Corsica With Friends

David, Marc, Mark, and Jim take in the stunning Réserve Naturelle de Scandola

From Ajaccio we rented a car and traveled north to meet our friends Marc and David, who’d just flown in from Toronto to start a well deserved vacation. We picked them up at the airport in Calvi and then settled in the nearby town of L’Île Rousse. Here their stress and jetlag were relieved with a virtually perfect day on the beach. It was all sunshine, fine warm sand, crystal clear water, a great lunch, and lots of catching up.

The next day we got a little more adventuresome and traveled southwest to the town of Porto and its spectacular coastal surroundings. The two-hour drive took us through the rugged mountains of Corsica and endless stomach-churning hairpin turns. After a coffee break and a lunch in lovely Porto, we spent the afternoon on a little rubber boat touring the soaring mountains and jagged cliffs of the Réserve Naturelle de Scandola to the north and the Calanques de Piana to the south.

The scenery was so spectacular that it easily justified the difficulty of the journey, but by the time we got back to L’Île Rousse we were thrilled to be out of the car, off those winding mountain roads, and ready for another car-less day at the beach just steps from our hotel.

But then Jim discovered that his kindle was missing and recalled setting it on the table at the coffee shop in Porto. Marc found the name of the coffee shop using google Street View, we called them, and yup, they have the kindle — just two hours and countless hairpin turns away. Now Jim and I cannot live without our kindles. So it’s Monday morning, and Jim got up early to get the ordeal over with. So Marc and David and I are headed to the beach, hoping Jim is back in time for lunch!