Read the previous post. The industrial monuments are not beautiful. At least not to everyone. It is important, however, to visit at least one of them while you’re in Sardinia, due to historical and social reasons. The last 200 years of the history have been tightly connected with mines. And, as often happened elsewhere, the mining boom turned into a spectacular failure leaving behind hundreds and thousands of people in a tragic situation of unemployment. It all happened very quickly and until today this area has been marked by this scenario. We visited the biggest mine in the area called Montevecchio. Two guided visits focused on workshops and minerals excavations were an eye opening experience. First, the scale of this place impresses all visitors. The terrain of the mine is spread through miles and miles on the ground, and even further under the ground. The visit started with watching huge buildings which in the past hosted workshops. Although they seem quite empty today there are still a number of old machines collected so you could get a feeling of this place. A huge furnace, smaller gantry, milling and a variety of other tools and objects are in display. I found it touching that the tools are left in the exact spots as in the past and above our heads the black and white photographs showed the labourers working on them. Above all, the smell of this place is compelling. For me this was a smell of a garage owned by my grandfather. A place where a lot of unused objects where kept which meant an endless playground for me as a kid. This is a mix of old oil, a variety of metals, rust, and a child’s imagination. Workshops were a place buzzing with the energy of the people who worked here. The noise and the heat were mixed with a fellowship of the skilled labourers for whom this place was everything. The Daily Life of the Miners A modest daily income was only enough to survive and in the major part the workers’ length of live was really short. The incidents, injuries and deaths were the common events and to some extend the management of the mines were covering them up so not to pay any recompense to the families of the dead. The most what the mine could do when a father of the family died was to keep his job for his son. Men, women and children altogether were living in this dreadful place. I can’t even imagine the heat in the middle of the summer and their tiredness after a long walk from a nearby village and 12 hours shift. I’m trying not to think about all dead miners whose bodies were left underground and never returned to their families. We passed from the workshops to the very heart of the mine: a tunnel to the underground galleries. A huge engine is placed in a nice looking building just in front of the mining shaft. Both connected with a huge rope. Our guide told a story on how important the job of a controller of this engine was. At the beginning there was no communication between the engine room and the underground thus it was up to the experience of the operator to stop the elevator with miners at the right depth. As the work was continuing 24h a day there was a constant move up and down. The elevator was carrying people and minerals so this was crucial place. And a few times it happened to stop an elevator in a wrong place making the miners a wrong idea of the gallery. Some of them jumped right into the darkness to be never found. In the peak of its activity Montevecchio was employing up to 3600 miners. In the course of optimisation of minerals’ excavation the management built a number of houses so the people would come to work less tired than after crossing a considerable distance from the villages. They also constructed a small train that would bring the miners to the mine. And the most important invention was a sort of a small train locomotive equipped in a loader. It increased the tonnage of the rocks excavated from 6-8 wagons per two miners per day to 60. The improvement was unprecedential in the history of mining and Montevecchio, where this machine was constructed, sold it to the mines all over the world. The Ecology Visiting the industrial sites is somehow a devastating experience. Not only in terms of social changes that deeply transformed the Sardinian society but also in terms of a pollution of the environment. Until today, there are some small streams and rivers polluted with sulphur, acids and heavy metals. Although it’s been years since the last mine was closed the repercussions of this industry still bother the local villages and the whole island. Looking at the landscape crushed by the human activity left me deeply disturbed. Sure, it’s been ages ago and the current technology is well advanced in keeping the pollution to the minimum but there are hundreds of places around the world where the human activity will leave scars on the face of earth. Broken glass of the buildings, rusty conveyors, small trains left to be rotten and empty pools make the overall impression of the final destruction. Armageddon would probably look very similar.  If you are interested in industrial sites Sardinia is the perfect place for you. The Montevecchio museum is highly recommended: not only the tours are interesting and well planned but also the staff is very friendly and knowledgable. If I was to chose one out of two – Galleria Henri and Montevecchio – I would definitely go for Montevecchio! In ten days weeks, I’m going back to Italy. I’ll bring you more stories from Emilia – Romagna so stay tuned!  

