Arbatax

In the night there was some rain but when we get up it is dry and after some time the sun comes out. Compared to Cannigione it is really warm here even at night. The weather forecast is not so good for today so we are driving further south. From Cala Gonone the road ascents to about 450m. From here we are in the clouds for pretty much the rest of the day. It is a great tour through alpine scenery. We have to get back here for some hiking when the weather is better! We are headed for Arbatax where we hope to get good seafood at the local pescateria.

When we reach there we see a sign saying that in October they are open on weekends only. So we are lucky indeed as it is Friday :-) From here it is only a few minutes to Camping Telis where we are being shown around on a golf cart. It is a really well equipped camping site and we pick a spot in the first row with a nice sea view. The waves are quite high today and they keep rolling into the small bay. We make camp, call the pescateria to reserve a table for lunch tomorrow, change into our sports gear and go jogging for a bit. The area is nothing spectacular but there are very nice houses and everything is well kempt. We have a shower in the well maintained bathrooms and then make use of the good facilities and do our laundry. The only bad thing: the machines don‘t spin very well and the washing comes out quite wet... I hang everything on the clothes lines provided. Let’s see. We enjoy a mild evening listening to the waves.

As expected the laundry is still quite wet in the morning and some pieces start to smell a bit... a part of it I pack into the tumbler and the rest I try to hang into the sun. Breakfast is a bit smaller today as we are going out for lunch. It is a beautiful day and rather hot. We take the bikes to the pescateria. It is only a short ride and we reach there a bit early. We have a look around and take some photos.

Then we are asked inside. We have a choice of two different menus: A four course menu including wine, coffee and digestive for 35€ or a three course menu with water for 20€. Guess what we chose :-) On top we have half a dozen oisters. Then the first appetizers arrive: octopus salad and bottarga (a kind of caviar). Excellent. Then cozze marinara, calamari fritti and a kind of empanada with fish filling. All super fresh and deliciously prepared. I kind of hope that this was already the primi piatti but no... the pasta with seafood arrives. By now I am already very full. Then they serve lemon sorbet which Michael claims will help us feeling less stuffed... and it actually really helps a bit. Then the fish arrives. My pants are already very tight but obviously we are going to go till the very end of this. I am almost bursting. The dessert is just a bit of fruit and to round it all up we have an espresso and a grappa. What a treat!!!

We walk a few steps on the nature trail which offers good views of the lagoon and the mountains. The beautiful beach close by is totally empty. We cycle back, have a dip in the sea and a shower. There is no dinner tonight.