Tuesday 26 January 2010

Tuesday 26th On Sunday I wore my shorts for the first time, Saturdays weather had been so good I thought now is the time to tan up, well I have promised myself the first nice day and I’m off to explore Gozo properly, well today’s not that day.

Today is an indoor day, me thinks, I set off to the capital, while on the bus I’m struck by the sky the light is filtering through the clouds as if in some religious painting almost making you believe there is some high power it is quite spectacular, there is some blue sky but a definite chill in the air, while travelling as you look out to sea you can see why this Island was so important during the second world war, not matter what time you look all you can see on the horizon are oil tankers going to and fro, this must be one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

My first stop in Valletta is the National Museum of Archaeology in Republic street, housed in a magnificent building, inside I get to see the “sleeping lady” found at the Hypogeum I’m surprised at it size, photographs had led me to believe it was much larger, then I see the statue of Malta Venus it’s no bigger than the replica fridge magnet I have bought.

I’m slightly disappointed with the museum as a lay man, there does not seem to be a lot to see, maybe it’s a case of quality over quantity, but never the less what I do see is of interest.

My next port of call was the Bibliotheca this is the library, but no ordinary library this is a building of magnificence, I would think not many tourists venture into here, it really consists of one room, but what a room the ceiling appears to my eye to be maybe a least seventy foot high if not higher, the books are stacked almost to that height , to the full length of the room on all side, the length would be in the region of one hundred and fifty feet, around the top of the room are displayed pictures of Grand Masters, the in alphabetical order under large golden letters A to Z came the books, their spins crumbling with age, in fact most of the books look as if they are in desperate need of repair, but never the less this is an impressive room, in this room is housed the letter from Henry V111 telling Rome he was setting up the Church of England.

I had to show my passport, and register as a visitor, wear a visitors badge, no fee was involved, although I could view all the room I was only allowed to venture to far into the room as a visitor, researchers were allowed to actually handle the books, there was tight security here and rightly so, history should be safeguarded.

Later I sought and found lower Barracker garden, while not as spectacular as the upper, they still give a grand view of Valletta harbour, by now I am beginning to feel this is the coldest day since I arrived, the last to days are like a cold day in March back in the UK, it is now about time to return to base and seek some warmth.

People I have come to know from all over the UK are now drifting home in twos and threes, to be replaced by complete strangers, all of a sudden in one mass influx some rather large individuals appear on the scene, when I say large I mean LARGE, three to the point of being unable to walk unaided, needing a wheeled frame to lean on, this stimulates many a discussion amongst a few of us, at their first dinner any idea that this largeness may be down to glands is soon dispelled, the amount of food they take is truly staggering, not content with feeding their faces we watch in amazement as one of the women wraps food up in a napkin and takes it out of the restaurants, one of the men has four breakfasts, yes four, Sandy tells us of a Scottish comedian who said while portraying a fat woman, “I have a glandular problem” “It’s called the greedy bastard gland”
What we have witnessed brings up a point we are all in agreement on, why when travelling by air do people of a normal size have to pay excess baggage charges when grossly obese people are allowed to travel with no financial penalty.