Stone-Sound-sculptures in the open-air-garden of maestro Sciola: San Sperate, Sardinia

 
As mentioned in my previous blog entry now we are making a tour in the open air garden of Maestro Sciola...which is full with tons of huge stone music instruments. His sound sculptures might be bigger than you but according to the maestro "one should still touch it like a woman". Each masterpiece has a tiny stone next to it with which the music is created! It was an amazing encounter on a hot+windy day, I hope you will enjoy the video too:-))

The murales in the art village San Sperate, Sardinia

 

My travel guide was indicating I should definitely stop by in the small village San Sperate, located around 40km north of the Sardinian capital Cagliari. The cute village is famous that a lot of artists work and live there. Few year ago we have visted the mountain village Orgosolo (next to Nuoro, in the middle of the island) where one could dive in almost 200 wall painting from different years. In san Sperate there are also tons of colourful  murales to enjoy through the whole village, most of them pretty modern. One was even painted one day before we passed by:-)) In the next post i will tell you about the visit in one of themost amazing open-air-art gallery I have ever been too: the garden of sound sculptures of maestro Sciola!.

Underwater flower garden around Tavolara island, Sardinia

 

Sharing again the amazing underwater colours of the Tavolara marine park in Sardinia! There are sooo many underwater plants like the marine marguerite (it. "margherita di mare") which makes the underwater landscape looks like a garden/field above the surface:-))) And of course we met the nudibranches! In the last picture you can see Nico swimming above an old amphora...Can you see it, it almost as big as him:-)))

Fresh and deliciious fruits in Sardinia

 

Every time I arrive in beautiful Sardinia I know I am approaching a real fruit paradise....and the fruit-junkie in me is very happy! And could it get any better than this: the two places we have stayed this year at had fruit trees growing in the garden: lemons, figs, apricots, almonds, the pomegranates (currently in status blossom)....

 

Some of the most exotic ones are the "corbezzolo" (en. strawberry tree) and the "ficchi d India" (en. prickly pear) and last but not least the famous "mirto", wild bush making dark purple berries from which the locals makes the famous local liqueur "Mirto".... This year all around in the South was also to be seen the white flower of the"carotta selvatica" (wild carrot). The middle of the blossom has one black flower which from far away looks like an insect having a break...So which are your favourite fruits or which fruits grow right now in your garden/country? And as a little treat you get this fantastic sunset in the laguna of Nora on the last picture...

 
PS: most of the fruit trees pictures are taken in the garden of the lovely B&B Fiore next to Pula in the south of Sardinia. A very, very cozy  place with warm hosts sharing their love&knowledge about the area!

Underwater colours around Tavolara, Sardinia - part 2, nudibranches

 

The tiny nudibranches (from "nacked" (="nudi" in Latin) and "gills" (="branch" in Greek) are some of the most colourful creatures on Earth, and of course underwater. These sea slugs have lost their shell as they have developped other protecting mechanism. They either blend in with the environment they live in or they have striking coloration which is warning that they are distasteful or poisonous...

 

While diving around Tavolara island one may encounter few of them as presented here. However these beauties love cold water and in summer hide into the deep waters...

 
And one big red sea star for a happy end....

Welcome to island Tavolara in Sardinia/ Isola Tavolara in Sardegna

 

Today I will take you to a magic and very relaxing place...from the amazing beach "La Cinta" (on the first picture) you may already spot its mighty and magical silhouette: the island Tavolara. This limestone rock is 5 km long and 1 km wide, its hightest point is Monte Cannone with 565 m above sea level...

Tavolara is pretty quiet nowadays with daily ferries bringing tourists in summer for enjoying the quiet beaches. All inhabitants were displaced in 1962 when a NATO radiogoniometric station was constructed on the eastern half of the island. The aerials from the station can be seen from quite a distance, and that entire half of the island is restricted to military personnel. The island has also a VLF-transitter that can transmit messages to submarines. Now only few families live here and a restaurant offers warm food to the tourist.

 

Last but not least a lot of visitors come to admire Tavolaras underwater inhabitants...

 
Tavolara in the back here after some great dives with our favourite diving club called Porto San Paolo!

Unterwater colours around Tavolara island/ Colori marini d isola Tavolara

Since 1997 the costal area reserve around island Tavolara (called "Area naturale marina protetta Tavolara - Punta Coda Cavallo") exists and promotes the protection&care of the amazing biodiversity underwater as well as above the water. The underwater world can takes one breath away, when one takes the time to looks into the holes and check the tiny details for hidden treasures...The octopusses are not afraid and look curious at you, the moray eel shows off its nice colours, the hermit crab and the colourful slipper lobster came down the wall to greet us!

 
A great starting point for a snorkelling or diving trip is the cozy village Porto San Paolo. If you need a diving club, then dont look any further but pass by Luana&Giorgio at Diving center Porto San Paolo .

 

Colourful Bosa, Sardinia

The first picture you see in this blog is the first sight I had ever set on the colourful town Bosa, located on the West coast of Sardinia...Driving from the east cost to the west the road offer this amazing panorama view on Bosa. Bosa is the only river side town in the whole of Sardinia. The river is very deeply connected to the tradition and history of the town. It is thanks to the fertility of its soil and its position that Bosa was inhabited since ancient times, the territory is in fact scattered with historical monuments like the Serravalle Castle, which was built by the Malaspina family in the XII century.

A more recent area is Bosa Marina, the extension of the town on the coast. Bosa Marina beach is a long and deep stretch of sand.

The underwater world in Sardinia: fishes and stars

...and after the crustaceans and the nudibranches, today I will present you some charming and some scary fishes:-) Some of them were enjoying being photographed...not the moray eel though!

The sea stars, also know as star fishes, are actually echinoderms and show a wide range of colours.