OLBIA TO VALENCIA MAY 21 TO JUNE 15 2014

I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS LAST ENTRY SHORT AND SWEET.

WE WERE DOCKED IN OLBIA FOR THREE DAYS ALONG THE CITY QUAY.  DID A LITTLE WALK ABOUT AND SHOPPED FOR PROVISIONS AT THE BIG SUPERMARKET.  WE WERE INVITED TO TEA ONE AFTERNOON BY A VERY LOVELY COUPLE FROM BREMEN.  THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION BETWEEN CRUISERS IS INVALUABLE.  EVERY COUPLE HAS A TOTALLY NEW FASCINATING STORY.

NEXT WE SET OUR SIGHTS ON PUNTA MARANA; CALLING AHEAD TO FIND OUT ABOUT  THE OVERNIGHT CHARGE  WAS UNFRUITFUL BECAUSE MY ITALIAN IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING AND THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END DID NOT SPEAK ANY ENGLISH.  HA, LET'S JUST GO THERE.  IT TURNS OUT THE HARBOUR WAS NOT REALLY OPEN YET, ITS MORE OF A RESORT MARINA, MEANING THEY WEREN'T EXPECTING ANY VISITORS FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR SO, BUT WE DOCKED AT THE FUEL DOCK AND WENT TO FIND THE PERSON IN CHARGE.  MARCO, THE HARBOURMASTER WAS VERY HELPFUL AND CHARGED US ONLY 30 ERUOS INSTEAD OF THE 50 EUROS DURING THE SEASON.

THE RESTAURANT HOWEVER WAS OPEN AND WE HAD A VERY DELICIOUS PASTA LUNCH (BEST RAVIOLI I EVER ATE) AND THE EVENING PIZZA WAS JUST AS TOP NOTCH.
NEXT MORNING WE HEADED TO THE ANCHORAGE JUST OUTSIDE THE HARBOUR TO HANG SOME LAUNDRY FROM THE NIGHT BEFORE.  FILLING OUR TANKS WITH WATER IS ALWAYS A PRIORITY.

WE AR TRAVELLING SLOWER THAN WE NORMALLY WOULD BECAUSE WE ARE ALLOWING OUR FRIENDS GABI AND GERALD FROM VIVAMARE TO CATCH US FOR ONE FINAL REUNION.

SARDINIA IS WELL KNOWN FOR ITS COSTA SMERALDA, OR EMERALD COAST, AN AFFLUENT , HIGHLY DEVELOPED TOURIST AREA SITUATED ON THE NORTH EAST COAST OF SARDINIA.  IT HAS BECOME A PLAYGROUND FOR THE RICH AND FAMOUS AND FAMOUS FOR THE KM LONG STRETCHES OF  WHITE SANDY BEACH, LUXURY VILLAS  AND 5 STAR HOTELS.  ON ONE HAND YOU WANT TO AVOID THE OVERLY EXPENSIVE PLACES YET YOU WANT TO SEE WANT ALL THE HOOPLA IS ABOUT.

PORTO ROTONDA WILL BE THE MARINA TO MEET WITH VIVAMARE.  THIS SEEMED LIKE A GOOD TIME TO RENT A CAR AND EXPLORE SARDINIA A BIT.

TAVERNA

HEAVEN

  THIS IS THE PLACE WHERE A REGULAR BEER WILL COST 5 EURO INSTEAD OF 2 EURO JUST FOR THE VIEW.....IT WAS REALLY WORTH IT.

MARINA RESTAURANT (1 OF 10) HAD SPECTACULAR FOOD AND NOT OVER PRICED.

REUNITING WITH VIVAMARE THEN TOOK US TO LA MADDALENA ISLAND, A GREAT LITTLE TOWN HARBOUR, BUSY WITH WITH FERRY TRAFFIC EVERY HOUR.