Monday 1st Have decided to stay fairly close to the hotel today, firstly I wander down the bay by the Rivera hotel, that most people have walked to so they tell me, as I get to the bend in the road I notice a four by four jeep on it’s side and parallel with it is a container wagon lying there like some dead dinosaur, there are no people about, I walk down to the bay, it is pleasant weather wise like a warm day in May or September in the UK, as I return back to the main road to catch my first bus of the day, a large mobile crane has arrived on the scene and there is now a small crowd in attendance.
Now I have a theory as to how this happened, before the bend where the beasts lie there is a straight piece of road about three quarters of a mile, at the start of that straight is the ferry terminal, I along with many when stood at the bus stop near the hotel have watched some times in open mouthed astonishment as heavy lorries, vans, cars and motor bikes roar off the ferry from Gozo as if at the start of a grand prix, the prize is being first to the bend, the reason being once you get to the bend you are faced with a steep twisting road, obviously no one wants to get stuck behind a slower moving vehicle.
On the bus and up the hill, I jump off by the Red Tower as I’ve notice a road sign ever since I arrived pointing in the opposite direction to the tower, one kilometre to Armier Bay it says, now is the time to see it as soon it will be too late, should take about fifteen minutes, I start off walking I’m the only one walking in the area, a few cars about, otherwise just me, the solitude can be calming, the road seems never ending, I see a sign in the distance could this be it, when I get there it’s for a place called Ramla Bay, so it’s not this unless it has two names, this feels a long kilometre, then I spy a small traffic island just ahead covered in signs, one of them is for Armier Bay, first left, when I look down the road it looks about half a mile at least, good job my feet are improving, I get to the end of the road, I’m still not there, turn right and another hundred or so yards to go, I don’t know what I expected but Armier bay turns out to be a one horse town, that ends up having no horse, I’m wondering how long it has took me.
I decide to time myself on the way back, also I resort to help in the shape of my Mp3 player, Nick Drake with the River man helps for three minutes of the twenty seven it takes me, no way was the sign right, later I notice Ramla Bay was 1.2 kilometres and I passed that a good twelve minutes before I got to Armier Bay.
I have a stoke of luck I get to the main road just in time to catch the bus, I plan to get off in Mellieha there’s a shop I want to get a gift from, when I get off I find the shop is closed till Tuesday, what to do now? I had no plans to go to Valletta today, so that must be the reason why I end up there, it is now tee shirt weather.
I decide to have one last walk round the harbour part of the capital, but anti clockwise this time for a different perspective, it now starts to dawn on me, I shall soon be back to winter condition in the UK, just like M&S who leave for home at midday, they are glad to be going back, myself not so much so.
The lure of another tuna and spinach pie from the Capri café is too strong, it is well over a week since I last had one, I dully hand over my Euro and in it’s place I get a piece of heaven, they really are delicious
I sit on the wall of the bombed opera house, woofing down my pie in-between swigs of coke.
Time to catch the bus back to base, well that was the plan until we reach Xemxija (yes I know four million points in scrabble) the bay here is as great to look at as that pie was to eat, up till now I have always viewed it from the bus, not now the impulse is too strong and I’m off the bus, letting my eyes indulge in the beauty before me.
My battered feet are soon in the sea water, soothing if a little cold, then I finally do get to the hotel, sitting outside with a pint taking in the last hour of glorious sunshine and a brief chat with Sandy who will be leaving early tomorrow morning.
I go down for my last dinner in Malta, I shan’t bother tomorrow, I was seventy eight kilos when I left London, I really hate to think what I weigh now, we shall soon know.
A group of us get together for a few drinks while listening to the evenings entertainment the guy who can’t sing the word thing, but is very pleasant to listen to never the less, I get up to hit the sack almost make the stairs, when he starts singing “A whiter shade of pale” so I stop to hear, he really is quite good, then time for bed.
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