Zebbug
At last we were able to repay some of the kindness we have been shown by doing a bit of housework – well, if you can call it that. Vivi went shopping with Tess and I fiddled about and the house looks very different now!
View of the courtyard from Tess' roof.
It was most exciting being able to shop for the first time in a few months, and I was agog with so much choice, but managed to only buy a new t shirt, as I know there is not a millimetre of room in my panniers. I now have to decide what to throw away to fit it in.
On the way home, Tess and I were feeling pretty cool - the sun was shining and the roof was down on the Mini Clubman. It had rained earlier, and whilst we were chattering a car overtook us and hit one of the many potholes. A tidal wave came straight in over the windscreen and we were completely drenched. We were so taken aback we were temporarily silenced! How Tess kept on the road I have no idea. Our hair, clothes and most of the purchases were covered in a good mix of diesel and muddy water.
Later in the afternoon we took the neglected bikes out for a further exploration of the island and another attempt at the highest point. (I have to say at this point that Alec thinks of his bike as being a bit like a dog that needs to be exercised each day; I am not of the same opinion, and think it would like the odd day off!) Country Malta is only ten minutes away from city Malta but the tranquility of the former with it’s stone walls, wild flowers, tiny fields of wheat and wild birds and butterflies is heaven.
On the way home, Tess and I were feeling pretty cool - the sun was shining and the roof was down on the Mini Clubman. It had rained earlier, and whilst we were chattering a car overtook us and hit one of the many potholes. A tidal wave came straight in over the windscreen and we were completely drenched. We were so taken aback we were temporarily silenced! How Tess kept on the road I have no idea. Our hair, clothes and most of the purchases were covered in a good mix of diesel and muddy water.
Later in the afternoon we took the neglected bikes out for a further exploration of the island and another attempt at the highest point. (I have to say at this point that Alec thinks of his bike as being a bit like a dog that needs to be exercised each day; I am not of the same opinion, and think it would like the odd day off!) Country Malta is only ten minutes away from city Malta but the tranquility of the former with it’s stone walls, wild flowers, tiny fields of wheat and wild birds and butterflies is heaven.
Needless to say we took the wrong road which led us to Verdala Palace, perched on top of one hill well hidden by a high wall and from where we had a perfect view of the highest point which was one valley over!
We had another very happy evening with lots of laughs.
On Sunday the bikes were allowed a day off as Tess cooked the most superb lunch and as all good Sunday lunches go, it continued until 7.00 pm. We met the nicest people and have discovered that the Maltese are fantastically hospitable and it has been a joy to learn so much about the island. As a result of Sunday lunch we were invited to visit the North of the island by David and Felixa so packed our bags and finally left Tess to a bit of peace and quiet on Monday morning.
We had another very happy evening with lots of laughs.
On Sunday the bikes were allowed a day off as Tess cooked the most superb lunch and as all good Sunday lunches go, it continued until 7.00 pm. We met the nicest people and have discovered that the Maltese are fantastically hospitable and it has been a joy to learn so much about the island. As a result of Sunday lunch we were invited to visit the North of the island by David and Felixa so packed our bags and finally left Tess to a bit of peace and quiet on Monday morning.
We headed over the ridge past Naxxar and dropped down the steepest escarpment which was a fairly scary descent from about 400 feet above sea level and the brakes screeched all the way down upsetting the local dogs. There were fabulous views from the top, looking over the North of the Island and you have a very good view of the Victoria Lines. This is a wall running right across the breadth of Malta separating north from south to act as a mid way line of defence to protect the islanders from invasion through the centuries - against the Saracens and more recent enemies.
Victoria Lines from the escarpment
We arrived in time for the most delicious lunch eaten alfresco in the garden of their lovely home – we were given some of the delicious Maltese goat’s cheese amongst a host of amazing flavours including some halva which is a bit like nougat only better. We had no firm plans but were torn between catching the ferry back to Sicily or should we visit the Island of Gozo since we are so near. Before we knew it, we had been persuaded to leave the bikes and leap into a Barchetta 595
AA and the Barchetta!
AA and the Barchetta!
to catch the ferry to Gozo! It is a beautiful little car and to a non car-enthusiast girl, looks very much like the one Noddy and Big Ears went about in, except it was green, not yellow! David has a sensational collection of cars all in a state of utter perfection or being groomed to be so in the near future. He did the Peking to Paris Rally the same year as Murray and my cousin Geoff Dorey. Since then he has also done the Cairo to Capetown (several times) and it has to be said that what he doesn’t know about cars isn’t worth knowing!
So, vroom vroom a couple of tweaks by David and Felixa’s brother Garth, the car was running, we were booked into the St Patrick’s hotel Xlendi and we were on our way to Gozo! The sun was shining and we were rattling along at what felt like ‘breakneck’ speed with the wind in her hair and all was good with the world. When I had the car in fourth and we were doing 31mph (I suppose it was MPH and not K’s) Vivi suggested that we might be going a little too fast but once I’d got the hang of going around and not through the Maltese potholes, some of which must have been put there by an excavator, the journey settled into a blissful adventure. We missed the 6pm ferry to Gozo, but were on the 7pm which meant there was plenty of time to attract admiring glances and comments from the other car drivers – funny how a man can step out of a Mercedes Benz to tell you your 600cc home made Barchetta is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, makes you wonder what his wife is like!
Felixa had told us of a couple of restaurants in Xlendi which we ought to try, unfortunately one was closed and the other wouldn’t let us in because it was quiz night. So we saved ourselves a fortune and ate Gozo Rabbit in the hotel which is a ‘speciality’ and it really was extremely good.
So, vroom vroom a couple of tweaks by David and Felixa’s brother Garth, the car was running, we were booked into the St Patrick’s hotel Xlendi and we were on our way to Gozo! The sun was shining and we were rattling along at what felt like ‘breakneck’ speed with the wind in her hair and all was good with the world. When I had the car in fourth and we were doing 31mph (I suppose it was MPH and not K’s) Vivi suggested that we might be going a little too fast but once I’d got the hang of going around and not through the Maltese potholes, some of which must have been put there by an excavator, the journey settled into a blissful adventure. We missed the 6pm ferry to Gozo, but were on the 7pm which meant there was plenty of time to attract admiring glances and comments from the other car drivers – funny how a man can step out of a Mercedes Benz to tell you your 600cc home made Barchetta is the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen, makes you wonder what his wife is like!
Felixa had told us of a couple of restaurants in Xlendi which we ought to try, unfortunately one was closed and the other wouldn’t let us in because it was quiz night. So we saved ourselves a fortune and ate Gozo Rabbit in the hotel which is a ‘speciality’ and it really was extremely good.
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