Gozo Island

 Almost 20.00 steps, 19500 should have walked a tiny bit more. But I think with all the ups and downs we did, that's is good enough.

Our last full day in Malta. Malta is made up of three main Islands, Malta, Comino, and Gozo. Comino is the smallest of the three and mostly a summer stop for swimming and is located between Malta and Gozo. Today we took the 45 minute catamaran ferry to Gozo and the hop on hop off bus in Gozo. There are 14 stops on the bus tour, but we only managed 3 in the 7 hours we were there.

We did the 3 stops which were once on the European tour that they used to do in the old days.

Gggantija Temples, which we were told to just say Giant Temples and everyone would know where we were. Named as such as folklore is they were made by Giants as they were from 3600 to 2500 BC and one section stands over 6 meters high. Discount tickets available for seniors, so saved a couple of Euros at this spot. Also bought a combo ticket here which would allow us to visit 5 different museums at the citadel which were were hoping to visit later. We could have spend more than the 45 minutes here that we only had until the next bus, 1.5 hours may have been a little much.

Next stop was at Dwejra, a very nice shore line that was once famous for the Azure Window, which fell into the sea in 2017. We took a 15 minute boat tour here that accesses the open sea by a very small tunnel. Our boat captain had seen the window in 2017 at 7AM, it fell at 7:30 AM, he is very sorry he missed it, and of course didn't have a picture from that day. He said it had cracks for a long time, but wasn't expected to fall any time soon. We visited a few caves, the water is so very clear. 5 Euros for the 15 minute boat ride. Also had a nice lunch break here enjoying the views. Lots of walking paths around, but we didn't explore too much as we still had things we wanted to do.

Final stop of the day was at the citadel, and visiting 5 of the very small museums there that were included in our Giant Temples ticket. Always fun to walk around walls. This was a save haven to get inside the walls for the night once upon a time. The citadel is in Victoria, the busies city we have seen on Gozo, but still not very big.

After the citadel we had enough and decided to get back on the bus and head back to the ferry terminal. We actually got on one ferry earlier than we had booked back, lots of empty seats, I'm sure it would be more difficult to do this in the summer. Gozo has what is supposed to be the nicest beach in Malta, so I'm sure it is busy in the summer.

The 45 minute ferry ride back home was not so fun. We had heard from someone else that it could be rough coming back, and they were right. Andre didn't find it rough, but I probably should have taken a gravol. Made it back OK, but a little rest before heading out again from our apartment was needed.

Maybe it was the not feeling great that contributed to this, but we closed the door on our way out to supper without the key and it automatically locks. Urgh. This meant contacting the AIRBNB owner, luckily there is a lockbox outside and he came by and found our key in the apartment and then left it in the lockbox for us. He said it was on the floor when he opened the door. We have been hanging it on the lock for exactly this reason, so we don't forget it, and we still managed to forget it. Urgh, we are going to be very annoying for the rest of the trip checking up if we have the key when we leave I am sure.

Back to Strait Street for supper, we really like this little street. Boring burgers for supper, but they were really good. We will have lots of pasta and pizza as we are heading to Italy for 4 weeks. Malta is famous for rabbit which Andre was hoping to have but we will just have to return someday for it. Still lots on the island we had not seen or done.

Our last night walk about to walk off some of supper. Very pretty around the fountain again at night. It is not high season here yet, about another month or so. It has been busy enough, I think the word is out that March is a very nice time to visit Malta if you don't want crazy heat.

Tomorrow another travel day.

Only 1 large MSC cruise ship in town this week. Good day to go to Gozo island. Probably the largest one I have ever seen

A few hints of the British past here and there

Was looking forward to the boat ride to Gozo Island but the windows was wet and it was foggy outside. So no pictures, sad face

The church when you arrive on the island perched on top of the hill

Foggy and cloudy day. Was not the best for sightseeing and a bit cold for the top of a double decker

Our first stop, the Gggantija Temples

A small museun which we quickly did as we only had 45 minutes between buses

Cemeteries look like home

Lots of balconies

Basilica Ta'Pinu a pilgrimage church 

Every town has a beautiful old church

Our second stop at Dwejra where we took a 15 minute boat ride

We went into 3 blue grotto

Crocodile 

The passage way only 2.5 meters at the narrowest part

A little chapel above the harbour

Fungus rock, now protected

shells into the rocks

A limestone quarry, everything is made of it here

An aqueduct remains

New furniture purchase

Our 3rd and final stop

The Citadel above the town of Rabat now called Victoria

We did 4 museum quickly, this one was a prison where they did graffiti 

A ship

Another one was a Noble house

Another one was an archeological one 

The 3 sisters

Need fishing boat pictures, right?

Our high speed catamaran ferry, Wendy was happy it was fast. She was kinda like the colour of the boat but not too bad

Back in Valletta

We took the elevator up today

Wendy is doing an Instagram shot

For supper we went to Strait Street

Where we great burgers. One of the best I had in a long time. Around 12 euros. Wendy's chicken burger was also great

Went for a walk after to catch a view of the 3 cities and digest supper

Triton fountain

Also walked the Mall