Whirlwind

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Geo: 36.0722, 14.2358

A day trip to Gozo - simply not enough, but like most visitors to Malta on a blitz tour, it's all the time we could allow.  Though it's only about 1/3 the size of Malta, there are a ton of sights to cover, making for a whirlwind tour today.  These types of tour are never the greatest, with only token commentary, and leaving you a bit confused and exhausted at the end of the day, unsure of exactly where you had gone and what you had seen.  But we knowingly signed up for this, as it was still the most efficient way of hitting up the main Gozitan sights.

The highlight was probably Ramla Bay, a beautiful red-sand beach that was wonderfully deserted by Maltese standards, at least during the late morning.  The only problem was that our stop was only for 30 minutes, not allowing much time to enjoy beach, and really not making it worthwhile to even take a dip.

A drive through Gozo is beautiful, as it's far more green than Malta, something which an Italian couple from Puglia even commented on, telling us that it reminded them of some of the scenery back home.  High words of praise as I found Puglia to be stunning, but a fitting compliment bestowed upon Gozo, by people that should know what beautiful scenery is.

What's nice about Gozo, even though it is overrun with convoys of day trippers, is that it is far less touristy than Malta.  Had we had more time, it would've been nice to spend a few days here, perhaps staying in a farmhouse, and enjoying the excellent restaurants, which Gozo has a reputation for, as being home to some of Malta's finest.

But if it's fine dining you're after, you can still find a fair bit of it in Malta, especially in Mellieha, which has left us pleasantly surprised, with its abundance of great options.  There are a number of reasons why I like staying in smaller family-run accommodations - beyond the fact that your dollars go directly to people who spend much of their money locally, creating a nice little economic benefit for the community, these types of establishments are often more in tune with the local scene, and can offer some excellent tips.

We had planned on having dinner at The Arches, recommended by the guidebook as being the best high-end option in town, something which seemed to agree with their menu, which he had briefly browsed through yesterday.  On our way out, we had mentioned this to the owner of our guest house, who politely suggested we instead try out Bouquet Garni, even though she confirmed that the food at The Arches was very good, though a bit expensive.

She described Bouquet Garni as being a cozy little establishment run by an extremely hard-working family, styled after a French bistro, and specializing in the freshest of seafood.  The husband and wife run the front of the house, while the two sons look after the cooking, lending the place a wonderful dynamic.

It was quite entertaining watching the efficiency of the husband and wife, as they quickly buzzed around the restaurant - one would drop off a basket of freshly-baked bread on a table, and the other would follow seconds later, with a variety of accompanying dips.  One would deliver a table its entrees, with the other two steps behind, carrying plates of fresh-out-of-the-oven Maltese potatoes.  One would provide the commentary as the other carried a massive plate of today's catch, for customers to select their dinners - that may have been the highlight of the night, seeing how the wife could even carry such a massive plate of seafood, featuring several types of fish, including a huge chunk of tuna that was so dense and so red, we though it was a beef roast! 

But beyond the excellent food, it's the kind of place typical of the responsible-travel mantra - every penny you spend goes directly to a much-deserving family, one that most likely sources everything from local suppliers, that is probably also be family-run.  Sure, you could stay at a big resort and dine at its restaurants, with the majority of your money sent out of the country, further bloating the coffers of some foreign Fat Cat Executives. 

So though it's a very small thing to do for the local economy and people, dining at places like this do leave you with the feeling that you've done something nice.  It even helped to slightly offset our guilty consciences, after having eaten WAY too much, yet again ...  

Gelato Withdrawal Symptoms:  Once again, we tried to wean ourselves off of the most addictive substance known to mankind, while suffering slightly stronger withdrawal symptoms, including sweating and heart palpitations.  Pretty much by accident, we ended up with some ice cream at dessert, which helped us cope. 

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Photos

Jesus ...
... not quite! I don't think I got enough sleep last night, because from not-so-far away, I didn't realize this was a lion, and not Jesus.

Fruit and Smoothie Stand ...
... perhaps we should frequent this type of establishment, and not so many gelaterias ...

Surprisingly Good ...
... the tour included a lunch buffet at a touristy restaurant, not normally the best places for a good meal, but this baked fish was excellent. The first course was a choice of vegetable soup or pasta alla Norma, which while decent, couldn't compete with the superior pastas we've had in Sicily.

Baked Chicken ...
... a tad dry from having been sitting on the buffet line for a bit too long, it was still quite good - if only we could've had a fresh piece ...

Bouquet Garni ...
... An excellent restaurant recommended by our guesthouse - after starting with some incredible freshly-baked bread that was studded with sunflower seeds, and accompanied by some Maltese sausage and dips, on to these excellent garlic mushrooms. Not as caramelized as I normally like, but plump and juicy. Initial signs pointed to this being an excellent meal.

Another Item Crossed Off the Bucket List ...
... bluefin tuna!!! When we selected the tuna, we had no idea what type it was, but were pleasantly surprised to find out that it was the much vaunted fish. I can see why the Japanese pay stupid amounts of money for it, as it was the best tuna we've ever had. The owners told us that the majority of bluefin caught here is sold to the Japanese market, which pays significantly more - for reference, we later found out that locals in fishing villages can get deals from fisherman, and buy it for 10 Euros per kg. The most expensive bluefin tuna ever auctioned off went for something like 400 Euros per kg. If we could even find it in Calgary, I would guess that a bluefin steak this size could go for over $100! This plate of tuna was part of a set meal for 18 Euros, and included the mushrooms and bread. Though the tuna was incredible, I don't think I'll be having it again, and cost has nothing to do with it - it's an endangered species, and though we didn't know it was bluefin, the ethics of us eating it are still questionable.

A Local Fish ...
... good, but it simply couldn't compare to the bluefin tuna. Perhaps the one thing not great about the meal were the vegetables, a bit bland for our liking.

Chocolate Brownie ...
... the perfect end to the meal, even though it had been reheated in the microwave.