On the main island as well as Gozo (S.Hrg.112-735)

But wait, there's more to Malta than the main island. The country is an archipelago, and I visited one of its other islands, Gozo. To get to the ferry, I first had to take a long but scenic bus ride along the north coast. As we passed through drizzly St. Julian's (top), I was a little worried about my plan for the day, considering I hoped to bicycle around the island. My fears seemed to be further realized when I missed the ferry by just a few minutes. At the dock, I tried to raise my spirits with a mid-morning Hopleaf Pale Ale (bottom left). But the 45-minute delay turned out to be fortuitous, as the sun started to come out as we rounded Comino Island (bottom right). 

I have to credit Mgarr Tourist Services for making my day a resounding success. Not only did they convince me to rent an electric-assist bike (whose power came in handy on some steep inclines and an unexpected detour), but they also suggested I start by riding straight to Dwerja Bay, on the opposite end of the island, and working my way back. I hadn't even planned to visit the geological wonder, a unique network of underwater caves created from shells and limestone (top left). An inland lagoon, the Blue Hole, connects via a cave to the sea near where the natural landmark the Azure Window stood before it collapsed in 2017 (top right). Apparently, it and Fungus Rock  (bottom) were featured in the background of some Game of Thrones scenes.

 

After basking in the now-cloudless climes for a while, I retraced my route back to the nearby town of San Lawrenz, whose streetside scenes revealed the Anglo-Mediterranean feel of the country (left). Just a short ride away sits Ta Pinu Shrine, constructed in the early 20th century in recognition of the miracles that occurred at the older, adjacent chapel, including when a local lady heard Our Lady tell her to recite three Hail Marys (right).

I skipped a pilgrimage there and instead pedaled past to the Citadel, which has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site (top). The ancient fortified town is now the centerpiece of the island's largest city, Victoria (middle left). The hilltop fort is sporadically dotted with small shrines and prominently anchored by the Cathedral of the Assumption (middle right), but its narrow, quiet footpaths felt plenty sacred (bottom left). I ate a late lunch at the only restaurant within the walls, Ta Rikardu; the meal was entirely local: olive oil, cheese, produce, and a San Blas English IPA (bottom right).

Many tourists flock to the harborside seafood restaurants of Marsalforn for lunch. By the time I arrived, the sun was fading fast and the fishing village was falling silent (top). So I pressed on and uphill to Calypso Cave, which purports to be where Homer's Odysseus was kept as a prisoner for seven years. I couldn't search the cliff more closely for evidence, as it was off limits due to a partial collapse (bottom left). Instead, I walked my bike down (the descent was too high of a grade for riding) to Ramla Bay, one of the best beaches in all of Malta (bottom right). 

I didn't take a dip because I wanted to catch a specific ferry in order to make a dinner date. I got lost for a while due to a detour, but once again, luck was on my side: the ferry departure was delayed just enough for me to hop on. As we pulled out from Mgarr, I saw the sunset to one side of the boat (top left) and the moonrise on the other (top right). The celestial bodies aligned for me to make it to dinner on time; a former colleague from London met me at Ta Kris, where I ordered a hearty Maltese meal of bragioli (bottom left). It was so delicious that I didn't notice until halfway through that the group at the next table was the same one that ate next to me in the Citadel (bottom right), which seemed an apt sign that my day -- and my trip to Malta -- had come full circle.