Autumn has abruptly arrived in Seattle. The shorter days and rainy skies have my thoughts turned to the less-traveled corners of the sunny Mediterranean. Specifically, Sardinia. I had the good fortune to visit over the summer in the company of a native Sardinian, Carla Sanna, whom I first met in South Africa. It was a delightful holiday where our two families explored the steep, narrow streets of Cagliari and gleaming beaches of Poetto. Some highlights included:

San Benedetto market. Mouthwatering selections of fresh seafood, meats, produce, cheeses, sausages, wine, bottarga, sweets, and more. A local institution, all the ingredients for a delicious traditional meal are found here. My favorites were wild boar sausage and cave-aged sheep's milk cheese.

The streets of Cagliari offer days of exploration. We stayed in Villa Nuovo (the new city), which, established several hundred years ago, was positively modern compared to the walled city at the top of the hill. The streets and passageways are dense, steep, and convoluted. Also exciting is the vitality of the street scene - throngs of pedestrians pack the streets late into the night as the air cools. We saw performances by breakdancing crews and tango dancers. The city comes alive after dark.

A quiet street within the bastion during the afternoon heat.