The post Industrial sites of Sardinia appeared first on Null & Full.

Read the previous post. Astrophotography is amazing. The photos of the stars catch the attention of people around the world. There is something really special about it and just recently I’ve experienced how wonderful it is. I’m not a photography expert, therefore, all I’m writing in this post is for non-professionals. If you have always wanted to photograph the night sky this post is for you! A month ago I had no idea how to do it and today, here I am, showing you the pictures brought from Sardinia. Thus, here are a couple of tips and tricks on how to photograph night sky.  There is more! In this post, I am going to share practical info and tips on how to photograph a night sky. The picture you see above  has been featured by Lonely Planet, and here is why this picture has been selected: Why we like it: How could you not? The brilliant night sky, the glowing embers of light at the bottom of the frame, the romantic silhouette of the couple (who, expertly aren’t dead centre, but slightly positioned to the right of the frame). A winning combination, especially considering how hard it can be to shoot a crisp image with such low light. The time You need a lot of time. Seriously, it took me and two of my friends at least three nights before we were happy about the results. Thus, the patience is everything. The pictures you see are the final result of hours spent at the beach of Capo Pecora and in front of the computer. There is the good news too: when you finally catch the idea it goes smoothly. It is crucial to check information about the visibility of the Milky Way. The beginners should focus on Milky Way as this seems to be the easiest object to be photographed. In Europe, August in a very good month to begin with. Last but not least: observe the moon and pick up the darkest day of the month. Full moon makes the night sky photo incredibly difficult. The Place It is important to go to a very dark place, far from the human activity areas. The darkest, the better. Obviously, professionals photograph the night sky in the cities but this is much more complicated so start from the easiest part. It will bring you a satisfaction and will encourage you to continue rather than discourage you from the very beginning. Sardinia was just perfect. There are many sites with no artificial light that spoils the effect so it was very easy to experiment with night sky photography a couple of nights in a row. Also, the weather was great so there were no clouds and the visibility was fantastic. New moon with no clouds is perfect. The Gear All pictures you see were taken with Canon EOS 60D with ordinary lens 18 – 35 mm and a simple tripod. As you can see, the part of the sky photographed is limited. If you wish to photograph large part of the sky you should have a wide field lens, like a fisheye lens. Also, the bigger the aperture (smaller the number) the better (2.8 is OK but 1.6 is even better). The Composition You might think the composition does not matter in the case of night photography. On the contrary: it matters a lot. We took dozens of pictures of stars with no earth in it and the effect was horrible. It’s much better to have a tree or a mountain in the view. The pictures with people are brilliant. The only thing is they should stay still for at least 25 seconds. The Camera Settings There is a simple rule that all professional and non- professional photographers are familiar with. So called the 600 Rule. You need to do some math here: divide 600 by your lens’ number (i.e. 24 mm), and the result is the exposure time, in this case  it’s 25 seconds. If you keep the rule and these settings it guarantees that the photo will not be blurred, even though the Earth is moving. In 25 seconds the Earth will move about 0.1 degrees but the setting will keep the stars sharp. ISO should be high. Check with your camera and chose the highest one that will still keep the picture sharp. In the case of the pictures you see here, ISO was 3600 but each number above 3200 should do the trick. At the beginning, I’ve noticed that our pictures were blurred and we couldn’t figure out what was wrong with them for a couple of days. Eventually, we set the macro not to the fullest (infinity) but slightly lower than the infinity and it improved the quality of the picture significantly. The Postproduction This is probably the most important element of the whole process. Here is a short clip with basics of postproduction tips for the night sky. Ans last but not least, I’m going back to Italy soon. I’ll be participating in a series of events organized by Alessandra from Settimana del Buonvivere. I can’t wait to taste the delicious food of Romagna, visit the historical sites and enjoy some of the most interesting trekking paths in the area. Stay tuned! More is coming!    

