored more of the coast. In Carthage, I visited the Baths of Antoninus a really beautiful and peaceful site where Roman ruins overlooking the Mediterranean make an incredible scenery. In Sidi Bou Said I was amazed by the beauty of this little hilly white and blue town, where winding roads lead to the most gorgeous panorama. The bonus was the delicious bombolone eaten on the go.

I had a really lovely long weekend left on Friday morning, back on Sunday evening. Enough to explore Tunis and surrounding, but I would definitely go back and see more of the country.

Back to the Slopes

I like to take a few days off during the Christmas break to rewind and start the new year on the right foot.

Last year I chose a warm city break and headed off to Marrakesh, while this year I opted for a more conventional winter choice, a ski trip.

I went to Courmayeur on 2 January and had four full days there.

Curmayeur

Curmayeur view from Mont Blanc

Curmayeur the slopes

From Rome it is quite a journey, and I would not recommend driving. Although the road is fantastic all the way to the town, it is an eight-hour journey.

If you want the freedom, but can’t be bothered with being behind the wheel for that long, I would recommend the train to Milan and a rental car from there. Turin is closer, but the Rome-Milan route is covered by the high-speed train which takes three hours.

Flying is the other option, which all in all would take the same time, if not a little longer, and it is a bit of a hassle because even if you rent the equipment you will probably have to check your luggage; mountain attire is so bulky that even I, the queen of the carry-on, can’t do hand luggage only.

Courmayeur is a cute town. It seats at the foot of the mountains so you always have those giants towering over you. Some people may find it oppressing, but I loved it, it is a constant reminder that the mountains rule, so you should respect them.

It is not your typical mountain town with basic restaurants and ski stores. It certainly was, and there are still reminders of that time, in the little square dedicated to the Alpine guides, for example, but it is now a rather ritzy destination, chosen by the wealthy of Milan and Genoa and more and more foreigners. This means that the town transformed to cater to its clientele, hence the fancy restaurants, the nice bars serving perfect drinks, the expensive jewellery stores.

This is not a bad quality for me; after skiing for several hours, having the option to relax in a lovely café and looking forward to a tasty dinner which is not necessarily fondue and potatoes, it is certainly something I am for. Also, while you will come across the vulgar man with the fake tan or the over the top woman in her cringy fur, they’ll be among a larger crowd of young people looking for sport and fun in a polished, easy environment.

The slopes are really good, long, varied. The downside is that you have sun only in the morning, and partly in the afternoon, but that in a small portion of the domain. I was in Switzerland two years ago, in Champery and if I compare, the domain there, which they call Portes du Soleil is really huge, especially if you do the pass for the Swiss and French sides, however there is still plenty of skiing to be done here.

The other advantage is that if you are in the centre you can walk to the cable car and in a few minutes you are on the slopes. They are also very organised because there are ski rentals just around the cable car and even up at destination and you can leave your equipment there at the end of the day, so you don’t need to carry around anything but your tired self.

After skiing, it is very nice to stroll around and by 5 pm the centre is buzzing with skiers happy to rest their limbs and warm up. My best finds have been Caffé della Posta for a really good aperitivo in a Frenchish environment, Petit Bistrot for crepes you will not forget and Pierre Alexis for a gourmet dinner inspired by the hearty mountain food, but made lighter and modern. Also, do not leave town without stopping at Panizzi and stock up in fresh yogurt, cheese and mocetta.

Finally an experience which should not be missed is the Skyway, a cable car that in two stops will take you up on the Mont Blanc at 3,466 metres. Saying that it is breath taking up there it is an understatement. The two stations are equipped with cafes, entertainment centres and much more, maybe even too much, but it is very interesting and having prosecco up there is fairly decadent, in a good way.

There are options for activities for adventurous skiers and trekkers as well, but I haven’t looked into it. I was happy to spend a few minutes up on the 360-degree terrace taking in one of the most gorgeous view I have even seen.

