Sardegna is one of the oldest inhabited places on earth. It was first populated by people from Africa, followed by Phoenecians, Greeks, and Saracenes. Evidence of these civilizations is apparent everywhere, and I visiting here I feel that I am starting with a good base for studying the development of human culture. The Bronze and Iron ages are demonstrated, the influences of the Greeks and the North Africans, the Normans, and the Roman empire which lasted only about 500 years--and an important 500 years it was. Our systems of government, our roads and even our plumbing systems were their innovations. Seeing as their civilization ended in about 470 A.D. I wonder that we haven't progressed much further. Franco and I went on a long ride yesterday all around northwestern Sardegna. We started by going up a dirt road to have a look at the view of the sea and a WWII bunker site with some interesting graffiti. I left the Guzzi and got a ride up on the back of Franco's Yamaha 600 Enduro. Yeeks! Vantage point. At the top is a WWII bunker with some graffiti, old an new. See the boat? Franco said that the soldiers must have enjoyed their duty here because this coast never got bombed, and there is good fishing and hunting here. Then we went down the north west coast to Bosa. Great roads, ocean views, magestic mountains. Kind of like California, without the fog. Bosa has the only navigable river in Sardegna.   We then visited an old Nuragic site. These are burial tombs, but the larger ones have also been used as living quarters. And to another, more important site called Palmavera. < previous | next >