May 2017 - Week 5

Monday 29th to Wednesday 31st May 2017

Monday we worked hard to clear our desks and by mid-afternoon we were on holiday! For dinner I made minestrone soup.

Tuesday we went to Gozo for a mini break! This time of year the sea is invariably flat as a pancake, so the ferry crossings are a cinch. We rented the same farmhouse in Qala as last time. On arrival we found the ground floor air conditioner wasn’t working. The handyman came around straight away and explained the wiring was loose and showed us how to push the fuse plate against the wall to get it working. Only in Malta, as they say. The house is ideal though. It’s in a great position – dead quiet and a short walk to the main square with its bars and restaurants – and it has a pool which is a real boon this time of year.

We drove down to Hondoq for brunch by the sea; a tuna ftira for Sam and a cheese toasty and a Magnum for me. Nobody said this was going to be a healthy break. We went for our now ubiquitous grand tour visiting Marsalforn, Xaghra, Ramla Bay and Lidl for supplies. We spent a couple of hours by the pool, swimming and sunbathing.

In the evening we went to a bar in the square. It is a very old fashioned place, doubling up as the local shop. The customers – mostly Maltese men – came to drink beer, tea and water and to buy chocolate bars, cigarettes and ice creams. Most seemed to be running a tab and very little money changed hands. The young barman joins in, freely helping himself to drinks and snacks. He somehow seems to remember what everyone has had even though many of the locals seem to just help themselves to whatever takes their fancy.

There is a great little rustic restaurant next door to the bar called Ta Vestru. It only has four tables inside and a couple outside blocking the narrow pavement. We sat inside and enjoyed great food and service. I had a goat cheese, fig and walnut spring roll followed by a mixed cheese (peppered goats cheese, soft goats cheese, smoked cheese and parmesan) salad with strawberries, pears, apples, kiwi, tomatoes, cucumber and leaves. Sam had rabbit stewed in tomatoes and herbs. For pudding we shared an amazing home-made apple crumble, ricotta and chocolate cheesecake.

After dinner we went back to the bar to soak up the atmosphere and watch the drink-drivers’ near misses while sipping ridiculously cheap Drambuie.

Wednesday I went out early while Sam had a leisurely start. I stopped at Tamarisk in Victoria for a cappuccino and a pea pastizzi for my breakfast before exploring the windy streets of the old quarter of Rabat. (Victoria and Rabat are the same place.) I picked Sam up and we went to see the site of the recently collapsed Azure Window. The site has now been officially renamed the Blue Hole! I don’t know, these marketing people.

We went to a waterside restaurant in Xlendi for lunch. Sam had the Maltese mixed plate (basically a mixed salad with added beans, olives, tuna and bean paste) and I had a cheese salad. We hit the pool for a swim in the afternoon. We also embraced the Gozitan tradition and had siestas every afternoon; very civilised.

In the evening we caught a bus for the short ride down to Mgarr which hosts the marina and the ferry port. We sat on the terrace of a bar overlooking the marina and fell into conversation with a bunch of likeable expats; 3 English and 1 Dutch. Gozo is a very sociable place and somewhere to strike up friendships with both expats and locals far more readily than in Malta. We went to the local Chinese restaurant for mostly good food. We had mixed starters, duck and pancakes, crispy beef and fried noodles. Malta and Gozo are in the throes of election fever with a general election due on Saturday. The Maltese are quite passionate about politics and the restaurants are very quiet as locals stay indoors to watch TV election specials or go to join massive political rallies.