Sunday 11 June: Carloforte to Porto Pino

We are sad to leave the comforts of Hotel Hieracon and the chic streets of Carloforte but it is time to move on. As we leave the harbour on the ferry we see a pair of dolphins playing to the crowd in the sunlit waters. We arrive in Calsetta on the island of St Antioco and cycle briefly through the white Moorish styled streets lined with date palms. A flat cycle to St Antioco town and we are passed by several groups of Lycra clad road bikers while we admire the coastline and the mountain ranges inland. We cross a bridge and an ancient causeway to reach the mainland passing by more stagnos with flamingoes. Now we don't even bother to stop! We arrive at Tratalias, an old now deserted village with a Romanesque style Church which we visit after being revived by Coca Cola. Barely a hill to be seen today we eventually arrive at Porto Pino on the south coast: a seaside resort by the sand dunes. We are surprised to find an enormous car park filled with cars and the beach is humming. It is Sunday of course. Our accommodation is shut up when we arrive and we think we are the only ones staying. The beach is hot and busy but the water is turquoise and refreshing. When we return to our room we discover that we are not alone and infact the restaurant quickly fills up. We eat outside and have a tagliere (wooden cork board with mixed cheese and salamis) followed by the best pizzas ever. This is obviously the place to be seen in Porto Pino.