The post Beginners Tips for Night Sky Photography appeared first on Null & Full.

Read the previous post. One morning we got invited to participate in cooking with the family we rent the apartment from. The mother and the daughter were waiting for us at 9:00 am in their apartments. There was also a silent father present who, with a kind interest, was watching his daughter and wife running the show. This was not the first time I participated in Italian cooking classes. It was still special because of the whole family present on site. I could observe and experience two generations’ meeting in the kitchen and the way these two extraordinary women work together. The Book I started a conversation with a question about the books I borrowed from them a few days before: a series published by the local paper with photos and description of the local traditional costumes. After a question why they stopped buying the books at part 4 the two women turned into furious beasts. They were so unhappy about the pictures, lack of care, terribly wrong details and, most of all, the sort of pictures taken. In some photos, the models were in aggressive poses and it worked poorly with traditional costumes. Both women showed their disappointment and thus we cold experience how important the tradition is for them. I couldn’t agree more. Although the albums were printed on high-quality paper and with an eye-catching hardcover, the narrative and the concept of making the traditional costumes ‘up-to-date’ was so wrong! This was poorly done. Somebody attempted to bring the tradition closer to the present times but failed. Due to copyrights I cannot insert here any pictures of these books taken on site. Soon, we left the books and focused on cooking.  The Cooking It all started with the preparation of a wooden table and bringing the ingredients. First, Maria Efisia – the mother – prepared filling of the ravioli. They used a particular kind of cheese called ricotta and although you can buy it all over Italy the one in Sardegna contains not only the milk of a sheep but at the final stage of the process, unlikely elsewhere in Italy, the farmers add more cow’s milk. This extra care results in extremely mild and delicate cheese. Thus, with few yolks, saffron, and nutmeg, a very tasty filling was formed. We, then, could focus on preparing the pasta and, what takes most of the time, rolling and forming the ravioli. Along the process, when our hands were occupied, Maria Efisia was telling us about their family and village, about tough times and few joys they have. She was extremely proud of her actions that saved old baskets made out of cane.  The story In the late 60s, people run mad about modern plastic objects and they were throwing away all that was old and hand made. It includes a total refurbishment of the local church which we saw last Sunday and which today looks like after a fire that destroyed everything that was ancient. Maria Efisia on the contrary: she was conserving not only the heritage of her family but also went to the courtyards where her neighbours were throwing away their old stuff away. She showed us her collection of baskets used in cooking. As this was hand made, the current price is really high so when she showed us her treasures she was holding them as something precious. Maria Efisia was emphasising how expensive these objects currently are. Watching this woman attachment to the past it felt very special. Although she showed us the most important things for her she did it as a person who realises that the past will never come back. She feels like a real hero in the contemporary times who struggles and fights against the odds in order to preserve the history of the family and the place. Miraculously, her family has always been and still is into the farming business, thus, the worst crisis that hit the island after mining business collapsed, bypassed them. It was touching to watch their struggle. They all are very proud of living in the same place for 7 generations, their hospitality is legendary. They, just like hundreds of others, struggle to find their place in the contemporary society. They feel very far from the mainstream society and the things that happen in Rome – on the continent, as they say. Contrary to the rest of Italy, where people tend to be optimistic, here you hear a tone of despair. People here know they live in the peripheries and that the politicians in Rome or Brussels care very little about their wellbeing. Some of them feel left behind and for some of them this is a call to act and to take care for themselves. I’d say that people in Sardinia are focused on survival with a strong flavour of tradition and their own identity. And so, talking through the history and presence, we successfully produced about 300 ravioli. They were all stored in old baskets in layers interlarded with a clean table cloth. It was left until the next day when we got invited for a dinner. The Dinner We came in the late evening. The whole family was there and so, with no further delay, we started the feast. The hospitality of this Sardinian family was overwhelming. The food was so good that after starters I ate enough but there was still the first and the second course, meat and the dessert with coffee. I skipped the meat but it smelled so delicious that I got a dog bag and I could taste it the next day. This was a very pleasant day. I learned not only the new recipes and cooking skills but also a history of the family from Fluminimaggiore. I also had an opportunity to watch their pride and hospitality from a close distance. Altogether this was a marvellous experience. More about Sardinia soon.  

