DID I ALREADY TELL YOU THIS?...

Our trip to Venice overshadowed our excursion to a Roman Bath excavation site here in Malta the first weekend in June.  Here we are going into the last week and a half of the month.

Mike and I arranged for a driver to pick us up at 06:45 and drive us to the far side of the Island to an archaeological site to participate in  the work there.   I planned our lunch for the day of cold leftover 'baked macaroni' from the previous nights dinner, a very typical Maltese item for a picnic or workman's lunch.   We had packed the lunch and lots of water of course, sunscreen, hats, but we are novices remember,  and the archaeologist did give us an odd look, then  suggested we try to find a spot to hang our bag high off the ground.  (o.k., where?) We tried to hook it on the fence, but when I retrieved our water bottle I just set it down on the top of the limestone wall.  Can you say dum,dum? 

We had a wonderful tour of the whole site and learned quite a bit about the Roman ritual of bathing, slaves and all.  The beauty and craftsmanship of the  lozenges of marble making up the walkways was still very evident.  It is now covered to protect it from the elements.  They knew how to waterproof the baths made of the limestone here in Malta with mortar which is still intact on many sections of the pool walls.  We walked the same paths and stood on stone thresholds used  by the Romans in 60-70 AD.  The site was discovered in the early 1940's before the wars when the British were wanting to provide water to the British barracks and knew of the well on this property. They didn't know what was on the site until they started excavating.  Thankfully, the work stopped, but with the wars and lack of funding to continue the archaeological work which was started then left areas exposed to the elements and of course further deterioration.  Now, work has begun again. 

So enter the Pooles, along with 6 other like minded individuals.  We were taught how to scrape away the dirt and to hand anything we found that looked a bit unusual to our supervising archaeologist.  Mike found a bit of clay pottery, that was very exciting, some other substance that was thought to be mortar.  Every stone he found he was handing over, in hopes it was more mortar or pottery shard!  It became quite a joke.  Another participant, an Italian gal, found blue and white china bits and also a few of the lozenges used on the walkway.  I found a piece of cinder but had handled it with my hands turning it over and around to see if it was something other than a stone. We will never know if it was from a Roman fire to heat the bath water or some ash that was thrown on the ground from a British bonfire or a farmers brush fire on this site, as handling it contaminates it for Carbon testing.  (we were never told).  So sorry :((. 



could it be?

Lets take a closer look (Mike right background)

One young gal, Lucy from the U.K.  now  living in Malta found  a coin and we were so excited for her. Was it? Could it be?  We were all hopeful.  It looked really old, a bit smaller than current currency and there was definitely a head struck on the coin.  A Roman emperor perhaps? OOO, she and the archaeologist went away for a closer look, yes, it was a head, yes it was royal, the royal Elizabeth!  Oh well, we got a bit of a rush if only for a moment.  She was able to keep the coin I believe. 

Our time quickly came to a close and our driver was back, said our goodbyes and started off.  Well, we noticed that there were tiny ants on the floor.  Why were there ants in the van, never saw them before (we use this mini bus to get to church each week) On second look, they were all over our bag, hundreds, millions and millions. Inside! Look inside! Yes, look at them all.  Mike and I had a bit of a chuckle in the back of the van and tried to be discreet in stomping as many of them as we could before the whole van was infested.  We kept the rest contained in the bag until we reached my cousins home and emptied the bag and all it's contents outside before entering the flat.  So much for my well planned lunch!  It was a wonderful day all 'round...and I'd love to do it again. 



Lilt in my voice

I have to watch myself.  I can easily pick up an accent that isn't mine or a lilt, cadence in the spoken language especially the Maltese singsong style of speaking in English that is widely heard here.  So easy to pick up a Maltese by their accent even back in Canada.  It will give you away every time.  Much like the accent of one from the U.K.   
This is a painting I've done of a Café in the town of Birgu, or Victoriosa in Malta on the water front.   If you would like to see more of my work check the website
twogatesartstudio.webs.com

By the Sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea...

