(10/04) Happy Anniversary! We are celebrating our 37th year by hopping from anchorage to anchorage along the Sicilian coast towards our final destination in Italy, Alghero. One of the nicer anchorages was located outside a beach named Le Dune. The flora, the dunes, and the rock formations were spectacular, wrapped in pristine white sand. The water was a stunning light aqua green, so clear you could see the sandy bottom and even the fish!

(10/07) We arrived in Alghero, a city encircled by ancient walls. The cobble-stoned old center was remarkable with its churches, domes, and classy boutiques. Alghero is also known for its “Mejar Blanc,” a traditional dessert of the region. Introduced through the Catalan-Aragonese occupation dating back to 1354 and presumably of Middle Eastern origin, the dessert ingredients include milk, corn-starch, almonds, and sugar. Amazing! This last stop in Italy, reminding me of Dubrovnik, was one of my favorites.

“Love locks” are extremely popular in Europe. Supposedly when you find your true love, you inscribe both names and the date on a lock, affix it to a bridge, and throw away the key. This tradition dates back to a Serbian World War I romance tale, but made popular by the Italian novel then film, Ho Voglia di Te (I Want You). The Pont des Artes bridge located in Paris, crossing the River Seine, is the most famous love lock bridge of today.