Thursday started off with a guest lecturer Giovanni De
Giudici to discuss the geology of the area around the Quirra military base and
what some of the history was surrounding the heavy metals in the region. Later
in the evening, we wandered down to Via Roma to find that all of its lanes were
closed off for the Rally Italia Sardegna kick off race. The racers were doing a
short show-off event in a tight loop along the waterfront, while the main part
of the avenue was home to a car show, complete with the police Lamborghini.
Friday contained our very comprehensive mock town meeting
where each of us played the role of some different person involved in the case
of environmental pollution due to the Quirra military base. I had a lot of fun in the role of a concerned
parent.
Saturday I finally took some time to do some exploring of
the top of our hill with Cat and Anna. We visited the Torre dell’Elefante which
overlooked our corner of the city. From there we continued up the hill to the
Palace and then to the Torre di San Pancrazio which overlooked the entire city
and the surrounding suburbs. For our final stop we went through the Museo
Archeologico to see both Nuragi and Roman remains from the various sections of
the island.
Torre dell'Elefante
The Palace
That evening the class then went on a hike of the Stella di
Diavolo (or a hill that looked like a saddle where the devil once sat). From
there we could see most of the Poetto beach.
Sunday morning we all tried to get ahead with the work that
was due for the end of the class. We then spent the rest of the afternoon and
evening at the Santa Caterina festival in the town of Orroli. Many of the town’s
men and women would dress in their much more traditional attire. They would
then march, ride horses and town large floats down the street with their
tractors while the people atop the floats would throw down cookies and other
sweets into the crowds of onlookers. At the end of the very long procession,
the figure of Saint Caterina would be moved from its float and back into the
church.
One of the many floats in the procession.