Cultivating nice people in Sardinia.

My new-found dentist, Rien Uitenbosch, came to Sardinia 25 years ago. And he's stayed. And one reason for that is the lifestyle. 'It's slower-paced living,' Uitenbosch told me. And I couldn't agree more. Another reason why I'm in love with Sardinia. It's paradise. And one of the things that makes it so are the people. They tend to be laid-back. Easy-going. Despite economic worries and difficulties. Maybe it's the climate. Or the surroundings. Everything from mountains to rolling meadows to an endless array of beaches on the Mediterranean Sea. Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, about 120 miles off the Italian boot. And it's also the home of my Italian true love. With whom I have been living this winter. Anyway, it's nice that Uitenbosch has fortified my impressions about Sardinia. He fixed a chipped crown on one my precious teeth this morning. Did a superb job. I suspect that if I had gone to my dentist in Minnesota, he would have recommended a new crown at a cost of over $800. Uitenbosch's handiwork was a much cheaper alternative. Costing 150 euros, a little less than $200. He's a classy dentist. And versatile. Even does root canals and dental implants. And he speaks English. He's Dutch. Coming from the Netherlands. Uitenbosch settled in Sardinia because the dentists were few and far between. There are more of 'em now. But still, not nearly as many as one finds per capita in the U.S. And Uitenbosch's services are reasonably priced, at least when compared to the U.S. Uitenbosch's wife, Monique Rach, is a dentist, too. They are in the same practice together. I want to take both out to lunch some day. Maybe when I return next autumn. They're nice people. Worth knowing. That's become one of my favorite pastimes. Cultivating nice people. In Sardinia. --Jim Broede