My husband, son and I have just arrived in Malta. Sean is on sabbatical this year, so, many months ago we started casting about for destinations we could afford on a reduced salary for 8 months. I wanted to go somewhere warm and sunny. Sean wanted lots of room in the house so that both of us had writing spaces. Sebastian needed to go to school. And, frankly, we all could use a change of pace and the healing presence of the sea.
Malta fit the bill.
We found a lovely house in a village on the sleepy island of Gozo (Malta’s sister island). So, here we are.
I’ll share my impressions as the months progress. I’ll try to dream up a new book too. But, for now, here are my first thoughts:
10 Things I Love About Gozo
1. The crystal blue water at the beach.
2. The lizards that run upside-down along the terrace ceiling.
3. The fishnets that hang in our doorways to keep flies out of the house.
4. The sounds of roosters and cicadas that wake us each morning, and the goats that amble by our front door every night.
5. The statues of saints and of the Virgin Mary that protect houses and traffic roundabouts.
6. The fact that Malta’s energy company is called Enemalta (!)
7. The honey-coloured limestone used to build all the homes here, and the way its dust makes our hair stiff by the end of the day.
8. The way everyone sits out in front of their houses and mills in village streets in early evenings.
9. The sound of Maltese that is a mix of Arabic, Italian, and other languages.
10. That finally, after years of dreaming about it, I get to live on an island. (No, Montreal doesn’t count somehow…)
[Photo: The Azure Window on Gozo, .craig]
