Sardinia needs more Canadair Water Bombers – La Sardegna ha bisogno di più aerei Canadair

Once again Sardinia burns, and every year there are never enough Canadair aircrafts to help prevent fires. Yesterday afternoon, I looked to the skies and found smoke from the fire, it was a big one, which required two Canadair Bombardiers and two helicopters.

Ancora una volta la Sardegna brucia, e ogni anno ci sono mai velivoli Canadair abbastanza per aiutare a prevenire gli incendi. Ieri pomeriggio, ho guardato al cielo e ha trovato il fumo dal fuoco, è stato un grande, che ha richiesto due Canadair Bombardier e tre elicotteri.

My Sardinian Life Jennifer Avventura 2013 Canadair

Not clouds but smoke

The town above is Trinita D’Agultu, however, the fires were set (yes, set) just outside Trinita in a small town called Aggius. It’s the second time in two weeks that fire was set to farmland in this small town.

I was at work when I heard the familiar sounds of the Canadair Bombardier drawing nearer. From 3:20pm until sunset the water bombers circled around and dipped into the waters of La Marinedda Bay.

La città nella foto qui sopra è Trinità d’Agultu. Tuttavia gli incendi sono stati appiccati (sì, contemporaneamente)  un po’ più lontano da Trinità, in un piccolo paese che si chiama Aggius.  È la seconda volta in due settimane che il fuoco è stato appiccato nei terreni agricoli di questo piccolo paese. Ero al lavoro quando ho sentito il suono familiare dei Canadair che volteggiavano più vicino. Dalle tre e venti del pomeriggio sino al tramonto i Canadair hanno girato intorno rifornendosi d’acqua nella baia di Marinedda)

Canadair My Sardinian Life Jennifer Avventura

Canadair My Sardinian Life Jennifer Avventura 2013 (2)

Canadair Ltd. was a civil and military aircraft manufacturer in Canada. The Bombardier 415 Superscooper (formerly Canadair CL-415 SuperScooper) is a Canadian amphibious aircraft purpose-built as a water bomber. It is an aircraft designed and built specifically for aerial firefighting. Canadair’s origins lie in the foundation of a manufacturing centre for Canadian Vickers in the Montreal suburb of Saint-Laurent.” – Source Wikipedia

“Canadair Ltd. è un produttore di velivoli civili e militari in Canada. L’Bombardier 415 Superscooper (ex Canadair CL-415 SuperScooper) è un aereo anfibio canadese appositamente costruito come un bombardiere d’acqua. Si tratta di un aereo progettato e costruito appositamente per aerei antincendio Canadair. origini risalgono alla fondazione di un centro di produzione per la Canadian Vickers nel sobborgo di Montreal del Saint-Laurent “. – Wikipedia

Canadair My Sardinian Life Jennifer Avventura 2013

When will the government realize that Sardinia is in dire need of these aircrafts? Why did the government buy an F-35 instead of a much needed Canadair water bomber? When will the senseless act of lighting fires end?

Quando il Governo si renderà conto  che la Sardegna ha un disperato bisogno di questi aerei? Perché il Governo acquista un F-35 invece di un Canadair che è molto più necessario? Quando finirà questo insensato modo di appiccare incendi?

Photos: Frozen Open Surf Contest at La Marinedda, Sardinia

On August 25, 2013 La Marinedda Bay turned into a surfers paradise. Thousands of people gathered to watch élite surfers from around the world compete for the grand prize. Here’s a little photo montage:

Frozen Open by Jennifer Avventura My Sardinian Life La Marinedda

La Marinedda Bay

Waiting to start

Frozen Open by Jennifer Avventura My Sardinian Life La Marinedda (2)

Into the night with the Spanish Tower of Isola Rossa

Frozen Open by Jennifer Avventura My Sardinian Life La Marinedda Sardinia Sardegna

A surfer competes to be the best

How every event in Sardinia ends … with BBQ sausage.

The winner of the 2013 Frozen Open is 15-year-old Leonardo Fioravanti.

To see more fabulous shots of the Frozen Open 2013 please check out their Facebook page by clicking the link.

Did you attend this year’s Frozen Open?

Why you should visit Alghero, Sardinia

A fabulous post on why you should visit Alghero, Sardinia by one of my favourite bloggers in Italy.

GirlinFlorence's avatarGirl in Florence

alghero_sardinia

What can I say about the beautiful Italian island town of Alghero? I will admit, upon walking around at first sight – we didn’t feel like we were in Italy. It almost felt like a mish-mash of Spain, Italy and Morocco. Colorful facades, an almost derelict elegance – all complete with beautiful sea views from any given angle. I instantly loved this ancient fishing town that is only a 40 minute Ryanair flight from Pisa.

