Spitalfields Antiques Market is on every Thursday... this is what I recently took a liking to...

come along, it starts at 8 am.

come along, get inspired...

 

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Alghero and Sardinia's West Coast. Where the waters are like those of the Caribbean, but without the eight hour flight.

Alghero and Sardinia’s west coast.

Where the waters are like those of the Caribbean  –

but without the eight hour flight and the scenery is just amazing.

View from Capo Caccia

The coastal road along the west coast of Sardinia is one I will always remember. It 
is simply breathtakingly beautiful. Sandy beaches or rocky outlets are embraced by the clearest waters I have seen for a long time, colours ranging from dark ink and celestial blues to a soft shimmering turquoise. As cliffs get higher and the road meanders inland, to my great surprise, long legged pink flamingos can be seen around salt plains that have now become vast nature reserves.  As you get closer to Alghero the landscape changes again, becoming more fertile with many wine producing fields. This is the home of Sardinia’s favourite grape; the Vernaccia.

Alghero has been a popular resort since the 1960s and its long sandy beaches are crowded as

Town beach Alghero

they are close to the town centre.  Via Garibladi runs along the seafront and marina every evening fills up with people watchers in its many bars and restaurants.   As always, I head for the oldest parts of town, where first of all I notice that this place has a very Spanish influence. Street names can be both in Italian and Catalan, going back to a time when the city was captured by the Aragonese. The San Francesco cloister is a true reminder of this era, its architecture dating back to the early 14^th century. During summer months this lovely building becomes a wonderful open air concert venue.  In Via Calberto, a main shopping street, you find many craftsmen selling local coral jewellery, much admired for its deep red colour. Likewise, silver filigree jewellery is also much sought after.

Porta Terra, looking a bit lonely as the
rest of ramparts have been destroyed.

As picturesque Alghero is, particularly in the evening, it is the scenery around this seaside town that attracts me most and most of all Capo Caccia, a unique area for nature lovers. This peninsula appears like a huge sculpture before you, as you travel north of the city. In the air you might be lucky to see one of the few surviving Sardinian Griffon vultures or the more common peregrine falcons and herring gulls, who all have a have a lot white cliffs to choose from as their nesting grounds. But keep your eyes on the ground, particularly if you decide to take the 654 steps down the Escala Cabriol, (the goat’s steps) to Neptune’s Cave filled with atmospheric stalactites and stalagmites. It was easy to get out here, on one of the sightseeing buses leaving from city centre. The trip takes 2 hours and was the best value ever had for 18 Euros. This is where you find the best beaches with plenty of space. f

As Alghero displays many historic sights, so does the countryside around. Here you can find may manifestations of the ancient Nuraghi people, who lived on this island in the 10^th-12^th century BC.


Next blog: Shopping and Delicious Food the Sardinian Way

Sardinia - this week, follow me on my travels through this spectacular island. Part One: Capital Caglieri

Capital Cagliari

Located on the southern coast if the island, Cagliari has always been a leading trading seaport between Eastern Mediterranean Europe and France and Spain. The oldest part of this bustling city is the Castello, sitting like a hat on top of the hill in the centre of town. You park the car outside the city walls and enter the city via the Porta Christina. Immediately to your left you 

Entry gate to museum area

find the former Arsenal, now housing the city’s most important museums; those of Archaeology, Oriental Art and the Municipal Art Gallery.The grid-like layout of the city makes

it easy to find your way around. Walking east along the Via Martini and you are soon standing outside the Town Hall. Inside is the helpful tourist office and on the first floor are

the Sala Della Rappresentanza and Sala del Consiglio Comunale, whose walls are decorated with numerous paintings of important events in Sardinian history. What struck me was the openness of the place, with no security checks or guards anywhere. Beautiful furniture and some antiques are on display. All 'wallpapers' were of jewel coloured silk and fabulous.

Sala del Consiglio Communale

The same road leads you down to the impressive Roma-nesque façade of the Cathedral on Piazza Palazzo, built by 

the Pisans in the 12^th century. Dedicated to Santa Maria, this place of worship is much decorated in different types of marble in a Baroque style. As it was Sunday the cathedral was packed full, with many locals and visitors choosing to sit on the wide steps outside, from where you could hear the ceremony and music in glorious sunshine.

Venue for monthly antique market

As you know, antiques are my biggest passion, and I was keen to explore the dedicated antique market on Piazza Carlo Alberto, which every website had assured me takes place every second Sunday of the month. I.e. the day I was there. Nobody though, had added the words ‘except for August' hm...but here is a picture of the square anyway. Some antique shops can be found in Via Marmora, but they were firmly closed. Oh well, time for lunch instead. We found this lovely trattoria in one of the many narrow alleyways in the Castello where lovely seafood was served with a delicious local wine.

