It was a sunny but hazy morning as we hurried through breakfast and our morning routine.

We boarded the coach bus for day’s tour and it seemed to take forever to get out of the port. We maneuvered through traffic and our guide gave us some of the history of the region as we trudged along.

The Devil’s Saddle on the coast of Sardinia.

It felt like as soon as we actually started moving, we were stopping at an overlook for a panoramic view of the area. We had Cagliari on one side and the Devil’s Saddle on the other.

The Devil’s Saddle is a natural rock formation, jutting out into the sea. The legend says that the Devil loved the beauty of the Cagliari coast. God sent Archangel Michael with an army of angels to banish Lucifer. During the battle, Lucifer was thrown from his horse, losing his seat which later turned to stone.

Cagliari is the capital city of the Italian island of Sardinia.  It has about 150,000 residents and is the largest city on the island.

Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy.

It was a nice little stop, not rushed and some great views. The haze hadn’t burned off so my pictures don’t really do it justice.

Archaeological Site of Nora. Nora is located on a peninsula. A portion of it is submerged because the southern part of Sardinia is slowly sinking into the Mediterranean Sea.  An ancient Roman town, only part of Nora has been excavated because much of it is under the control of the Italian Army. The part that has been excavated is not nearly as impressive as the ruins of Pompeii, but jutting out into the ocean, it’s a wonder that this much has survived.

From Nora, the skies over Sardinia.

There’s a substantial amount of walking, nothing treacherous–  just getting to the site from the parking. Along the way is a beautiful public beach, a rocky coast line and on the other side- a nice view of the island’s mountains.

At the actual entrance, there is a nice little cafe where we stopped to use the facilities while our guide purchased our tickets.

We entered the site and the guide stopped to talk… and talk…. and talk. True to form, Michael and I got bored and decided to wander off, keeping the group in sight so we didn’t repeat our Pompeii incident.

At one point as we were wandering, Michael’s attention was drawn one direction and I walked off in another. Suddenly, alarms were going off– which I ignored– until they sounded a second time. There was also an announcement to return to the main path. I still wasn’t sure it was me until I turn back the direction I’d come from and saw two of those small security cameras pointed my direction. I’m still not sure exactly why the area was restricted. It wasn’t marked, it wasn’t roped off and looked no different than the rest of the pathways. I guess this is why you’re supposed to follow your guide!

Much of the ruins of Nora look like this.

Excavated Walls of the Ruins of Nora.

Portions of a surviving mosaic floor.

The Ruins of Nora set against a stunning backdrop.

We were given very little time to explore so we made the most of it. As it turns out, had there been time, we could have gone out and explored one of the two watch towers on the site.

One of two watch towers at Nora.

I’d highly recommend that anyone interested in visiting Nora, make it a relaxing day trip and plan on some beach time while you’re there. Though the ruins themselves aren’t spectacular, the location and views are. A lovely place to spend a relaxing day.

Autograph Session, Part Due. Back on the ship, we went to the second autograph session with the other half of the performers. Immediately following, we went to dinner, excitement building for the headline performance to follow.

Our framed, autographed poster from Broadway On the High Seas 7.

Chita Rivera in Concert.  Who hasn’t heard of Chita Rivera? The legendary star of such Broadway musicals as Can-Can, West Side Story, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman and most recently, The Visit. She’s a Broadway Icon.

Chita Rivera.

Michael and I had seen her on Broadway twice before. The Dancer’s Life (2005), was a sort of retrospective of her life and career; and the revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, played Broadway in 2012.

Her concert for us tonight, was a mix of interview and song. It featured many wonderful numbers from her illustrious career. I was most thrilled that she sang “Chief Cook & Bottle Washer”, from the musical The Rink, in which she co-starred with Liza Minnelli in 1984.

Of course, the audience loved her! She might have even given the longest concert ever on a BOTHS cruise.

The legendary Chita Rivera.

Chita Rivera in Concert.

Tomorrow is our last full day of the cruise and we’re visiting Bonifacio, Corsica, France.