🔹Colourful coastal walks on a March afternoon with contrasting hues so vivid the eye is in awe of her splendid beauty.
💙
Snapshots: Afternoons in March
3
Tag Archives: Italia
Inside Sardinia: La Seada Sardinia’s Traditional Sweet
Sardinia is famous for many things: the number of nuraghe that dot the island, the earthy red cannonau wine, lightning storms that hit a little too close, and of course la seada. The little town that I live in, we call it la seada, and each town throughout the island will have its own distinct name and pronunciation for this sweet must-try dessert.
It’s a fresh cheese-filled pastry that is lightly fried then drizzled with local honey, or sugar, honey is the better choice, and seems to be the most traditional way served.
I watched a seminar in a lovely little town called Lunamatrona, and I learned how to make this traditional treat. Just look at the detail and tools used to create this local pastry! Such detail and artistry.
Not every seada will look like the ones pictured. I was lucky enough to meet an extremely talented woman whose sole purpose is detail and deliciousness in preparing everything Sardinian. She had these wooden stamps specifically tailored to meet her needs. She made la seada pictured, mine were unworthy of photography, but I tried and had a great time.
I am humbled. Thank you, dear Sardinia.
Do you emerge yourself in the traditional food culture of a place you travel to? I’d love to hear about it in the comment section below.
Safe travels. ❤️
Daily Life: Rolling the Bureaucratic Ball to Obtain the Italian Driver’s License
Early this morning, I finally set in motion the bureaucratic ball to obtaining the dreaded Italian driver’s license by visiting my local family doctor who issued me a clean bill of health, but first, I must visit another town thirty minutes away to see an Eye Specialist, who will determine if my forty-something eyes are good enough for these Sardinian mountainous roads.
To see the eye specialist you need an appointment. So, I called the local hotline four times and I was able to speak to a person who quickly directed my call elsewhere, where I was put on hold again. Then, this automated robot that talks too fast in Italian said that all operators are busy and to try again another time. Click.
Learning Italian: A Delightful Passion for L’Eredità
There’s a program on TV called L’Eredità – Inheritance where seven players compete against each other in a number of trivia quizzes that test their knowledge on various topics. The last one standing wins the inheritance in a guillotine style final word game … that I’ve guessed correctly, just once.
There’s a gregarious host that is personable and oftentimes funny, and no Italian TV program would be without dancing girls (except … this year they have a male dancer, only took about ten years) that reveal answers to the word games.
Continue readingInside Sardinia: Domus de Janas Genna Salixi
Domus(house) de Janas(fairies) are pre-Nuragic tombs that have been carved from sandstone or trachite. They generally consist of several chambers, and were used as a pre-historic burial site. There are over three thousand Domus de Janas throughout the island of Sardinia, some are just a singular chamber while others are a necropolis like Genna Salixi.
Photo by: Jennifer Avventura 2022
Domus de Janas Genna Salixi is one of the largest necropolises on the island, with its fourteen chambers that vary on height, length and width. This spectacular historical landmark is located in Villa Sant’Antonio, Oristano.
A local legend says … that tiny creatures used to inhabit these chambers and they would contently sing songs while brewing or spinning the daily chores.
There are so many historical things to see while visiting the island. Most tales are peppered with ancient folklore that will leave you feeling spellbound, and wanting more.
Snapshots: Las Plassas, South Sardinia, Italy
We drove two hundred and thirty curvaceous kilometers to the tiny town of Las Plassas for their annual bean festival. We climbed the adjacent mountain for a bird’s eye view of this spectacular town, which has a population of around two hundred and twenty-three gracious and humble citizens.
Later, we walked the cobblestone streets and sampled the regional fare. We drank, shopped local: EVOO, wine, jewelry, honey and of course beans. We learned about ancient traditions and song and we laughed alongside locals as they recounted stories from yesteryears.
I’m looking forward to getting back to this area of the island. The views, the valleys, the wonderful people, and the surrounding mountains make this tiny town worth the drive. This was one of the best little discoveries I’ve found on the island.
Have you been?
Daily Life: The Ominous Italian Driver’s License
It’s not the first time I’ve started the process to obtain the ominous Italian driver’s license. I wrote about it some years ago too: about the struggles with the language and how the exam questions are written just to confuse you. I’d love to share that link with you, however, I’m presently blogging from my cellphone and I haven’t figured out how to add a link within text. I’ll share it with you in the comment section.
It’s back to basics it seems, right from the start and, after having driven only automatic vehicles for close to thirty years, this dog needs to learn new tricks and a whole new style of driving.
Photo by: Jennifer Avventura
Stick shift, standard/manual transmission have very different styles of driving. I’m not interested in taking corners like a Formula One driver so the idea of stick shift doesn’t appeal to me in that sense, it just makes me more freaking paranoid about taking a corner in these small mountainous towns.
There’s more foot and hand movements needed to safely complete those actions compared to an automatic car, where the car just effortlessly glides into gear and you’re able to sing your favourite song while the panorama slowly opens before you.
My Italian friends keep persuading me to learn stick shift for the sake of driving like a Formula One driver, as they all take such corners so tight and fast that my stomach flip flops. They love it! I want to vomit and they don’t seem to understand my complete annoyance at having to learn a whole new style of driving and their tight corners.
Let me know by dropping a comment down below.
There is the option of taking all the required written and road tests in an automatic car, but you will be forbidden from driving a stick shift, sounds fabulous doesn’t it? There’s a catch. Most driving schools only provide stick shift cars to their learners. There could be an automatic car available but it’s stuck in someone’s garage 250 kilometers from where you live and it’s missing the steering wheel.
After exhausting all options, I’m about ready to book the written exam, I’m getting three to four errors on the at home quizzes and the odd few times zero errors. I feel confident that within the next few months I can accomplish this ominous goal.
And just a heads up to the people in the valley, I’ll be coming to learn stick shift, take it easy on me. 😉
If you have any tips on the theory or driving exam, I’d love to hear them.
Safe Driving & Happy Travels
Snapshots: Under The Corbezzolo Tree
Finding the Simple in Sardinia, Italy
It’s the simple stuff that I’ve found in Sardinia that brings me the most peace. Take for example this dirt path to the sea, with colours so vivid it seems quite like the set of a Hollywood film. It’s the simple stuff in Sardinia where I love to get lost, because our senses become so alive that our brain goes into overdrive trying to decipher the beauty before our eyes.
Continue readingSnapshots: Reminiscing about Cagliari, Sardinia
It was a whirlwind twenty-four hours at Cagliari this past fall, and I still can’t get this Mediterranean island city out of my mind. She’s jam-packed with events, spectacular beaches, wineries and local events that could keep me busy for a lifetime. I met a dear friend for an afternoon coffee and he showed me around this magnificent city by the sea.
He graciously pointed out areas of the city that had witnessed war, and buildings that still today suffer from the age-old conflict. I shall never forget those splendid hours in this city and my heart is calling to her. I will return, I shall return. Thank you, Cagliari for being the island city that this city-girl needs every once in a while.
My Sardinian Life 