IT'S GOOD TO BE HOME - in SENGLEA, MALTA I MEAN

So running backwards: 

THURSDAY, APRIL 28-16,  7:20 am Today under sunny skies and a bit of breeze we will head off to the Three Cities with Bob and Chris for a walkabout to explore my home city of Senglea, and show our friends where I come from, check out Vittoriosa and Marina across French Creek and lunch and see if my friend's art studio is open to connect with them.

            As we approached I pointed out the two stone arches or gates as we entered into Senglea that inspired the naming of my studio, Two Gates Art Studio.  We walked down the main street, Victory Street from Victory Church heading towards the centre looking for the Senglea Band Club, "The Queen's Own".  I was looking for a photo of my Grandfather Anthony Rizzo, whom I am named after, that I was told was on display at the Club.  A very friendly member of the Club, Manuel Cassar, unlocked doors and showed us into several beautiful, stately rooms in search of my Grandfather when finally, as Chris was discovering another room, she called, and there it was, a very large photo prominently displayed of my Grandfather in uniform with his clarinet and the members of the 1934 band.  How thrilling it was and a bit emotional to see his proud, upturned face front and centre.   

          
  

 Further up the street we came to where my Aunt and Uncle lived and where we had stayed on our family visit in 1961.  We saw some men trying to get furniture into the narrow lift, unsuccessfully I might add, and I asked a  woman who was sitting on the step watching all of this if it was her furniture being banged about. Fortunately not, she said. I pointed to one of the shops and asked if she knew whether it had once belonged to an artist many years ago and yes, it had indeed.  He had painted a huge portrait of my mother which my sister now has. I went on to say my Aunt Delina raised her family in the building with the narrow lift and to my surprise she called my Aunt her Grandma; she wasn't really, but that she loved my Aunt and she her and would run errands for Delina after her stroke. You say small world; I can say smaller here in Malta.  Imagine that... All these conversations were in my poor Maltese for the most part, yet I'm communicating; and I must say, I'm feeling rather encouraged to speak Maltese more. 

            We toured smaller narrow streets and ended in the Gardjola Gardens overlooking the Grand Harbour.  A huge cruise ship was already in port and we watched as another bigger ship manoeuvred into position. Astounding. This harbour is one of the world's largest natural harbours.  It is difficult to envision this enormous floating city of up to 5,000 passengers being able to move in so smoothly through the water and anchor in port.  Something to see. 

            We moved on to walk the length of Sirena Street where I was born, and along the waterfront ix-Xatt to the new foot bridge to cross over to Cospicua (Bormla), walked down to Vittoriosa, (Birgu) had lunch on that side of the waterfront, then into the centre city court and had a coffee and a freshly made, very tasty kannolli. Yum.  Then we walked back to Bormla to find the art studio.  No one was there at the time.  Turns out the artist was abroad, however, as I was leaving my name and number, the artist's partner came around the corner.  I very boldly yelled her name, we embraced and said we would get in touch soon.  Read - Happy but weary. 

            We had walked what seemed like miles around.  Imagine this.  Extend your index finger and the second finger.  Start at your knuckle of your index finger, move towards the finger tip.  That's the whole length of Senglea; now walk back on the inside of the index finger and cross over to the second finger.  Now you are in Bormla.  Walk the length of that finger to the finger tip and you are in Vittoriosa.  That's where we had lunch.  Zig zag across that finger and somewhere along that line we had the coffee and kannolli.  Walking the remaining length of the second finger (close to the bottom knuckle) is where we met with my art friend's studio.  And pretty much that is where we caught the ferry to Valletta after my cousin called and invited us to Floriana for more coffee,  just outside Valletta.  He picked us up, we had coffee in his flat and then he very kindly drove us all the way back to Marsaskala.  Charlie drove down roads not used by the buses so Bob and Chris got to see different parts of the island they might not see otherwise.  We were 4 very weary walkers by then, so light supper and early to bed.  But what an emotional day for me, going 'home' and I hope a very interesting day for our friends.