Festa

It's Xaghra's festa tomorrow, so the build up has been going on all week. Today was a "Re-enactment" of the two great sieges of Malta, the one by the Turks in 1565 and the one by the Italians during WWII. It was a very touching and moving event, especially the WWII one. Brought tears to the eyes.

The town was done up lovely, as it always is at festa time (this is the third time we've caught Xaghra festa, though only the first time we've seen this re-enactment ceremony). The flags, banners and statues make a very colourful sight. The church was lovely too, with all of its chandeliers on display, as well as an amazing display of solid gold chalices and the Maria Bambina Icon statue. Wonderful stuff.

For lunch we hit Stephen's Snack Bar. A ricotta Qassata and a pea pastizzi, along with 2 bottles of iced tea cost the princely sum of €2.55, which I thought must surely be wrong. But no, the pasizzis were only 15 cents, making them the cheapest of the holiday by some margin. Once you get away from tourist hot spots prices really fall. That's the cheapest pastizzi since the 6p one we had at Paola about 10 years ago. Allowing for inflation it's probably the same price.

After that we went to Ta' Pinu, Gozo's holiest place, with a huge Basilica. A quick look around and a prayer and an offering from wife (she's the spiritual one of the two of us) for all of our loved ones, and we were off to Dwejra for all it has to offer (Azure Window, Inland Sea, Fungus Rock, Qara Tower). By now we were starting to flag - it had been a long day with two hours on our feet at Xaghra.

We hurried back to Xlendi for our pm dip in the sea, to find it rather rough. Wife contented herself with dangling her toes in off the end of the jetty, but I went in for a full-scale swim. It was very re-invigorating.

Dinner was at St. Patricks and was outstanding. A plate of grilled vegetables to start (sounds dull - to you at least -, tastes divine) and then pasta for main course. Wife had spaghettin in a delicious sauce which was then bundled up, wrapped in thin slices of grilled aubergine and roasted in the oven. De-lic-ious! Mine was spaghetti with broccoli, peppers, pine nuts and chilli. Once again, top notch, the chilli heat not overpowering but enough to let you know it's there. WIth drinks it came in at €20.50, another bargain. Food has been cheap and really excellent on this holiday.

After dinner drinks at Moby Dick (where we'd also had afternoon drinks!) and then time for bed. Up later tomorrow, we're off to Mgarr Ix Xini for a dip if the wind has died down.