John Edward Cooper’s Notes

Day 5: Malta to Gozo B/D
Depart in the morning for a short twenty minute ferry crossing to Malta’s sister island Gozo. On arrival you’ll check into the 4-star Cornucopia Hotel.

Revised itinerary


… We went for breakfast ca.9am, went back up for the cases ca.9.30am, then down and checked out, and boarded the minibus ca.9.45am. The first part of the journey to Gozo followed the route of yesterday to St. Paul’s Bay, and we saw St. Paul’s Island and the statue of St. Paul to the right as we passed. We arrived at the ferry terminal and boarded the large ship ca.10.30am. Janet and I went to the quite crowded cafeteria and had Diet Coke.


Monday 21 September 2015 — 10:48:02
In the cafeteria of the M.V. Malita


Monday 21 September 2015 — 10:54:12
Approaching Mġarr Harbour, Gozo


Monday 21 September 2015 — 10:54:38
Għajnsielem Parish Church (left) and Lourdes Chapel with its underlying niche of Our Lady of Lourdes (right)


Monday 21 September 2015 — 10:56:14
Aboard the M.V. Malita


Monday 21 September 2015 — 10:58:22
Approaching Mġarr Harbour, Gozo


Monday 21 September 2015 — 10:58:22 (detail)
Lourdes Chapel with its underlying niche of Our Lady of Lourdes (left) and Għajnsielem Parish Church (right)

We docked a little after 11am, met up outside the terminal and were taken by minibus to the hotel in Xagħra. Our luggage had been transferred separately by van.


Monday 21 September 2015 — 11:27:28
Cornucopia Hotel, Xagħra


Monday 21 September 2015 — 11:27:28 (detail)
Our guide Cynthia


Monday 21 September 2015 — 11:46:18
Cornucopia Hotel, Xagħra

Check-in was supposed to be 2pm, so we couldn’t go to the room. We filled in a registration form, then went out and found our way to the piazza with a stone cross at one end and the large church at the other. It was hot and sunny today, mitigated by a fairly strong wind. There weren’t many people around, nor much traffic on the road, because today was a public holiday — Independence Day, Jum l’Indipendenza — but there was a greengrocer’s open just by the piazza, where we bought supplies of pop and water — and I bought a 95cl can of Schwarzbier. I teased the shopkeeper by saying to her that it was the Day of Independence from the British yoke!


Monday 21 September 2015 — 11:57:42
Xagħra

There were some bars and cafés open, and we decided to go in one just behind the cross: Breeze Restaurant. Frank and Patsy were there. I ordered a pepperoni pizza and a 0.5ℓ carafe of red wine. Janet just had diet cola. I was very surprised and evidently had a look of dismay when a piece of toast with chopped tomatoes and basil was brought to the table! Frank said it was a free starter. The pizza was large and substantial. We went back to the hotel ca.1.30pm, but the room still wasn’t prepared.


Monday 21 September 2015 — 13:27:24
Pjazza Vittorja, Xagħra


Monday 21 September 2015 — 13:27:24 (detail)
Parish Church of Marija Bambina, Xagħra


Monday 21 September 2015 — 13:30:46
Headquarters of the Gozitan branch of the Emeralds, Mallards, Broadswords and Hellfires Club in Xagħra


Monday 21 September 2015 — 13:31:04
Motto of the Emeralds, Mallards, Broadswords and Hellfires Club: “Victoire!”


Monday 21 September 2015 — 13:35:00
Prickly pear


Monday 21 September 2015 — 13:35:38
One of many bas relief icons seen on house walls
“ĠESU MARIJA ĠUŻEPPI”

We had drinks from the bar — Janet was pleased that the cola was Pepsi Diet, and I had a pint of Cisk on draught. Frank and Patsy joined us. It was after 3pm when we were issued with the room key, so wheeled our cases and lugged them up some steps to the more or less seaward facing room. Janet did some unpacking and sorting. We walked back to the piazza because we wanted to look inside the church.


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:07:48
Parish Church of Marija Bambina, Xagħra


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:07:48 (detail)
Correct time on the right clock


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:07:48 (detail)
A time just before midnight on the left clock — to keep the devil forever waiting for the witching hour!


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:07:48 (detail)
Dedication “VIRGINI NASCENTI” (“to the Virgin being born”)


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:07:48 (detail)
Triple-barred cross, indicating that this is a basilica

But when we entered the right one of two porches we heard the sound of an incanting voice inside, and when I quietly opened the inner door I heard the repeated ringing of a bell and saw people seated in an attitude of devotion; so we didn’t go in. We walked down the road passing the left side of the church, decided it wouldn’t lead us anywhere interesting, turned back, and decided to look in the church again. The mass had finished, and there were still a few people coming out, so we slipped in and sat at the back. The church was only very dimly lit. There were people ahead of us praying, so we respected them by not wandering around. The camera was in “silent” made so I took a few photos.


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:34:46
Parish Church of Marija Bambina, Xagħra


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:35:12
Parish Church of Marija Bambina, Xagħra


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:49:42
Mosaic of the Fifth Station of the Cross


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:50:48
Parish Church of Marija Bambina, Xagħra


Monday 21 September 2015 — 17:52:02
Saint Andrew on the Day of Pentecost

Back to the hotel again, ca.6pm, to the room, then to the bar for an “aperativo” — I had Campari and soda — before dinner at 7pm. We had a table for two, i.e. didn’t sit with any others of the Mercury group. I had vegetable soup and Janet had a shrimp salad on which she’d asked them not to put any dressing. Janet had a type of Mediterranean fish, but felt a bit sickened when its tomato sauce contained various disgusting invertebrates (bits of squid and octopus). She scooped them out, put them on a side plate and covered them. I had kebabs with a mixture of meats, OK except one of the ingredients of the sauce was honey which I think has a disagreeable taste. I had a 0.5ℓ carafe of red wine — so I guess there’s been a week’s worth of alcohol consumption today! Neither of us wanted a sweet, so we left. … We went to bed, ca.9.45pm.

[Tuesday 22 September 2015]