Been in the sea 3 times so far this week! Water is a bit cool yet, but clear and is so healing.  Malta has Asian Tiger Mosquitos and they love me! Mike, not so much, actually, not at all.   I, and some others take a bad reaction to the bites and the hydrocortisone cream seemed to make it worse, for me anyway.  Terrible itch, you want to scratch till you bleed, swelling and a hot red rash (that circles my 

calf nearly all the way around) that can't be helped I guess.   I went to the Poly Clinic and the Dr.   recommended a 24 hr. Antihistamine tablet and ice which helped only a bit.   A natural bug spray does only a little to deter the little blood suckers, unless you want something with DEET.  DEET! ?? The locals use some natural remedies that gave me some relief.  I've tried vinegar and toothpaste and the sea.  Not all at once or together! Today's 3rd.  dip  cooled the bites down to a pink rash.



Toni and Marlene at Marsamxette

Just recently summer has arrived after days of cooler, more comfortable temperatures. The temperature was close to 35C so they say, and the sun is dangerously hot.  You need protection for your skin and eyes which quickly can burn.

Well, it's dusk now, people are still in the sea just below us and small camps are set up along the sea front with little fires that are actually burning my eyes right now.  Must keep the windows open for the sea breeze as light as it is for a bit of relief.   Oh, forget it.  Close the windows and turn on the oscillating fan.  So, bye for now and keep well...

local time is 21:14

VENICE - PINCH ME!

 Day One

Venice! Amazing! Beautiful! Unique!  What words can I use to describe the scene that welcomed us?  I felt like I had been dropped into a fantasy Candy Shoppe.  Pinch me.  Was I really there?

From the moment we left the coach which took us from the Treviso Airport to the station in Venice our senses were
bombarded.  We saw a candy coloured backdrop for the grand architectural styles of both the new and old.  Hotels, the Palace, bridges we've all seen in Hollywood films, private homes, Museums and Cafés along the Grand Canal kept our eyes scanning the scene as fast as we could so as not to miss a thing.  It was amazing to see the many Water taxis (the local 'bus' service) and Cargo taxis loaded with everything from fruit and vegetables to home and office furniture and even construction equipment.  We saw private tour taxis and other commercial  boats of varying sizes each knowing their place and the protocol. Did I mention the shiny black and gold Gondolas, some with lavish velvet brocade upholstery? As far as the eye could see there was a rainbow of colours of the hordes of people, both locals and tourists walking, sitting, or enjoying a cappuccino or a glass of wine under an umbrella at one Café or another. Flowers and Café umbrellas, fancy wrought iron balconies with pots of geraniums, Gondoliers with their red or black and white striped tops, black narrow pant with a slightly flared bottom and that so familiar straw hat with a wide ribbon of red or black.  It was too much for the eye to process.  I took 366 photos including some video in the 2 days we were in Venice and I know I just scratched the surface.  It would take pages to describe all the sights.  Here, the phrase a picture says a thousand words, couldn't be truer.

Our trip down the Canal to our hotel on the Lido was brimming with new sights at every turn.  Our hotel was wonderful and included a breakfast the next morning. Our room had the traditional slim double doors out to our little balcony.  You can visualize the ones I mean.  We've seen it in the movies and in coffee commercials! So Italian. So romantic.  Pinch me again!

We wondered the narrow lanes and found something new and exciting at each turn in terms of texture, colour, sun lit brick, tiled roofs, shuttered windows, piazzas used from antiquity and all things imagined you'd see in Venice and more.   We spent a little time window shopping and browsing the souvenir shops.  Venice Masks of every description, colour, size and price, exotic boutiques with designer fashions and a price to match, leather handbags made in Italy, jewellery shops, shoes, and so much more.  

We found a little Café on a side street called the Marco Polo and had amazing pizzas.  So many toppings to choose from, some not so usual for us Canadians like a seafood pizza with octopus and mussels, prawns, hard boiled eggs and peas, along with prosciutto, Parma ham, salami, and hot pepperoni.  Individual Pizzas are bigger than a large dinner plate, so Mike and I shared a "Pit-tza" Diavalo, with some very spicy pepperoni.  Perfecto.

