would be grateful for any break in the rain. I loaded up my bike and headed out
into a day that soon boasted a totally blue sky. I'm always grateful for a
pretty day but especially when rain threatens. The wind from the west made my
ride harder but not as bad as if it had been from the north. I pedaled back up
the coast by Bugibba and then hit some arduous hills. The heavily laden bike
made me work for ever mile. Hills mean views and I had a great one looking back
at St. Paul's Bay after I finally made it to the top of Mellieha Ridge. I raced
down the other side and passed next to Mellieha Bay and climbed Marfa Ridge
before dropping all the way back to sea level at the ferry landing. I tried to find a place to buy a ticket but was waved on the ferry with the cars and
directed
to the port side where I secured my bike and went looking for a ticket seller. I
found none and was preparing an alibi about being a foreigner on his first visit
to Malta. It eventually turned out that you pay only on the return trip. Where
else are you going to go? They served food and beverages on the ferry, and I was
famished after my ride. However, the ship and the views fascinated me, and food
would have to wait. We passed a sister ship on our left and the tiny island of
Comino on our right. Comino has a hotel but all I could see was utterly barren.
Waves made the cruise
an adventure but not uncomfortable for a land lover. Soon we came into the
harbor of Mgarr. That g is supposed to have a dot over it so that it is
pronounced like a j. A big church made a dramatic back drop for the harbor where
we docked. I pedaled off the ship and through a crowd of touts and headed up the
hill. I found food at a grocery store and ate outside in a park by the church
and enjoyed a view of the harbor, Comino, Malta,
and another ferry heading toward Gozo.
Gozo is a third the size of Malta but has only a tenth as many people so I hoped to find less traffic. I did quite well to start because the road I was taking to Victoria, the
main
city, had been closed for construction. Not being familiar with a detour and
loath to go down a hill I had just scaled I decided to push on by the barrier.
It turned out the be a paving operation that left plenty of room for me and the
police officer overseeing the project waved as I rode by. I had my own private
road. I soon connected with the main road, a rather unpleasant affair but did
get a nice view of the ramparts of the Citadel, a fortress built around 1600
after the Seige of Malta. When I got into the pleasant and bustling town
of Victoria I couldn't resist climbing to
the gate of the Citadel and taking a peek at
the cathedral. Hopefully the weather will
allow me another chance to visit when I'm fresh. After spending some quality
time watching life go by over a coffee at a sidewalk cafe, I took the road to
Marsalforn here I had reservations for three nights at the Atlantis Hotel; what a luxury to not move again for three days. Tourists come in droves during beach season, but these days Marsalforn looks a little forlorn. To make it worse, the winds that had pushed me around all weekend had flooded the waterfront. Dirt and debris covered the main street and the area seemed deserted accept for a few shops
with
optimistic displays of brightly colored t-shirts on the grubby sidewalk. At the
waterfront I spied an inviting set our outdoor restaurants.
The harbor lay protected from the wind and the sun made being outside inviting
so I sat next to the water and ate tangy fish soup with clams and shrimp. It
seemed a pity to eat alone in such a romantic spot but the only one I want to
eat with is Paula who can't get away at Christmas just now. After a nap I rode
north along the coast and discovered the yellow rock. I saw the rock from the
road and then saw a truck parked down there and found the ramp. I was worried
that it might be slick but it provided good traction and was smooth enough for a
good ride along the surf, The Lonely Planet tells me that the yellow rock is
actually Globigerina Limestone which is easily worked and many buildings are
made of it. There's a Yellow
Rock Pub in Marsalforn. Carved into the yellow rock are dozens if not hundreds
of salt pans, shallow rectangles carved into the rock and filled with sea water.
Presumably the water evaporates in warm weather leaving salt. I followed that
narrow track of a road through some brushy countryside and rode up to Zebbug, a
climb I didn't need but they had a pretty church
and a nice view of my new home in Marsalforn.
I had dinner at the Hotel Atlantis where I'm staying for 10.75 lira which
includes breakfast. We're a small group of foreigners in the off season and
everyone greets everyone at dinner and breakfast. 
The next morning the sun came out again, what a blessing. I went up a huge hill to Xaghra before breakfast. There I go the same thing as Zebbug, a pretty church in a little square and a great view, this time in the early morning. Good thing I don't get tired of those things. Each little town has such a pretty church and it must be a source of pride. The views get more fun as I stay longer because I begin to know what I'm seeing. With the island almost devoid of trees and very hilly views are as common as rock walls. I could see the citadel at Victoria and Zebbug, the climb I made the night before. After chatting with a little with my hotel mates I pedaled down the yellow rock
road
and headed toward the lighthouse I had seen the
night before. As I rode through the scrub brush it beckoned to me. I found the
road and it was the steepest I've encountered yet. I'm only a little embarrassed
to admit I walked a portion of it. When I got to the top I had a nice view
to the west towards the towns of Gharb and San Lawrenz. The path up to the
lighthouse was closed with a danger sign. Since there was no one around I was
tempted to continue but imagined a headline "American killed by rock slide;
ignored warning in English." Besides when I push my luck I like to be able
to plead ignorance; that would have been difficult in this case. 
From the tower I rode past the striking Basilica of Ta'Pinu, a shrine to the Virgin
Mary that, unlike other churches, is off all by itself. I enjoyed another view
of it and the Lighthouse from Gharb where I saw lemon trees laden with fruit.
The towns of Gharb and San Lawrenz
had pretty churches on squares so much alike I wondered at first if winding my 
way
through the narrow streets and making endless extra turns due to one way signs I
had made a big circle. I stopped at a little store in San Lawrenz and got the
best bread I've eaten on Malta and at it with cheese on a little bench across
the square. Refreshed and ready to tackle another big hill I road down to Dwerja, where on the long descent I saw a rainbow over the popular natural formation. I arrived to an almost empty area and had a few minutes before mini-busses and full sized busses began to arrive like Christmas shoppers. Soon the area reminded me of a fire ant hill back in South Carolina.
I loved the magnificent azure window shown here with me but click here to see without my mug. The surface was incredibly rough and seemed it would wear shoes out in a short time. I saw pieces of sea shells and sand dollars that the Lonely Planet
says are fossils. They looked just like regular shells but they were in the
rock. The inland sea is a large pool that
from just the right angle you can look through a cave to the ocean. There's also
a cute chapel on the property. The area was
free, clean and easily accessible. Hurray for Gozo!
The rainbow turned to rain, but not until after I got my pictures. The tourists headed back to the bus as I started to long climb. I got pretty wet but not cold because I was working too hard. Eventually the road leveled out and I needed my polypropylene
undershirt
which I had removed on the arduous climb up to the lighthouse. Before the day
was over I'd take it off and put it on again. By the time I got to Victoria the
sun had come out but I was rather dirty. I thought back to my discussion of the
yellow rock with the woman at the hotel. She said it creates a lot of dust when
they mine and cut it and she has to dust everyday. I think that is what now
covered my legs, butt and back. Hey, the sun is shining in Malta, no problem.
After coffee outdoors in Victoria I went up a tiny back road to Xaghra, the same
town I visited this morning. I wanted to see the 5,000 year old temples but they
were closed. However, I got a fabulous view of the Citadel at Victoria. Here's
another shot I couldn't decide which to use.
I passed by a windmill in Xaghra that looked just like the one in Safi. Then I
looked down over another valley at Ramla Bay. I
rode down there and sat for a long time enjoying the red sand of a beach that is
purported to be jammed in warmer times. One more big climb and it was time to
circle back to Marsalforn and call it a day with 35 miles of hills and narrow
roads behind me.
The next day I planned to ride to Xlendi.