… is how Edward Lear described the Maltese island of Gozo.
But that’s not the whole story.
In our last post, we gave you a few tips for your autumn city break. Today’s post is all about our own, which will take us to Malta – and not to Malta at the same time.
Admittedly, this is not much of a riddle, considering I pretty much let the cat out of the bag in the headline. So here it goes: Malta is both an island and a country, and, conversely to what many people may think, the two are not the same, because the Republic of Malta comprises more than the island of the same name and actually is a proper archipelago of many rocks both great and small as well as three inhabited islands: Malta, Comino (which admittedly just barely scrapes over the “inhabited” line with a total number of four permanent residents) and Gozo.
The latter, our destination, has a respectable size of about 100 km², roughly the equivalent of Manhattan, but little more than the population of one of its large tower blocks (35,000).
What the Gozitans lack in number, they make up in head-strongness and independence of spirit. For several years, they have fiercely resisted the idea of a bridge or a tunnel between their own island and Malta (the strait, at its narrowest point, is about two miles wide) and are, it seems, generally known for their determination to keep the excesses of modernity away from their home.
The GozItans’ main source of pride are the island’s many churches. Nearly every village appears to have one which is big enough to accomodate its entire population.
For walkers such as us this should guarantee that there is always something to see along the way, no matter which of the villages are on our route.
We are certainly determined to experience as many of Gozo’s small towns as we can in the short time that we have – plus the island’s famous prehistoric sites (which are 1000 years older than Stonehenge) and the gromphiberous coastline.
Or was that what Edward Lear (he of the limericks) said about the villages, and the coastline was pomskizillious? I can never seem to remember which was which.
Great time ahead for you easy hikers. I love this background about Gozo. Have to admit that I’ve only recently heard of it as a Maltese island. Pomskizillious and Gromphiberous, indeed! Have fun hiking around Malta.
You will, Jeff, I’m sure.
Time to plan that visit perhaps, Lisa.
Mary, we’ll certainly take in as many churches as we can!
What a great destination for an autumn break! I have always been intrigued by Malta. Looking forward to your walks around those churches. Have a great trip!
Looking forward to following along on your trip – I have wanted to visit Malta for many years!
I really need to make it to Malta one day!! Looks amazing and love their head-strongness and independent spirits!!
We had but a day in Malta on a cruise stop – would love to go back!