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| SANDSTONE PILLAR AT BONIFACIO |
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| FERRY TO SARDINIA |
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| THE CITADEL AT BONIFACIO |
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| UNUSUAL ROCK PATTERNS ALONG COAST |
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| SEMAPHORE DU PERTUSATU, WITH BONIFACIO IN BACKGROUND |
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| STRANGE SHIP-SHAPED ROCK NEAR CAPO PERTUSATO |
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| LIGHTHOUSE AT CAPO PERTUSATO |
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| DAVID & SAMIRA |
David and I were immediately taken with Bonifacio, with its beautiful harbour overlooked by a huge citadel, but more importantly the place had a nice buzz without being overcrowded. The hotels were painfully expensive but there was the Araguina campsite nearby. We were sufficiently confident in our desire to stay awhile that we commited to two nights.
After pitching our tents we returned to the harbour for a picnic lunch before taking a walk up to the citadel. Inside was a network of funny little streets but the views from the outer walls were amazing. The sea ranged in colour from turquoise to deep blue, depending upon the depth of the water. The cliffs were white and looked chalky, but were actually made of sandstone. The rock was eroded by the wind in such a way that it appeared layered.
Looking out to sea, Sardinia was clearly visible. Indeed, there seemed to be a regular Moby ferry shuttling people between the two islands. Part of Italy, it has mountain ranges too. Perhaps I will go there one day.
At 6.00pm we found a restaurant by the harbour called L'Albatros which offered tapas and two glasses of wine for €8. David managed to persuade the waiter to exchange his wine for beer.
I picked up a small bottle of whisky on the way back to the campsite and, as darkness started to fall, we brewed up some whisky-laced Earl Grey tea near to the tents. David also produced a large bag of M&Ms. A small gathering of campers accumulated around us, including Samira, Pieter and Yorick. It was past 10.00pm before we retired to our tents.
The following morning David, Samira and I headed down to the harbour. David and Samira had decided to take a boat trip to the nearby Archipel des iles Lavezzi, whereas I chose to walk along the cliffs to the lighthouse at Capo Pertusatu. I also walked down to the two beaches that were en-route. They looked like sandy beaches from a distance but were actually more like sandstone beaches. The stone was very fragile which explains why it is so easily eroded by the wind, producing the most interesting shapes.
It started raining lightly when I was furthest away from Bonifacio, and got heavier as I quick-marched back. There was nowhere to shelter unless I went into a bar, so I headed back to my tent to eat. David and Samira returned from their boat trip shortly after 3.00pm and the rain desisted by 4.00pm.
At 6.00pm we were back at L'Albatros enjoying another tapas and wine. David insisted on paying for me as I had charged his camera battery for him earlier. Later, back at the campsite, we imbibed our whisky-laced earl grey again. If it wasn't for the fact that I will be leaving for Ajaccio in the morning this could become a habit.
