Giro d'Italia 2017
Posted: 05 May 2017, 11:19
2017 sees the 100th Giro d'Italia, starting today (Friday) from Alghero on the west coast of Sardinia.
Alghero's arms bear witness to the area's former rule by Aragon, and indeed its continuing linguistic links with Catalonia.
![Image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Alghero-Stemma.svg/400px-Alghero-Stemma.svg.png)
I could not immediately fathom what the red twig-like feature is on top of the rock. Surely not coral, I thought. But Wiki put me right:
The first stage finishes at Olbia
![Image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Olbia-Stemma.gif)
Whether the sea is intended to be azure and the sky bleu-celeste is a mystery (so far).
The arms of Sardinia feature four Moors' heads, that have been at various times bearded, bandaged around the head and blindfolded. From 1999 the Autonomous Region has had the heads facing sinister.
![Image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Sardegna-Stemma.svg/530px-Sardegna-Stemma.svg.png)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sardinia
Alghero's arms bear witness to the area's former rule by Aragon, and indeed its continuing linguistic links with Catalonia.
![Image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Alghero-Stemma.svg/400px-Alghero-Stemma.svg.png)
I could not immediately fathom what the red twig-like feature is on top of the rock. Surely not coral, I thought. But Wiki put me right:
Corallium Rubrum
The coral of Alghero, is known as among the finest in the Mediterranean and the world for the particular reputation of quantity, quality, compression and the ruby red color, much to remember one of the most important economic aspects of the territory, also called the Riviera del Corallo, and have in his coat of arms a branch of the precious red coral on a foundation of rock. For the particular combination with the jewelery and goldsmith craft is also called red gold so much so that it is sold at the same price of the precious metal.
The first stage finishes at Olbia
![Image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Olbia-Stemma.gif)
Whether the sea is intended to be azure and the sky bleu-celeste is a mystery (so far).
The arms of Sardinia feature four Moors' heads, that have been at various times bearded, bandaged around the head and blindfolded. From 1999 the Autonomous Region has had the heads facing sinister.
![Image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/33/Sardegna-Stemma.svg/530px-Sardegna-Stemma.svg.png)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Sardinia