The island of Gozo

**kokopup** · 08-30-2009, 11:22 AM

I envy you living in Malta. I have fond memories of Malta back before it won independence from England. I was aboard the USS Essex when we ported there back in 1962. Malta was my favorite mediterranean destination, and would love to go back someday. I was amazed back then that most people spoke excellent English in addition to the native Maltese language. I did not make it to Gozo
but your pictures remind me of my memory of Malta. I guess the cliffs and caves burned a permanent image in my brain.

**gini** · 08-30-2009, 11:49 AM

The other day there was a knock at my door. My brother answered it and came to get me because he said I had surprise visitors at the door.

I went to the door and burst into tears - here was my dear friend from Malta and she had three of her four children with her. What a wonderful visit we had - it was just wonderful to see her.

Years ago when her children were small we all went to Gozo for a few days vacation. I will never - ever forget it. The wonderful vistas,
the beautiful painted boats and fruit and vegetable carts. But most of all I fondly remember the women arriving very early in the morning selling their fresh out of the oven bread. It was out of this world - and you had to eat it right away because it was so fresh and hot. Later in the day, it would be rock hard.

Your pictures brought it all back - the sounds, the smells, the views.
I will always be grateful that I have had the opportunity to visit Malta and Gozo. I would love to go back!

**Barbara** · 08-30-2009, 12:01 PM

I have never been in Malta nor Gozo but I would love to visit one day. I would be curious to see the pre-historic sights and the traces of the temple knights.
And while I love the Mediterranean I must object to Miss Z

The best ocean is the Northern Pacific

(Of course that's all personal taste

)

**kokopup** · 08-30-2009, 12:27 PM

And while I love the Mediterranean I must object to Miss Z The best ocean is the Northern Pacific (Of course that's all personal taste)

There is a distinction between an Ocean and a Sea. The Med is a Sea while the North Pacific is a part of the Pacific Ocean. There are 5 Oceans in the World that can actually have a sea as part of it. There are to many seas to list. Just a minor nitpick

**karyn674** · 08-31-2009, 09:20 AM

A caption from Wikipedia:

The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by the Levant. The sea is technically a part of the Atlantic Ocean, although it is usually identified as a completely separate body of water. The name Mediterranean means "the middle of the Earth"^[1]. It covers an approximate area of 2.5 million km² (965,000 sq mi), but its connection to the Atlantic (the Strait of Gibraltar) is only 14 km (9 mi) wide. In oceanography, it is sometimes called the Eurafrican Mediterranean Sea or the European Mediterranean Sea to distinguish it from mediterranean seas elsewhere.^{[citation needed]}
The Mediterranean Sea has an average depth of 1,500 metres (4,920 ft) and the deepest recorded point is 5,267 meters (about 3.27 miles) in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea.
It was an important route for merchants and travelers of ancient times that allowed for trade and cultural exchange between emergent peoples of the region — the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Phoenician, Carthaginian, Greek, Illyrian, Levantine, Roman, Moorish, Slavic and Turkish cultures. The history of the Mediterranean region is crucial to understanding the origins and development of many modern societies. "For the three quarters of the globe, the Mediterranean Sea is similarly the uniting element and the center of World History."^[2]

Wow Kokopup! You know a different Malta then I know. Wasn't born yet! Malta has changed drastically from independence to date. Well, it was quite impossible not to. But Gozo retained its beauty, mostly because it is seperated from Malta by a 20 min ferry boat and because Gozitans are very good in preserving their cultural side.

Barbara for you is much easier! Lufthansa operates a direct flight to Malta weekly. For pre-historic sights there are quite a lot to see, all peppered around the islands. For the history of the Knights of St. John there is much more then traces. Whole fortified cities like Valletta, which is the capital city of Malta is a masterpiece of de Valette (hence the name) built just after the Great Siege, where an imense fleet of Turkish moors invaded the island so to claim it theirs. A good read about the great siege is 'the Sword and the Scimitar" by David Ball, where fiction and factual are interlaced.

Gini, you mentioned the bread and indeed it is a staple food and the omni present accompaniament to every meal. The crunchy crust and the soft inner marries perfectly it is great to scoop up sauces and food juices. It is also savoured spread with 'kunserva' tomato concentrate, canned tuna, olives, capers, and olive oil....especially near the sea! The people who survived the 2nd world war see the bread as their saviour, they look at it with respect, since it was the only food they could afford and share beween numerous families at the time and kept them alive.

I'm happy the photos brought back some nice memories in some of you!