On our penultimate day in Corsica we headed for Bonifacio - which I think was probably my most favourite of all the towns we visited. Expensive too, by all accounts, but since I wasn't looking to move there it didn't really matter. My friend and I wandered round the citadelle and then back down to the port where we stopped in at a shop selling goods made of cork. I love that stuff so gave in to temptation and bought myself a lovely wallet for just €30, which is much lighter than the one I was using. Interestingly, when we had our visitor over from the States and took him to Yvoire, we stopped in at a gift shop there and the identical wallet to mine was selling for €59 - so I'm so glad I bought it in Corsica rather than Yvoire!
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| Bonifacio (a google picture)! |
After that we headed out to a place called la Casa di Roccalpina which was a museum set in the house of the former cantonnier. There doesn't seem to be an easy translation for that, but it would appear to be the man responsible for maintaining the roads! Nowadays I'm sure it's all centralized but back then it must have been a very important job as when the locals brought their animals down from the mountains for the winter, if the roads weren't passable it meant taking the much longer route through dire terrain! Most of Corsica is covered in scrubland called maquis and interestingly (or not - depends on your point of view) "Maquisard" was the name given to resistance fighters during WWII, since I guess they knew their way through the maquis and were able to hide out and/or disappear relatively easily!
While waiting for the museum to open we got to take in the amazing rock formations along the coast opposite and I loved it. You know how you can sometimes make out images in clouds, well these rock formations were something else!
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| A 25 minute walk down to that little beach would definitely be worth it. The climb back up? Nah, not so much! |
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| A man with a big nose? |
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| The elephant! |
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| A giant with a big chin lying on his back! |
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| Cooking facilities at the shepherd's hut! |
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| The shepherd's hut from the outside! |
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| The lion? |
I believe it was our last day when we stopped to eat at a wonderfully rustic restaurant in a place called Tizzano! The name of this place jogged my friend's memory and she said she was sure that was where her former colleague, M, lived. She was originally from Corsica and when my friend looked on the map, it was indeed the same village. Wouldn't it have been a hoot if she had walked in while we were having lunch!!!! It wasn't about to happen though as she apparently spends more time "on the continent" (as the Corsicans say). Referring to it as "the continent" didn't shock me at all because when I was still living in England we also talked about "travelling to the continent" (as though Britain wasn't part of the continent of Europe eh)!
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| Santu Pultru equestrian centre and restaurant! |
After that it was on to Ajaccio for a wander round before catching our ferry back home. And that was when it decided to pour down. Not that we minded too much as we were about to board the ferry, so we really were very lucky with the weather all round!
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| Ajaccio (another google picture)! |
In fact, it turns out there was a massive storm brewing on the Med so we were delayed - and delayed - and delayed again, but I suppose better to be delayed than to be thrown around somewhere in the middle of the sea! We were supposed to leave at 8 p.m. and ended up departing Ajaccio at 6 a.m. but since we were able to have dinner in the onboard restaurant and then settle down in our cabins, it wasn't nearly as bad as it sounds (thank you Kindle and Audible, all the same). This was where two kind teams of two ladies each ran a relay looking after Mimi so that mom could rest in her cabin. It had been a long week!
It poured with rain all the way back home, with us arriving back at the depot around midnight. Since I've been back I've tried out two Corsican recipes (a chestnut mousse and a lemon and ricotta dessert) and while they both tasted good, presentation left a lot to be desired (and then I wonder why I'm fat)! Oh, and to top it all, as of yesterday morning I finally got hot water back. Seems my heating system needed a new electronic thingy (although I'm sure that's not the technical name), so I can now get up in the morning and throw myself into a scorching hot shower after two weeks of doing without. Sometimes life is just a peachy, isn't it!
I love the cozy look of that restaurant. Yes, better to be delayed than tossed around at sea is my motto too. The recipes you tried sound delicious, especially the chestnut mousse. Congrat's on having the water heater fixed. A hot shower is priceless sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWe ate well everywhere (including on the ferry) but I guess they save the best for last as that restaurant had so much character and the food was indeed wonderful. As for the water heater, I managed okay to be honest (although I was hardly the Pioneer Woman) but cold showers get old VERY quickly!
DeleteSounds like you had a most pleasant trip and I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's nice to bring a little something home with you, isn't it? A wallet, a recipe- whatever.
ReplyDeleteHurray for hot showers!
I loved the leather goods in Mallorca too but resisted temptation. These cork goods can be found most places but I'd never bought anything like that before. I just love my wallet and when our guide was explaining to us how they harvest the cork it was really interesting. You live and learn don't you!
DeletePresentation has never been a priority for me. You might be surprised at how many people come into the store with a picture of something on their phone and looking for plumbing thingies, and electrical thingies, and painting thingies.
ReplyDeleteThe dessert was called fiadone and it was really good - but flat as a pancake unfortunately. I'll have to try again I think. As for "thingies", I don't know these terms in English let alone French, so the older gent at the hardware store who usually gets landed with me now calls me Mrs. Thingy!
DeleteI bought a cork travel bag(ie-fanny pack)in Lisbon. I saw some fabulous cork accessories both in Portugal and Spain.
ReplyDeleteHurray for having hot water again!!
The cork items are really pretty aren't they. And for some reason I expected them to be heavy - but not at all!
DeleteOh what a beautiful trip. I hope the mom enjoyed some of it- she deserves a break. Glad you have your water heater again.
ReplyDeleteIt was a lovely trip, although as always full on (still, we know that about this company by this time). As for mom, I'm not sure how much of a break she got as Mimi was definitely 24/7, but I hope she enjoyed it nonetheless!
DeleteThe photos are beautiful. I would have hiked down the beach though, I love beaches, especially hard to get to beaches.
ReplyDeleteIf we had had free time I would have gone down there too, but sadly we were on a schedule to get back to the port. It's the kind of place I would definitely frequent if I were a local though. It looks wonderful!
DeleteWhere you saw a man with a big nose, at first glance I saw a snaggletoothed dragon head.
ReplyDeleteI love sharing your trips here. I am a tad jealous, but still glad to enjoy them vicariously.
And as to the hot shower___small victories are sometimes the best.
Ha ha, I actually thought I saw a man (or woman) with an old fashioned head dress (and a big nose). It wouldn't do to all be the same though would it! And yes, the hot shower is bliss after 2+ weeks!
DeleteGorgeous photos; I'd love the hike down to the beach but someone would have to come get me and bring me back up!
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly Bob. Or they could do a roaring trade in donkey taxis, like they do (did?) at the Samaria Gorge in Crete!
DeleteLoved your tales of the winding roads and scenery not to mention the photos. They’ve released memories of our own trip which will now be decades ago.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely worth a visit isn't it - but those roads!!!!
DeleteThe food and atmosphere just sounds amazing. And again you had some really nice folks along for the trip with you! It sounds 10/10 to me!
ReplyDeleteThe food was excellent (you had to like cheese though), the scenery lovely - and it was a great way to go people watching too, so yes 10/10 from me!
DeleteLooks so beautiful, your blog is lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for stopping by. Corsica is lovely - but that's me done for travelling for a while!
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