This was our last meal at a restaurant in Corsica as we will be in Sardinia for the next 6 weeks. The food has been consistently good and it's been interesting that no restaurant has had anything but Corsican wines on their list. Just as well we have really liked them!
Before breakfast yesterday morning we went to St Erasmus bakery (baking local specialties since the 1920s) to buy some , a brioche type bread with raisins and nuts. It was still warm so that was the mainstay of our breakfast after the poached peaches with French yoghurt (oh how I will miss that in Italy) and Australian muesili (any bought here is all like tasteless powder).
We left Bonifacio at about 10.00 am and crossed the Bonifacio Strait between Corsica and Sardinia on our way to Isola La Maddalena (Sardinia) for a couple of nights before going on to the Costa Smeralda on the mainland. Of course the wind was too light for sailing (!!) but I guess we were lucky because if there are strong winds they are forced through the strait, making the crossing very unpleasant. We had perfect weather to look through binoculars at all of the islands and coves on the way.
We anchored offshore for a swim and lunch before coming in to Porto Massima, a private marina that is part of a hotel complex. There are beautiful coves and small beaches all around and the water is the most unbelievable blue colors plus a perfect temperature for lots of swimming. Even the water in the marina is as clear as crystal and inviting for swimming. Quite different from the unpleasant flotsam in Bonifacio.
Last night we had dinner on board of roast baby lamb, roasted sliced potatoes and FRESH baby beans (Bonifacio had an excellent gourmet food shop) with an excellent merlot from Tuscany, plus mixed berries in strawberry liqueur and Hagan Das ice cream (a stand-by favorite dessert).
This area of the island is wonderfully peaceful and pristine, especially after Bonifacio, but the hotel facilities provide some luxury when required. I would like to stay for a long time. It was interesting to have the breeze pick up in the evening rather than drop so we had to eat below.
This morning we had orange juice on the boat but then walked about 20 metres to a cafe for croissants and cappuccinos/tea. Very easy! Wendy and I are now at one of the beaches swimming and sunbaking on lounges, but the unfortunate guys are cleaning the boat. We will have to spoil them later. The breeze is perfect now but is expected to pick up again later in the day.
Reflecting on the past few weeks we have great memories of Corsica. It is an extremely interesting island with tremendous variety, but it is necessary to be able to see it from both the water and the land. We have been very fortunate to be able to do that and now we are looking forward to enjoying Sardinia the same way for the next 5-6 weeks.
Note: Our website manager, Bill Reilly, is going to be away racing for the next two weeks so we will not have any photos or location posted during that time.
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