Corsica Tuesday 19th May

View from our ship at berth in Calvi

Mountain villages in the Balagna region

Best grapefruit juice here - ever

Gorgeous views over the flat plains to the east

Back in Calvi

Calvi, Corsica
Our very clever captain - with the help of an obliging pilot and perfect weather conditions - was able to berth alongside the pier this morning instead of lying at anchor in the harbour.  This meant that we were only minutes from the town and didn't have to rely on tender boats to come and go.
Calvi is a stunning looking port and our guided tour this morning took us to some of the most picturesque villages in the Balagna region.
Our guide, Isabella, gave us information about just about every aspect of Corsican history, geography, daily life, primary industry, culture and education while giving us plenty of opportunities to take photos as we negotiated hairpin turns up and down the mountains that are barely wide enough for vehicles to pass.  There were several heart stopping moments when I wasn't sure whether we still had all four wheels in contact with the ground any more.
We also had a very welcome stop to sample the local citrus drinks. Vaughan declared his grapefruit juice as the best he's ever tasted.  My lemon juice packed a huge pucker until I added a little water.
The Corsicans have had a turbulent history - with efforts to achieve independence going back hundreds of years.  They have been subjugated by the Genoese, the French and even the British for a short while.  They are currently still under French control - but there is a degree of autonomy nowadays.  There is still a movement towards true independence but the last election saw the people voting to remain part of France.
In the early days of French rule - in the late 1700s, the Corsican language was banned,  the university was closed down and goods produced on the island were severely taxed.  It has taken a long time for this to be corrected, but now schools are bilingual, the university was reinstated and tourists are very welcome.
They are also very proud of their pristine environment, having very strict rules about coastal protection and preserving the maquis (sp): vast tracts of wildflowers found on the mountain sides that have medicinal properties.
Not only is Corsica the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, but Christopher Columbus is also widely believed to have been born in Calvi. (We have seen his tomb in Seville, Spain).
Corsica is an island of extremes and reminds me a little of Tasmania.  Everything is in such close reach.  It has snowfields and beaches only minutes apart, and mountain ranges and wetlands.  (Malaria was a problem here for centuries.) Right now it is very green too.
There is surprisingly little fishing considering its island status (coastal industries never prospered due to raids from pirates) but shepherding prospered in the mountains.  Foods associated with Corsica include the typical Mediterranean fare of lemons and other citrus fruits, olives and wine, but they use a lot of lamb, veal, goat (at Christmas), cured meats and wild boar too.  Corsica is largely self sufficient with fruit and vegetables except in the tourist season when their population balloons way past its usual 350k.
If it were not for the terrifying hairpin bends in the hills, I think I would be happy to hire a car and spend a week or more here. 
Our bus was the last group back at the dock and once we were aboard, we set sail for our next port, Tangiers in Morocco.  We will have nearly two days at sea.  We won't have time to be bored with Trivia quizzes, destination lectures and other entertainment arranged through the day.