The post Cooking & Hospitality in Sardinia appeared first on Null & Full.

Read the previous post. I haven’t considered Sardinia a trekking destination but when Cesare told me there are some fine paths I couldn’t resist taking with me my trekking equipment. He forgot how poorly I bare the heat and it became a serious matter in planning a one day trek from Grugua to Cala Domestica. We came with a super clever idea of taking the earliest bus of the day, which was 5:50 am. It was still dark when we walked down the street to the bus stop but during a short 20 minutes bus ride, the sun rose. The plan was straightforward: we walk as fast as we can in the morning to exploit the chill. The whole path was divided in a few parts of a very different landscapes: we started in the woods, walked down through the farm of Modigliani family, proceeded through the canyons and mine settlements to finally arrive at the beach called Cala Domestica. The final 4 km was a path along the coast with breathtaking views. Cala Domestica All went as planned. To some extent. We arrived at the beach before 10:00 am and I felt the heat has started. Not only all others were in their swimming suits which made me feel weird in long trousers and trekking shoes but also this was a very warm day. We also walked about 18 km in a very fast pace so I felt a bit tired. Perhaps a dress of Cesare made the situation slightly more interesting as he was dressed like a 19th-century entomologist. He had white long sleeve shirt, a weird hat, two backpacks and a long stick with a microphone to register the local bugs (crickets). Literally everybody was staring at us as we crossed the beach. The Coast To gain a bit of energy for the final stage, we had a cold drink at the bar. After a while, we pulled ourselves together and started walking again. The heat was vicious but despite this we had to climb up to about 70 meters above the sea level. The first part of the path was nicely marked so we walked it in no time, but then it all started. The map was inaccurate. The terrain was covered with rocks and a low vegetation full of spikes. There was no sign of the path and all we had, was our common sense and a clear bearing. We could almost see Buggerru, from where the bus should take us back home, so the only thing was to cross the rocky hills. It was a very rocky walk, up and down, up and down. Just like mountain goats we jumped from one rock to another. The bus should leave Buggerru at 12:58 but half an hour before this moment we were still in the middle of nowhere. The panorama was breathtaking and I wished to enjoy it for a couple of minutes but the heat was squeezing out water from our bodies with no mercy and so we hurried up. I felt salt covering my body and a slight attack of panic. I could not bare the though of being late for this bus and staying for another 3 hours in the town waiting for the next one. So we started running. And the final 2 km we run like hell. Downhill, right to the middle of the town to catch the bus. I was exhausted! But we managed to catch the bus, go back home and lie down for the rest of the day. The rules Although Sardinia is a demanding terrain, I would like to encourage you to pursue an adventure here. It is warm and sunny in August but with good organizational skills you will enjoy unforgettable views here. A path along the coast was truly spectacular! Also, the breeze from the sea made the final kilometers bearable despite the noon heat. If you wish to find an original, not crowded, off the beaten track, fascinating and, above all, challenging terrain, Sardinia is the right place for you. Remember about taking a huge quantity of water with you or control the map and ask locals for the sources along the path. And start as early in the morning as possible. Alternatively, visit Sardinia in shoulder season. I’m pretty sure the locals will love you for doing this. Interested in local food and cooking? This post is for you!  

The post Trekking in Sardinia appeared first on Null & Full.