This town has a Catalonian feel – not by coincidence of course, it was taken over by the House of Aragon in the 1300’s to be renamed ‘Barcelonetta’. It remained under their control until the 1700’s when the powerful Italian Savoy family took over. Fortified walls line the sea along with huge catapults located at various corners to scare away invaders from the sea. The owner of the B&B we stayed at told us that…

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My Sardinian Life at Work

This is what I do …

and this is my view.

My Sardinian Life Jennifer Avventura 2013 La Marinedda

What do you do for a living?

Frozen Open Surf Contest at La Marinedda Bay, Sardinia, Italy

Word on the beach is that Nesos Surf Club have given the green light for the 10th Annual Frozen Open Surf Contest at La Marinedda Bay, Isola Rossa.

The largest surf competition in Europe which attracts élite surfers from around the world is slated to kick off this Sunday, August 25th at 9:00am.

Frozen Open Surf Contest 2013

For athletes: register with your name and last name at info@marineddabay.com

For more up-to-date information visit the Frozen Open Facebook page.

Related article:

Surfing Sardinia | Frozen Open Surf Contest 2011

Will YOU be there?

I want to live in Sardinia – answering your questions

Jennifer Avventura My Sardinian Life (8)Once in a blue moon this little blog receives an email about the cost of living in Sardinia, Italy and today I am answering one readers email.

Dear JP,

Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate that you follow along My Sardinian Life and I hope I can shed some light on your decision to move to Sardinia, Italy.

Your questions answered:

“Based on various information, most importantly your blog, it seems to me living a simple life in Sardinia would cost us (couple with a little one on the way) 12K€ per year. That is, including rent, insurance, food, transport (thankfully we can drive since we’re EU), etc. There doesn’t seem to be any rent under 350 euro/month on the various immo web sites, insurances would add a hundred, 400 for food, 50 for gas, leaving a hundred for the rest & incidentals. Seeing the GDP per capita is less then 20K, it seems to me that jobs paying 1000 net per month are not to be found on Sardinia. So my first question would be: do you think we are completely off the charts with our budgeting 12K/yr for a simple life in Sardinia?

Searching for the simple life in Sardinia can be done but will need patience and hard work.

Rent

Any apartments closer to the sea will cost you more. If you move away from the sea even just 15 minutes you can lower your monthly rent by a good €50. Also, don’t be afraid to haggle with your landlord about prices. If you decide to move to Sardinia in the middle of August expect rent to soar! Try moving here sometime between September – March when most rentals are empty.

Food

We are a two person household and I spend about €120 a week on groceries. This includes: food, cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, shampoos & soaps. Food is expensive in Sardinia. Yesterday my husband came home from the local farmers with: 3 melons, 2 watermelons, a crate of figs, 2 onions, one giant peach, 4 cucumbers and 5 zucchini, he paid €25 – at a discounted rate.

Gas

Gas is cheaper in the larger cities like: Sassari, Tempio, Cagliari and Nuoro. If you find yourself in an out-of-the-way little town with a car running on fumes expect to pay at least .20c more. We live in a small little town and if I look out my window I can see the price of gas: €1.77 a litre.

Jobs

I work in the hospitality industry which is very seasonal (only two months a year) in Sardinia and I make €1500 a month. This is because I have over 23 years experience serving the public and I speak English. I would never settle for €1000 a month. Others that are doing the same job as me are making between €1000 – €1700 a month. Be ready to haggle for your salary like I have done.

In the off-season I teach English to school aged children and I charge €15 an hour. Those with a degree in English charge anywhere from €20 – €45 an hour.

Do I think you are completely off the charts with budgeting 12K/yr for a simple life in Sardinia? No. But I would try to find a job considering you have a little one on the way.

Like you our Italian is cosicosi, then again, we’d need to speak the local dialect more then Italian. You say on your blog for the kind of jobs you are looking for you need Italian. I’m wondering, how well does one get away with basic Italian in daily life? Outside of your town, are you being looked at as a tourist as soon as you “open your mouth” and being treated as a tourist, or is integrating with the locals and being treated as one feasible? What is your experience having lived there a few years? Can one feel “at home” after a while and be treated as “a local”?

I don’t speak the local dialect to anyone but my husband and nor should you. Most locals are offended if you speak dialect. Study Italian and study a lot. Every Sardinian speaks Italian and will understand you when you are at their shop ordering chicken cutlets for dinner. Learning and understanding the dialect will come with time and patience but its most important to learn Italian first. Just forget that a local dialect even exists.

