We took a tour in this green machine up, down and around the hilly city with an interesting and confusing commentary. Sardinia is yet another island that has had several owners including Spain and conflict in its lifetime. The area we are staying in, Castello is the mediaeval heart of the City where the nobility once lived, and was home to the middle class, including the merchants. Most of the current buildings are from the 17th Century. The city of Cagliari is 5000 years old! Mind boggling.
The origins of this Church date back to 1370 when it was built to offer spiritual assistance to soldiers engaged in the siege of the city. The Mercenary Fathers found a chest containing a statue of a Madonna – the Blessed Virgin of Bonaria – in water across the road. She became a symbol for the soldiers and is believed to have ‘bled blood’ when stabbed by a soldier.
Two cruise boats have been in the harbour today so the city is even busier. It’s sad to see graffiti everywhere plus many smokers and a number of beggars. There is also a very large police presence.
We spent siesta inside with our air conditioning. It really is too hot to be a tourist all of the day.
No swimming pools here. Lucky we have good books.
Earlier today people were setting up for some kind of musical blast with a DJ. We also witnessed someone performing CPR on a colleague. It was quite alarming as we will never know the outcome.
Delicious dinner – swordfish for G, a local favourite pasta dish for me. We passed on meat of the day – horse!!! A commonly eaten meat here. Hard to fathom. Lots of buskers out performing on a Friday night. Although it feels like every night is Friday, the waiter said it’s been a slow summer, blaming the Trump war.
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