Cathedral of Santa Maria

Castello side street

Trattoria in lovely alleyway

On the way back to the car, we noticed the remains of a Roman Amphitheater under which there is an underground world of burial chambers and Grottoes, stretching over a large area down toward the more modern district. There is also a Botanical Garden, 

but I left them for next time…

follow this cliffhanger story tomorrow - in Alghero

Today is Thursday - it means only one thing - Old Spitalfields Antique Market, London

There has been a market on this East London site since 1638, however and thankfully, the current buildings are from 1887. I love this market because of its eclectic feel.  It opens at 8am and immediately the area is buzzing with antique dealers, there to find new stock for their

London shops. By nine they have departed, laden with small furniture, vintage clothing, silver and real antique objects. By 11am, the atmosphere changes and you can suddenly hear a cacophony of different languages. Tourists from the Netherlands, China and Japan have by now finished their hotel breakfasts and are eager and keen to buy a treasure and some souvenirs to take back home. Things that are not too heavy and can fit in a suitcase.

…

Today I purchased a Scandinavian 1970s silver pendant and a Victorian beadwork bag . Both are great examples of beauty, of great craftsmanship but produced one hundred years apart.

All of a sudden a younger and trendier crowd start circulating. They all have one thing in common; they eat sandwiches as they walk around! We are next to the City of London and city workers come out at lunchtime to splash some cash.  Women tend to look for jewellery, as you simply cannot have too many sparkling gems, can you? The men look for boys’ toys of course, like old wooden stationary boxes, vintage tin plate toys or a present for a loved one.

Old Spitalfields Market  is also an inspirational source venue for many artists and designers. As the items for sale are anything from beautiful to beastly and anything in between. There are things here you never imagined existed!!

Dealers here are as eclectic and wonderful as their objects. They are knowledgeable and real experts and love the objects they deal in. You do not find that kind of expertise on the high street!

If you are new to this part of London, I urge you to discover more of Spitalfields. Walk in Jack the Ripper’s footsteps if you dare or spend some time taking in Dennis Severs House in nearby Folgate Street, it is just like stepping into and early 18^th Century painting. www.dennissevershouse.co.uk

If it is a Thursday – head for Spitalfields! You' ll love it. Liverpool Street tube and train station is just a short walk away. www.facebook.com/OldSpitalfieldsVintageFleaMarket

Next blog: Sardinia

An English summer day in Sussex. Arundel antiques and Castle

From London, Arundel is just under 2 hours away by car. We took the scenic route through the very picturesque villages of Fittleworth  and Petworth. Early as we were, I could see an elderly man giving his Highland Terrier its early morning walk and a young couple on the way home from getting the morning newspapers. A very idyllic scene all together. The landscape and buildings in this part of England could just be taken out of a Midsommer Murder mystery, or even Ms Marple. Lovely!

First antique hunting stop was Ford Airfield. The clue we were on the right track was the huge fighter plane parked at the entry to the airfield. Oddly enough it said: Royal Navy on the side of it…..?! This lovely start was now followed by immediate disappointment. Just clothes, toys and old household items, so made a quick escape and headed for the Arundel Racecourse Antique Fair. It was set out over two buildings and one large marquee. There were also some outside stalls, which we decided to check out first, as large dark clouds started to gather above. I love discovering new fairs as there is always something quirky you have never seen before. One lady had a huge collection of Churchill memorabilia. There was Churchill as jug, on a plate and even as a Toby jug.

At over £1000, it was too.....deer.

I purchased a lovely art nouveaux stick stand and a rare Sylvac figure of a frog. A Saddlers OKT42 Art Deco  tea pot was also in my bag on the way home.  We had brought a picnic lunch which we ate sitting on the grass at the race course. Lovely to see so many people wandering around and, like me, just discovering quirky objects from the past. Then it was time to head for the main reason most people love Arundel. 

The Castle.

It is right in the centre of town, and goes back to the days of William the Conqueror and the year 1067. It was damaged during the English Civil War and then restored in the last two centuries. It is to this day, the hereditary stately home of the Duke of Norfolk.  You can take a tour of the rooms as well as the gardens.  I also much enjoyed a jousting competition and felt very much transported back into medieval times.

Important events: Visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1846. Used as Windsor Castle in the Dr Who episode Silver Nemesis 1988, The Madness of King George 1994 and The Young Victoria 2008.

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Next week: Spitalfields Antiques Market, London