A presto

Entertaining during the festive season

Christmas bruch – Rome

For years I have thrown a Christmas party at my house around mid-December. I think it is a nice way to gather your friends before everybody is too caught up with Christmas shopping and family engagements.

A few years ago, I turned the evening party into a bubbly brunch and never got back. My friends love it, it’s very convivial and you get to spend more time socializing, that you would at an evening do. I pick a Sunday, so that I have Saturday to prepare and everybody is more chilled.

As I have a big kitchen counter in the middle of my living area, that makes the whole event very convivial, as everybody hangs around it, eating and drinking, I can cook throughout, without ever being cut off from my own guests. Also people come and go more fluidly.

On Saturday afternoon I make a few cakes, normally banana bread and a lemon cake, or an orange and cocoa cake, something breakfasty basically. I also make a cheesecake, because that is my signature dessert. I also chop some veggies, mushrooms, bell peppers, tomatoes and grate some mild cheese which I will use to make scrabbles eggs and omelets. These I put in Tupperware ready for the day after.

On Sunday morning I bake some savory muffins (cheese and bacon, and cheese) and some savory croissants with ham and cheese. I make a pancake mix and line eggs and the pans ready. Then I take everything else out: the bakes from the day before, berries, salmon and nice multigrain loaf.

As people arrive around midday, they start munching on what is on the table and I start dishing pancakes and eggs any style they want and the day goes by with people merrily eating and drinking throughout.

As I choose to accompany the food with bubbles it is important to invest in quality bottles, otherwise you’ll regret it the following day. This year I went forVeuve Clicquot, Bollinger, Jean Vesselle.

Last year I have also introduced a little raffle. I prepare little cardboards with numbers on. Each guest picks one as they come in and when someone leaves they take out a number from a bowl and whoever has that number can pick one of three presents I have prepared under the tree. I choose things everybody can enjoy, a bottle of wine, a terrine, a nice candle…

It’s a really nice and fun formula and I highly recommend you to test it.

A presto

This is not another expat blog

This journey starts before smart phones, when not being in contact with the word while travelling was normal. When to check your emails you needed to make an effort; find a grim internet cafe, sit in front of a machine that would growl at each command and type on a slimy keyboard.

It was during one of my first experiences as a solo traveller, when I was starting to test my own boundaries, that I received the email that changed the course of my life, I had been selected for the UN Fellowship Programme, I was 26 and about to embark in the biggest journey I would have ever imagined.

Since then, I lived in Amman, Baghdad, Sana’a, Addis Ababa, London, Paris, Rome, deployed to emergency responses in Haiti, Madagascar, Cameroon and kept travelling the world for leisure. I love my job, believe in what I do and had the fortune to meet amazing people, but I am not here to write about that, or at least, not entirely.

What I would like to do instead, it is to share my travelling tips, suggestions, recommendations, reviews and to challenge the common accepted image of the aid worker. For some reasons aid workers believe, and I am generalising, although I have a substantial sample to base my opinion on, that to be true to their call they need to refuse all things frivolous.

Now, I am a city girl, born and raised in Rome, lived in some of the world fashion capitals including Milano for four years, Paris for three, London for two and New York for a few months. I enjoy beautiful things and good food and I don’t see how this can in itself undermine my credibility ad a humanitarian worker. I spend all my working hours giving my tiny contribution to improve the life of people who are less fortunate, and in my free time I like to enjoy all that life has to offer, is that a contradiction?

Sure, when you see poverty, you may get annoyed when someone complains about their pumpkin spiced latte (a puzzlingly beverage anyway), but I think that life is about perspective and context and if you like your pumpkin spiced latte just right, you are not a shallow person, just a lucky one.

I try to shop ethically and be kind to the environment, I buy locally grown food and sustain small family own business as much as I can and I would like to share here my findings, my hidden treasures, life hacks and I hope that you will join me in this journey.

The Journey Begins

It takes a special kind of crazy to keep this lifestyle going – Emergency Sex

Photo 14-06-17, 06 38 35