Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

We were barely on our bikes when the overcast skies began to rain down on us. Locking our bikes, we opted to walk the city. We expected a small town and what we found was a sophisticated old city with brand name shops and historic and classical buildings. Once the capital of the Kingdom of Sardinia, the port is amongst the largest in the Med and hence is a center of business and culture. Like all the other Italian cities we have visited, the many tree lined squares and quaint plazas were surrounded with outdoor cafes, pizza bars and gelato stands. But, once again, the shops lock up at 1 p.m. for the daily “siesta”, and everything comes to a halt.

Tonight, we’ve been invited by Captain Schoonerbeck to join him and the other Dutch officers, in the captain’s quarters, to celebrate the Dutch Queen’s birthday. Invited guests are Dutch passengers on board! Stephen will have to find someone to speak English with-perhaps the barman. The dining room has been decorated with red, white and blue flags, complete with windmills and “klompen”. Miriam feels right at home…