I’ve now been in Sardinia 5.5 years. The first year(s) I was treated like a tourist but that soon faded when the locals saw my face every morning in their shops. I am now considered half Sardinian and I have integrated myself into their lives with much patience, understanding and a few flubbed upped words. Locals are more curious about your life and who you are. They are very welcoming, kind and completely honest but you must make the first move. Be sure to say buongiorno when entering shops even if you don’t see anyone.

Well JP, I hope this answers your questions. Please fell free to add any more questions in the comment section below.

And to any of my Sardinian followers: if you have any insight for JP and his family please speak up.

Kind regards

Jennifer Avventura

Full Moon Morning over the Bay of Asinara, Sardinia

What a lovely surprise when I looked out the living-room window at 7am this morning – a stunning full moon setting onto the Bay of Asinara.

Did you see the blue moon?

Sardinia’s Deadly Streets

car-accident-collision-mdFrom my safe, comfortable living-room I can hear ambulance sirens ring out, and I hope this time nobody has lost their life but it’s never that easy in Sardinia as every summer hundreds of people die on Sardinia’s deadly streets.

The statics are staggering, sad and preventable: every year day hundreds of people die on the streets of Sardinia from speed alone. The period between May to September is the worst time for street accidents as the roads are full of tourists who do not know how to drive on these curvy mountain roads.

Below are a few links related to deadly car accidents in Sardinia.

Car accidents in Sardinia a complete up-to-date list of road accidents in Sardinia.
Two dead in car accident in Sardinia
massacre on the streets of Sardinia: Two dead in Badesi
Sardinia – the cold, the wind, the sun … the car accident.

Most accidents in Sardinia are speed and alcohol related. Most of these accidents take the lives of innocent people who were just out for a morning ride on their Vespa.

Here are a few pointers on how to drive and stay alive in Sardinia

  • Wear your seatbelt at all times
  • Know the rules of the road for the country you are in
  • Use caution
  • If you are lost, pull-over and ask for directions
  • Don’t allow yourself to become distracted by Sardinia’s beauty while driving
  • Keep your eyes on the road
  • Use a GPS or a passenger to help with maps and directions
  • Allow the speeders behind you to pass by slightly yielding to the right
  • Never drink and drive. Ever!

On August 17th, 1997 I was pulled over for speeding and the police officer gave me two choices:

  1. Pay the hefty $500 speeding fine, or
  2. Go to an eight-hour lecture on road safety at the local university.

I choose option number 2, as on August 19th I was headed to Australia for a year of backpacking and I needed that $500 to help support my nomadic lifestyle.

8473283-illustration-seamless-pattern-car-crashThe lecture was a lecture of the best kind; complete with a slide show of the after effects of speeding and alcohol related accidents. I saw photos of cars that were demolished beyond recognition, photos of people with blood running down their face and even of people dead in their car, on the side of the road, in a tree, bush and on the other side of the highway. I was scared. Scared to death to speed again.

After that lecture as I was driving home slightly under the speed limit, I saw the aftermath of a car accident, a truly strange coincidence. It must have happened only seconds before my arrival as I saw people crawling out of the median ditch with blood splattered faces, their cars upside down, smashed and demolished. At that moment fear took hold of me and I vowed to never speed again.

It’s not possible for me to write only about the glitter and sand in Sardinia when there’s a whole other truth to be told.

Don’t let the sirens from an ambulance be the last thing you hear while on vacation in paradise.

Don’t drink and drive. Arrive alive.

Il tramonto di Ferragosto a La Marinedda, Sardegna

Lavorare a 35 gradi per 9 ore e sudando come un giocatore di calcio a all’89 ‘solo per vedere questo favoloso tramonto … impagabile.

A sinistra è la Torre spagnola di Isola Rossa.

Jennifer Avventura My Sardinian Life 2013 (5)

Working in 35 degree heat for 9 hours and sweating like a soccer player at the 89th minute just to see this fabulous sunset … priceless.

To the left is The Spanish Tower of Isola Rossa.

Weekly Photo Challenge: One Shot, Two Ways

This week’s photo challenge was well, a challenge. I never, repeat, never take portrait shots. I don’t like how they turn out in but I finally managed to shoot these shots at my favourite beach. Here are the rules for this week’s photo challenge:

For this challenge, capture two images — a horizontal and a vertical version — of the same scene or subject. There are no concrete “rules” here, but a) it should be evident that both shots are of the same place/location or person/thing, and b) your photographs should ideally have been taken during the same shoot — where’s the challenge if you’re just plucking out pictures of a particular location or person from your archives?

Jennifer Avventura One Shot Two Ways My Sardinian life 2013

And now the not so beautiful portrait shot:

Jennifer Avventure One Shot Two Ways My Sardinian Life 2013

Would you like to participate in the Weekly Photo Challenge? Just click the link to learn more.