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A lovely farewell to Gozo

Well my last day in Gozo was not what I had planned or expected. Sometimes things work out the way they are supposed to,  The plan was to take a bus to Ramla Bay and then from there go into Victoria and explore a bit more.  However it turned out (to make a long story short) that the local bus was not running until later that day due to construction on the road to Marsalfon,  The bus bypassed my road entirely and carried on from Xaghra to Ramla Bay and the harbour.  So that left me either walking down to Marsalfon (been there, done that - no thanks) or walking uphill to Xaghra...nope.  My knee is starting to feel better so I didn't want to aggravate it again.  So I decided it was a designated rest day.  My journal needed to be updated and there was scads of things I could do or not do. 

Colin mentioned that there was a nice view of Ramla Bay within a 15 minute walk - well I knew it would be more than that and it turned out to be about 25 minutes each way with very little climbing.  Sold!  It was a pleasant interesting walk,


I don't know what these are but there are a lot around here. They are so pretty.


One of the elaborate houses along the way



Before long I arrived at the same time as a Hop on, Hop off bus so I cooled my heels while the hordes raced around and took photos.  I got myself a pastizzi which is a puff pastry filled with ricotta cheese or curried peas..I chose the cheese.  (My goal is to work my courage up to try the pea one - I will keep you posted) Once everyone had left I sat on a bench admiring the view..,.


Not exactly offensive to the eyeballs is it?  I think seeing it from above was better than actually going to it.


Looking the other way..


My pastizzi which was my lunch.



Someone liked my crumbs...,this was a tiny little thing.  Years ago one of these little geckos would give me a heart attack.  I remember when I was in Fiji in 1977 getting one of the staff to remove one from my room - I'd never seen one in my life (first trip to the tropics) and was absolutely terrified, in 1984 in Jamaica we named our resident gecko Jimmy but everytime it moved we screamed our heads off...this one ran right up to my shoe and I didn't flinch...okay I did...a bit...but I didn't jump up and run for my life.  However as I was leaving I saw a bigger ugly brown one scurrying off - now that one would have been worth a scream.  They are just too close to snakes for me and I don't do snakes. 

It was utter bliss sitting with this beautiful scenery around me and I thought how very lucky I am to be able to see things like this.  Yes I worked hard for it but I am fortunate to have good health and the financial resources to do this. 

All too soon the next bus of tourists rolled in and it was time to hit the road again...






When I got back Colin said he would drive me to the restaurant later...well turned out the restaurant was closed. I had wanted to go to this one as Colin had gone on about it and it was traditional food.  So he dropped me at the nearby Italian restaurant. Just before we left a mother/son from Switzerland had checked into the Bed and Breakfast.  Dina and her eleven year old son Mahir came to the restaurant shortly after I got there and she invited me to join them.  I thought why not and we had a very pleasant conversation.  Before they got there I had ordered veggies with hummus as a starter and a lamb dish.  And a glass of wine....hey it had been over a week since I'd had any!  As I hadn't eaten any evening meals in Gozo this was going to be my splurge "goodbye Gozo" meal.  The food when it arrived was heavenly...yes I took a picture but the lamb kind of looks like a dog's dinner but certainly didn't taste like it.  It was in small pieces and beautifully spiced - it came with potatoes and squash.  One of those meals you don't want to end but there was so much I just could not finish it. Oh dare I mention the waiter was HOT as in smokin'...if I was...um....forty years younger...okay forget that but oh my he was a cutie. When I returned from the restroom Dina immediately got up and went to the bar and I thought nothing of it - but thought it was strange that we didn't pay at the table.  I said to her "oh we pay at the bar?" and she said "don't worry, I paid yours".  I objected but she said she had enjoyed our conversation and it was nice to have company rather than just she and her son.  I must say her son was such a polite boy and so sweet - I was impressed.  I thanked her profusely as it was so unexpected and trust me it was not a cheap meal. What a lovely ending to the day!  I then wished I was staying on so I could treat her and her son to a meal but I guess I will just have to pay it forward to someone else. 

And that was my last day in Gozo! 

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