Hopping on and off the little islands of the One Thousand Island Lake

It was early November, and in Hangzhou I had the first signs of what it would have been the Chinese winter. It's here that I experienced the first cold and had an idea of what to expect.

Although Shanghai's temperatures winter time are usually between 10° and 3°C, this year the city has been hit by an unusual wave of cold, joining the rose of countries slammed by anomalous weather conditions all over the globe, from Australia to the US to Brazil, to Europe. Unlike the past years, however, it's not raining much in Shanghai, nor I'm finding it very humid.

When I went to Hangzhou, it wasn't as cold as it is now, but as we were used to last summer's blazing heat, the sudden dropping of the temperature probably felt colder than it actually was. Additionally, spending most of the time in the upper deck of the boat defying wind and most annoying fine rain in order to catch the best views for photos (I know, very heroic of me), made it even more biting.

Every island has its own peculiarity, be it the recurrence of Chinese zodiac symbols, a ridiculously high concentration of snakes, or picturesque temples. In one of the islands I got on the cableway to further admire the view. Thick clouds, unfortunately, didn't allow a clear view of the landscape which, revealed pretty overwhelming nonetheless.

I'll take this as an excuse to go back during springtime, to devote a sunny weekend uniquely to those little islands, to fully enjoy what the One Thousand Island Lake has to offer and take the shots I missed last time.

More photos of the lake on my Flickr set.

Savage building on Sardinian coasts

Savage building on Sardinian coasts doesn't seem to come to an end: after the project of building wind power plants in S'Archittu, despite there are many other more suitable areas and this would destroy the summer tourism, let alone the marine fauna locals are trying to reproduce, and let alone the fact that this will inevitably spoil the view and destroy thousand-year-old arch formed throughout the centuries between the sea and the coast, this is not the only area in the island affected by unrestrained building.

Although current President Cappellacci's main message during the electoral campaign was to protect the pristine coasts from savage builders always in the lookout for new untouched spaces, it seems like this is not going to happen: the regional council has approved a new law making it possible to build 300 mt away from the sea.

For Sardinians this sadly sounds like a déjà-vu: the Emerald Coast is not Sardinia anymore, belonging once to Prince Aga Khan and now to a not-better identified US company is mainly private beaches, villas and 5-star hotels where CEOs and presidents (and their escorts) come to spend their holidays. Truth be told, the Emerald Coast is beautiful, but Sardinia has many other equally or more stunning sceneries, so the population turned a blind eye and sucked that up: "Never mind, we'll go elsewhere."

Then, from the Emerald Coast, the building wave kept spreading, northward, southward, and now on the west coast. Is unrestrained building the only problem in Sardinia? Apparently not: NATO bases are carrying out poisonous experiments, DU-based. I come from London to breath some clean air and I find this situation: now it's a bit of too much.

Sardinia's delicacies

Sardinia is one of the most targeted touristic destinations among Italians and in-the-know Europeans, mainly Germans. Visitors come for the stunning sceneries, beautiful sea and mountain landscapes and historical sites to explore, but only expert travellers with a bit of research behind know that they will also find an unforgettable, delicious cuisine.

Mreca still closed

Having left my hometown eleven years ago, when I started the Uni in Rome, gives me the benefit of being welcomed by all delicatessen every time I come back on holiday. So I'm happy to find home-grown red, plump tomatoes to big, tender fish, home-made crispy bread, tasty meat of beef or pork bred in the wild. And if that's not enough, at the end of every meal typical sweets, cakes, pastries different for every season or festivity are a must.

Opening the mreca

Changing area means also changing food habit: in the district of Nuoro, for example, I find culurgiones or gattò (local adaptation from the French gateau); in Oristano (my area) I’ll find zippole or the ancient fish-based mreca. Everywhere indistinctly, you’ll find the typical regional porcheddu, spit-roasted piglet.

Sea bream with potatoes

Last Sunday was memorable food-wise: wholly fish-based meal beginning with starters of herrings, shrimps all’arrabbiata and home-grown green and black olives. Pasta with seafood followed and prepared for the main courses: a 3-kilo sea bream baked with potatoes and mreca of mullet.

All kinds of cheeses lead the treat towards the end, to “clean the mouth” as local people like to say after lunch, finding the best excuse to enrich the already succulent meal with tasty Sardinian saboridu or seasoned pecorino.

Chilli and normal saboridu

The home-made gattò from Mamoiada along with velveted Italian espresso indicate the end of the meal, friends and family can finally leave the table, still laughing out loud, a bit dazed and only for the bravest, the ammazzacaffé: tasting of lemon, wild fennel or myrtle, rest assured it's available in every Sardinian home.

Homemade gattò from Mamoiada

Surrounded by wild landscapes, softly caressed by a warm breeze, eating earth products immediately taken from the source: it's a tough life.

Sardinia is burning

Yes, it's a beautiful island. Although not easy to travel, due to the lack of public transport, Sardinia is rich in heritage sites, even dating back 3000 years, and stunning landscapes, both beach-wise and mountainous.

And now it's burning. Literally. Fires are taking on the island, destroying lands, farms, killing people and animals, that are for some the only bread and butter. This year, like every year, fires started to violate people and environment early June. And like every year, there are people who for absent-minded mistake or amusement, set on fire, spreading destruction and panic.

Sadly, most of the summer Sardinian landscapes are yellow or black, and the temperatures unbearably hot. Lakes are prepared to be used as water tank in case of emergency and during a car trip it's very likely to see smoke and flames.

Only a few days ago a man died trying to save his animals from the fire that invaded his farm and another from an heart attack trying to escape the flames himself.

What's happening? Is our society becoming so empty that people don't have anything better to do than set on fire to amuse themselves?