Pink Flamingos and Pula, Sardinia

As we left Cagliari and headed toward the ancient ruins of Nora, I wasn't expecting one of the most memorable parts of the drive to be the wildlife.

For miles, we passed salt marshes filled with beautiful pink flamingos.

This was the first time I had ever seen this many flamingos at one time—and the first time I had seen flamingos living in the wild.

I had seen plenty of pictures of flamingos before, but seeing them out in their natural surroundings was completely different. There was something special about looking out across the marshes and realizing these beautiful birds were simply there, going about their lives.

We also saw several sheep along the way. It was one of those little reminders that we weren't just traveling from one tourist attraction to another. We were seeing pieces of everyday Sardinia along the way.

A Quick Look at Pula

As we continued toward Nora, we passed through the town of Pula.

I didn't get to spend much time there since we were only passing through, but I remember thinking that I would love to come back someday and explore it properly.

Pula is located just a few miles from Cagliari and is closely connected with the nearby archaeological site of Nora. The town has its own historic character, while its location makes it a convenient base for exploring this part of southern Sardinia.

I always find myself wondering about places like this when I only get a glimpse of them. What would it be like to slow down, walk through the streets, stop for a meal, and actually spend a day there instead of simply passing through?

Unfortunately, we didn't have that kind of time on this trip.

The Church of Sant'Efisio

The church sits remarkably close to the sea, with Su Guventeddu beach nearby.

I didn't get the chance to explore the church or the surrounding area, but seeing it from our excursion made me add another place to my growing list of places I would like to return to someday.

Sometimes the places you only see for a few minutes while traveling end up leaving an impression.

That was certainly the case with Pula.

Between the flamingos in the marshes, the sheep along the road, the glimpse of Pula, and the little church beside the sea, there was much more to see on the drive to Nora than I had expected.

And we hadn't even reached the ruins yet.

Sardinia: Exploring the Ancient Ruins of Nora

Where should we go?  This is the first question one faces when planning a vacation.  There are so many places in the world to visit which made choosing a cruise a difficult task.  She would pick a date and  read me a list of various port stops.  When she mentioned Sardinia in one of the itineraries I told her to stop, we have found the perfect cruise, I wanted to go to Sardinia.  

There was just one little problem.

I had forgotten to check exactly where those beautiful beaches were located.

When my daughter looked through our excursion options, she discovered that the beaches I had been admiring on Pinterest were on the other side of the island. They were not an option for our day in port.

She was not too disappointed, though. She had been looking forward to visiting the ancient ruins of Nora.

So, instead of chasing those beautiful beaches, we chose an excursion called “Nora – A Walk Through Ancient Times.”

As it turned out, it was a wonderful choice.

Cagliari, Sardinia: Pastries, Old Doors & a Little Lemon Fanta

I mentioned in an earlier post how I would wake up every morning and run to the balcony to see what our next port looked like. Can you blame me?

I loved watching the sunrise as we pulled into each new port, camera in hand, taking pictures of what seemed like the most beautiful sunrises I had ever seen.