Read previous episode. Yesterday was a very special day. Although it was terribly hot due to a circulation switch and I felt really weak, I went to a meeting with Maria Paola. A young girl who is a member of the local folk group. She is the owner of an old traditional costume that belonged to her grandmother and she invited me to join the dressing. Her folk group had an evening performance in Buggerru – a nearby town along to other 15 folk groups from the region. They performed not only a parade but also traditional group dance. Her house is only a few minutes from my apartment, but even such a short walk end up with wet t-shirt caused by unnatural heat and humidity. I could hardly imagine a person who dresses these layers of traditional costume one after another in this weather. Tradition The apartment of Maria Paola’s family is like a local museum – they keep all family treasures, like porcelain, furniture, portraits and even the costume original buttons. When I entered the room I was greeted by the whole family who got excited that a foreigner is interested in their traditions. I deeply appreciated the moment when I can meet people who are proud of their traditions and have this need of sharing it with the world. So there I was and my role was to listen, watch and try to understand. Maria Paola is one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. Her typical Sardinian look fits not only the apartment and this context but most of all the costume. She had a makeup ready but felt the warmth too, so a big fan was brought to the drawing room and the process of dressing begun. She started from dressing a large white tunic that was more like a dress as it was large enough to cover her knees. This was an original piece of her grandmother clothes and it was made out of fine cotton and very particular lace on the neckline and the edges of the sleeves. After having this chemise on she got her shoes on too. This order seemed to be very clever since the rest of the dress is really heavy and it would be almost impossible to get her shoes after the skirt and apron. A very elegant pair of black shoes, similar to the flamenco dancers. Then, she dressed an old fashion underwear trousers and the first skirt. All of what she dressed was made of white cotton and she looked like figures in the old pictures already. While dressing next pieces of the traditional costume, she was explaining the purpose of each piece. The white skirt was giving an extra volume, a sort of corset was modelling her figure, slimming her waist and thanks to a sort of small pillow on the back it was holding the external skirt on place. Everything had a purpose Another smart feature was an additional piece in the circuit of her skirt and underskirt so when a girl was gaining weight or got pregnant she could still use the same robes just making it bigger. In the past, the costume was so expensive that the family bought it once in a lifetime, therefore it had to be flexible, to some extent and of the highest quality. The final four pieces of clothing were like a cherry on a cake. A colourful frilly skirt, jacket and a sort of shawl covered the white veil. Maria Paola methodically put one piece after another with a great care and attachment to the details. It was fascinating to watch how focused on the details her movements were. When she stood there in front of me fully dressed in this costume that was more than fifty years old I got amazed by the beauty of it. The final result was dashing. And what strikes me  even if this cloth was of traditional provenience it was very successful in extracting the natural beauty and the most beautiful female features. I went and visite Maria Paola again, August 15th, to watch another costume. And the pictures below show the new costume made for her by the local tailor. The figure of Maria Paola, her face and movements were perfectly matched making her even more beautiful. Later in the evening we watched her folk group dancing at the nearby feast in Buggerru. Tiny steps, joyful music and wonderful choreography made the show incredibly attractive. The proud of these people out of their heritage was visible to everyone. And for a while I felt jealous and sad because the generation of my grandparents who survived the war had no such opportunity to pass my anything related to their clothing or dancing traditions. Their generation was robbed out of their heritage. The extreme poverty and death took the chance of passing anything to the next generation. And even if it’s been more than fifty years passed I am the third generation that suffers. All I knew about the past of my grandparents was a few stories of how tough their lives were. And that night when I watched Maria Paola dressing her grandmother costume I felt the sadness of the people from whom such privilege was taken away.  More about Sardinia is coming soon.  

The post Traditional Costume of Sardinia appeared first on Null & Full.

