Saturday 10 June: the bays of St Pietro

We decide to explore the little bays to the South of the island today, cycling along the flat coastal road to the south of Carloforte.  There are freshly baked cakes again for breakfast, baked by Francesca. The appetising smell permeates the whole hotel as we get back in the late afternoons. Her figure indicates perhaps that she is a great lover of cake! Fortunately there are also some savoury nibbles to accompany my two cappuccinos. Clare goes for an Americano; rocket fuel in the form of a quadruple expresso with some hot milk on the side. We buy some lovely looking local "white" figs and nectarines and focaccia and pizza form a pane shop and enjoy wandering along the intricate side streets, some adorned with flags and banners of flamingoes and tuna. The local tuna slaughter takes place at this time of year. It looks completely gory and should really put you off eating the fish for which the island is famous, though we are planning on doing just that this evening. We visit the limestone cliffs and eroded columns and small sandy bays that are dotted along this coast. More flamingoes on the way home....we are getting quite blasé now, and don't stop for very long to watch them. We cycle back along an old cycle track running along the side of the lagoon before heading off for a nigroni and Manhatten on the front by the ferry terminal. Must make sure we get the right boat tomorrow! Fantastic plate of nibbles to go with our cocktails: salami, cheese, crisps, music paper bread, bruschetta of various descriptions...The phone rings in our room. I answer and it's Antonio. "I have a special nigroni for you" he says. We go down to the foyer and he presents us one silver tray with a more powerful version of the nigroni we've had down by the harbour. He chats with us. He owns the hotel, but is also a barrister in Cagliari. Feeling slightly woozy we find out tuna fish restaurant and eat tuna in its various forms; in oil, salted, casseroled. All very delicious. Macchiato and ice cream on the front to follow. Full moon above the harbour.