After settling into our Hotel Venezia 2000 on the Lido, we hoped back on the Water Taxi to the Piazza San Marco and took in the wonder of that, seeing the clock tower and the façade of the Basilica and the magnificent tiled courtyard.

Mike and I visited the Ducal Palace while my cousin Charles and Marlene scouted out a shop they wanted to find as they had already been through the Palace on a previous tour.  The Palace was the seat of Government and the residence of the doges, built between 1309 -1442.  The façade is white and red marble and the arches - well the arches, were supported by columns with carvings extraordinaire.  The  14^th and 15^th  century art work  on the ceilings and walls would take you months to examine thoroughly, the rooms of armory showed such craftsmanship and much needed physical strength to bear the arms.  The inner court with the floor tiles and mosaics, arches, balconies and statuary was a marvel in itself.   My only disappointment was that my admission ticket for the Palace did not include the Manet Exhibition which I was anticipating viewing. 

After joining my cousin and his wife and a bit more browsing it was getting late and time for another meal.  Fixed menu it is, and we found a small restaurant to our liking.  Not sure just what influenced what, the City, the company or the delight of being in a dream world, but spaghetti in Venice! -  the Chef must have added a bit of magic. Our trip back to our hotel via the water taxi now gave us a view of the Grand Canal by night with lights buildings and on the water front and side canals giving us new visual sensations.  Spectacular.

  

Day 2 began with an expanded Continental Breakfast which set us off running.  Water taxi on the Grand Canal,  stopped along the way down new narrow streets, all pedestrians only, across several bridges over the smaller side canals to the Rialto and  the Market with an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, butchers, seafood and fish, lots of fish...and musicians playing while you select just the right octopus for dinner.   Meandering down lanes to more souvenir shops while making our way back by water taxi to the Bus station to pick up our coach for our return to Treviso Airport.   We had a quick Panini sitting in a garden and then my only chance to do some sketching.  Oh, why was that handmade Geppetto marionette €270,00?  I had to leave him behind, but I'm still thinking about him.

All in all, a most wonderful and amazing hop to Venice.  Did I just say 'hop to Venice? Pinch me. 

Days Go By...

Here we are again.  Days pass so quickly, either with just relaxing after doing the chores, or taking in a bus ride to a new 'mall' (the size of our Wal-Mart) or travelling 3 hours by bus and then taking a 25 minute ferry ride to the sister island of Gozo which we did recently with our friends Leli and Kitty.  They were such troupers to join us on this crazy journey.  They have a car, but I thought it would be a unique adventure for all of us. And it was.  Leli's brother lives in our hometown.  Three hours you say, on Malta!  Well, very few major roads are straight.  An 8 km. trip takes 30 minutes with all the bendy roads, add 07:30 rush hour traffic and you can understand the length of time it takes to get to where you are heading.

We spent the day of the Hop on, Hop off tourist bus that took us to several places on Gozo.  I should tell you, Gozo is much quieter, and more rural in feel although there are several large towns and villages.  The coast is extraordinary, one spot is called Dwejra (dway rah) Bay.  Here we see a natural rock formation.  It forms a natural arch extending high and far into the sea.  The caves and the silver water below is outstanding showing orange, turquoise and violet coral.  Looking into the water is like looking through clear glass.  Outstanding.  From the water, the cliff raises many meters up toward the sky.




Mike in the stocks at the Citadel, Gozo

We visited an fortified area called Cittadella, I believe used by the Knights of Malta and the British (what hasn't?) down through the years.  More of the history of Malta and these and other important historical sites can be found on the Heritage Malta (www.heritagemalta.org) website.

By the time we toured the countryside, made a couple of stops, had a lunch by the seaside, and then travelled back, our day was a 11.5 hour day.  Foot washing is a nightly ritual and then we collapse into our beds!  It was a great day.