Read the previous episode. Fluminimaggiore The location of my apartment was very unfortunate. It was located along one of the streets that cut the town east – west. Even though it was not the main street, the traffic was pretty heavy. It did not bother me during the day, but the late nights and early evenings were particularly difficult to enjoy. In the late evenings, some youngsters trapped in this city drove their scooters just outside my windows. Over and over again. Luckily, the town acknowledged siesta thus between 1:30 pm and 5:30 pm the silence cut all noises. I guess the level of the noise would be easier to deal with if only I did not normally live in a small and very quiet village. Apart of the traffic the walls and floors of this old house were exceptionally thin. In the night, I had an impression there were people in my room who were talking, laughing, playing cards and, when the booze finished, they were snoring. This was so loud! This was not a surprise then that I often woke up early and went out of the apartment to hanging around a bit in the early morning. First couple of days I was sleeping better than during the rest of my stay because of being exhausted by the journey and by the heat. Unfortunately, after three days I was struggling with falling asleep every night. I wonder if other travellers and tourists has the same problem. Morning My favourite moment of every morning was 7:00 am. At 7:00 am the bell from the church rings loudly announcing the day officially has started. And suddenly, every sound rises its volume: the town wakes racily up. The shop around the corner opens its door with a smash, the trash collector throws glass to his car with a sharp noise and the dog starts barking at everything he sees. The bell continues ringing: a melody of Ave Maria announces that the day has started and that everything that happens today will praise the Lord. After 7:00 am the bars are open and flooded with the residents. All of them needs a modest encouragement to start the day. Coffee is one of their daily treats. A quick check of the lottery raises their blood pressure too. Worst case scenario, a glass of cold beer wakes them up. The town in the early morning with trash vehicle collecting glass and scooters driving around makes a curious impression. The poverty, visible at every corner is mixed with a rush of the residents eager to start working before the heat of the day hits them. There are dogs with no owners hanging around and the cleaning ladies sweeping the streets. When a vehicle collecting glass takes another load, the people in the bar shout like if their team scored in the game. I am not sure where does their enthusiasm come from. There is a hairdresser just in front of my temporary house. It opens at 7:30 am with a loud greeting by the owner to passing people and opening the sunblind. The frequent customers start coming. The door is open and a conversation sparkles. A loud greeting, a noise made by hairdryer and the scissors cutting hair is mixed into an everyday melody of this town. All windows and door along the street is open: people try to catch some fresh air before the heat come. The bell rings again. It’s 8:45 am and all should be working by now. The sun will silence everyone after the noon. The heat will be unbearable by then. It warms the walls, stairs, roofs and air so the main effort of all resident will focus on keeping their houses cool. They will close the door and the windows, they will keep drinking cold water and eating fruits. They will not rise their voices and before it’s 1:30 pm all will be silent again. A small town routine Everyone has a small garden here. This is the secret method of flourishing despite the odds. We saw hundreds of small gardens outside the town while driving here and there and they are a prove that all depends on water. If a small field is watered the vegetation is as lush as in the tropical garden but if the water is scarce everything is burnt out. The main task here is therefore watering the garden. In the mornings and early afternoons, the local farmers try to sell their fruits and vegetables in small booths along the main road. Sometimes in the town there are door opened and few fruits are being sold there, directly from the farmers. It strings the process of production and consumption to the minimum. From the garden to the table the distance is really short. So green and eco! People here are nice. We get often questioned about our stay in Fluminimaggiore and almost all locals ask whether we go to the beach today. It was weird at the beginning and I thought we have some beach related objects or dress that would suggest our intention of spending time at the beach. When I heard the same question again I thought there must be a pattern. And there is. The locals are convinced that the beach is the only attraction for tourists and to keep them happy all you need to do is to send them to the beach. Thus, when we declared we have no intention of spending our holiday at the beach they looked at us in a suspicious way. Fortunately, we speak Italian, which always helps. Celebrations And so the life goes rather slowly here. It has a certain charm, though, of a tiny place where everybody knows each other. It seems like they all know their limits, which includes even a quantity of bread baked daily. When I go to the bakery after 10:00 am there is very little left. Every day the same people buy the same things and thus a baker has an easy task...

The post Daily Life in Sardinia appeared first on Null & Full.