A Day in Bonifacio

May 6, 2025

We had a nice slow start to our day at the Cavallo Morto (dead horse) campground. Happily, there are no dead horses to be seen today.

After breakfast in our cabin we did laundry. Then I managed to post a blog entry using my phone and cellular data from the poolside cafe area, with the company of Mimi the cat. (I reserve the right to swap out for better photos once I have access to a larger screen).

Then we walked down to Bonifacio, marvelling that there was already a late morning traffic jam in early May. I’m glad we didn't try to drive.

Today we were in town early enough to see all the racing sailboats still in the harbour, with the crews getting the sails ready for the day. Signs tell us that it is the Nations League Swan Event, Mediterranean division, with four classes of ClubSwan racing sailboats - 50’, 42’, 36’, and 28’. Some of the sailors on each boat are are professionals, according to the Swan website. After admiring the shiny (and no doubt very expensive) boats, we walked around the marina and then up to citadel that looms over the town. The morning had started out grey, but then quickly turned to clear blue sky with the same strong winds as yesterday. Great for the sailors.

Sailors getting ready for their day of racing.

These are the racing buoys, we think. They looked very high tech.

Looking across the harbour at the citadel.

The narrow shopping streets of the upper town were quite busy.

We got an outside table at a bustling restaurant and enjoyed another meal of moules et frites.

Then we walked back east repeating a bit of what I’d done yesterday. But the cliff views were so spectacular that Mel just had to see them.

We watched the start of today’s sailing races, not quite knowing what was going on until all the boats in one class lined up in the same direction.

The boats milled around until it was time to race. That’s Sardinia in the background.

And then suddenly they were all lined up. The groups are different classes, we think. One hadn’t started yet.

They were wee dots on the horizon - we couldn’t see much, so be honest. They all had the same dark sails, and it was impossible to tell one from the other.

We had ice cream from one of the many shops along the harbour, bought some things to supplement our salad for dinner, and walked back home after a fine outing.

The plant of the day - Lantana. Not native to Corsica, but quite pretty. Apparently it’s considered an invasive in some tropical areas, but it’s well controlled here, and even sold by garden centres.

After five days of no wifi, and four days of little to no cellular coverage, I’m feeling like I’ve had a good digital detox and am in need of some good web-surfing catchup on a screen bigger than my phone.

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	5
Comment on this entry	Comment	0