We already learned that Malta is a charming island, with nice people who do not drive on the right side of the road. And we've checked out what is (apart from Malta only other permanently inhabited island) Gozo like in the following days. To the north we visited Popeye's village, which reached the child in us. One day we explored Gozo, which –maybe even more than Malta – fascinated us.
Child for the rest of my life
After lunch we continued to the north of the island. We already got down all the bus schedules, early arrivals, running late and running along side the bus for the driver to stop. We changed two buses and after an hour's drive reached the village of Popeye. I was just a tad embaresed when two drivers gave us the strange look, making the point that the village is for the children, but as we said we knew and that we still want to go there, they stopped (and I don't want to know what they were thinking). We had so much fun that day as the village really is "the best". It's the place that was the set of the 1980 Popeye movie and the house where he lived still stands there, waiting for a reconstruction (as it's about to implode). The whole thing is an outdoor museum where you can have fun any time of the year, but it's most fun in the warm months, with many pools and a shallow and clear bay, inviting you all to have a swim.
An arrogant and bored ticket sale woman sold us the tickets and crossed out the ship on the map, saying it doesn't run this day. OK so we won't get a boat ride, we thought and got in. We didn't even get all the way down the hill with many fairy tale like houses, when a boy from the boat asked us if we'd like a ride. So we spend half an hour in the boat on the emerald clear sea, rocks, strange shapes and got to learn about Popeye, Gozo and life on Malta from our boatman. Wind in our hair, endless sea around us and the carelessness of a vacation – cream of the crop! Later on we visited each house of Popeye's village and became childish – as I've said: child for the rest of my life. We took photos with Popeye and his Olive Oil and from the lookout tower saw the fairy tale world underneath and enjoyed Rum Punch by the sunset. You don't do that every day.
Charming Kalypso, uninterested lover and a two-toothed old lady
In contrast to the larger Malta, which boasts with mundane resorts and cultural pearls, the smaller Gozo offers unspoiled countryside and calm. It's heart is the Citadel, the capital of the island, from where you get a great view of everything around you. The island is paradise for hikers, which we had to try out. Some way planned, some was not, as we just went on along.
The local bus took us to the bay ferry and we headed forth to the bay of Ramla. While walking down the asphalt road wining like a snake in front of us, passing the sign with sun-faded letters saying Ramla bay and an arrow pointing the way with sun burned landscape to the left and right, all alone with no living soul in sight, we were aware there's only one more late afternoon bus, I must admit we had a bad taste in our mouths we had to swallow. We followed the arrow and fifteen minutes later saw the only brown sand beach on Gozo, with a handful of tourists (you could count them on one hand, with fingers left over), who came – like us – to see the beach. And we were all cursing the orange sand while trying to get it out of our shoes. We went up the hill with steep terraces to the top and realized there's the cave of Kalypso hidden here. Sounds familiar? Yes, it's Homer's nymph that seduced Odysseus! The cave is closed off to the public due to renovation. The locals say that the end of the cave features a splendid view of the sea. With such a view it's easy to imagine a charming nymph whispering sweet nothings into an uninterested lover's ears.
We also met an old woman, with exactly two teeth, scarf, long skirt and sandals over white socks. She was so happy to talk to us, as if she hadn't had a person to talk to in days … or was just really nice. With broken English and many hand signs she showed us a way to the temple. We followed her instructions and only got lost once, chose the streets based on our intuition and came to the 5 millennia and a half old temple of Ggantija, one of best preserved and under UNESCO protection. It's interesting to see, but nothing really special and the student's valet got 9€ lighter (a bit more). We just reached the station in time to wave the bus bye-bye and tried our luck (in vain) hitchhiking (there's always a first) while waiting for the next bus – disappointed. A local lad sweeping the sidewalk kept our spirits high and talked to us every now and again in to so perfect English – and to himself every once in a while – looking at the Citadel and waving with hands.
Unattained nature of Gozo
We went forth to the westernmost point of the island. After an hour's drive from the Citadel, when houses became rare, down the winding road in midst of green landscape, we reached the most western point of the island. This part of the coast is called Dwejra. The coast is charming – until dark falls – with its untainted, wild, sea wave shaped, spectacular rock formations and windy capes. Seeing the strange robust rocks in the see the huge natural window almost 100m tall and passes between rocks we started contemplating the force of nature. There were signs warning of the steep fall, but we went to the end of the cape (almost) to get a great photo. The pleasant giggle while skipping on rocky ground full of cracks filled with sea water (not getting wet) became an anxiety attack after it got dark (two hours later) and we, along with three more light-hearted visitors turned back too late. In pitch darkness, with no flashlights and the phone batteries which were dead by now, we were cursing in Slovene (which nobody understood) and hoping a bus would come. It did …
The last day was really hard, as the week was over way too soon. We saw most of the must see things, but there were still items unchecked on our list. Our vacation on Malta was beautiful and unique and I can say it's hard to repeat such an adventure (and that's the way it should be). I'll always keep the memory of the sunset in Popeye's village in my heart, the visit of dr. Edward de Bon at his home in Rabat, a newly gained friendship with a Somalian (my first black friend) which formed on the bus from the hostel to La Valletta, my first (unsuccessful) hitchhiking attempt, the panic attack in the pitch black of Dwejra, beautiful cliffs and one of the best coastlines in the world!
If you don't go you don't have a story!
