Archaelogy 101 in Arazachena

Yesterday was laundry day, and then I made the ten minute walk into town. I went to the beach, which now has free parking! The surf was very rough so I thought I'd swim when I got home. But the pool looked like it was going to start growing algae, as the pump was off. Piero had given me manager Alberto's cell phone, so I texted him a message in very cryptic Italian (problema in piscine). Luckily he does text, so he was here very quickly. We spoke briefly, and he got the pump back on, so today it looked good.
This morning my destination was Arazachena, which is famous for being in the heart of the "quite stunning" (Lonely Planet) Costa Esmeralda, thanks to Aga Khan and his rich friends who bought alot of the land there fifty years ago to develop. But what makes Arazachena interesting is that there are dozens of tomba and nuraghi in the area. THAT was why I wanted to go there.
I won't bore you with ALL the details, but I saw one nuraghe and three tombas. Lonely Planet says that Nuraghe di Albucciu "is unusual for its flat granite roof instead of the usual conical shape and its warren of emergency rooms". Here is the nuraghe hidden by some trees. Nuraghi had different functions from simple look-out posts to religious buildings. They are not in any other area of the Mediterranean, except for Corsica, the Talajots in the Balearic Isles, the Brachs of Scotland, etc. This is according to Paolo Melis in The Nuragic Civilization. They go back to 1700-1500BC. Whatever the details, they are very impressive structures! (An Irish woman took my picture on the top of the nuraghe.) The three tombas (one is pictured) were somewhat similar to the tomba I had seen last week when I took the ten minute walk in to see it. One of the ones I saw goes back to 3500BC.
I drove over to Porto Cervo which reminded me of many touristy California towns. Lonely Planet says, "it is a purpose-built leisure centre for the super-rich". Olaf had recommended Capo Testa, as an interesting beach he really liked. So I wended my way by there after I stopped for a hot ham and Fontina cheese panini with a Heineken. Well! The driving (FINALLY!) was getting to me.
And it was time to go home, except that I had routed myself home via S. Teresa di Gallura. My 100 country and western songs were getting old, so I went into the market where I had bought the CDs and bought the John Pizzarelli Bossa Nova CD for some musical variety. I drove the 49 km. home in one hour!!!!! (This is a fraction over 31 miles!) The good news is that I did PASS three vehicles...well, that is because they were farm vehicles going even way slower than I do!
Both Gloria and Patrick had recommended Shadow in the Wind , so it's now on the Kindle. I was sitting outside earlier reading, when a yellow jacket decided my foot was in the way, so now I'm nursing a nasty sting.
Tomorrow is a beach day and then a visit from Couch Surfer Francesca who lives in Sassari. Rodolfo, an exchange student from Guatemala, is at her hours, so they will come for beach and dinner about 4.
And the rocks continue to fascinate me!