27 August 2015 - Ramla and Oleander

This morning we went to Ramla for a swim. As soon as we got home we had lunch. After lunch mum and dad went to sleep but I only had a rest. 

When every one had woken up we went my nunnu's sister Katrina's house. Straight after we went nanas sister Aunty Cathy's house and we had a couple of snacks. Then, when we left Lucy was just about to go to sleep, so mum decided she would walk to the piazza so Lucy could sleep in the pram. Dad and I drove the car, but mum still got there before us. 

While we were in the piazza, we ate dinner at Oleander and I had some spaghetti with rabbit sauce, which is quite popular in Gozo and Malta and it tasted very nice. The reason why we wanted to go there so much was because we wanted to watch the Holy Mary coming out of her case (niche) in the Xaghra church. This is a big event for the parish. They have photos on their website: http://www.xaghraparish.org/pasteventsv3/2015/TITULAR%20FEAST%20MARIA%20BAMBINA%202015/28%20AUG%202015%20-%20STATUE%20OF%20BAMBINA%20LEAVES%20THE%20NICHE/DSC_0067.jpg.php

This is the start of the Festa in Xaghra which goes on till 8 September. 

We went to the Ghajsielem festa very late at night. My friend Brodie and I walked around the village with our dads and later there were miniature planes on a cable that firecrackers pushing them over the piazza, and all the people and it looked very cool.

25 August 2015 - Comino and Latino

This morning we were watching the clock because we were going on a trip to Comino. Comino us an island in between Gozo and Malta. It has a blue lagoon and it's very refreshing when you jump in it. When we got there we decided to go for a swim because it was getting quite hot. 

After a swim we decided to go back home but we had just missed the boat so we had to wait 42 minutes before the next boat came. When we got back home I straight away jumped in to the pool how hot it was. 

For dinner we went to Marsalforn to a restaurant called Latino with my Aunties and Uncles and I had a smoked salmon salad. 

The blue lagoon

No one was there when we arrived early in the morning 

30 August 2015 - Exploring the east coast of Gozo

We went to Sunday mass at Xaghra church. It was very hot.

We ate pastizzis at Stephens cafe just outside the church for our lunch. I like pea pastizzis best.

Dad then took us for a drive along the narrow roads on the east coast of Gozo. I found a tunnel in a cave, and the cave looked out to Ramla. We stopped at one of the watch towers. Mum let me run all the way down near the cliff on my own.

Back at Xwejni Bay for an afternoon swim.

I found a tunnel in a cave, and this was the view from the other side. 

The cave over looked Ramla. This is the view from the top, of my favourite beach. 

Exploring the cave.

Learning about one of the watch towers on the east coast of Gozo.

Can you see me on the stairs of the watchtower? 

A funny goat poking its head out of a farmhouse door as we were driving through one of the narrow streets.

Back at Xwejni Bay for an afternoon swim.

 

29 August 2015 - Ramla, Ghajnsielem festa

This morning we went to Ramla for a swim. 

Me swimming at Ramla

As soon as we got home we had lunch and I had a big sleep. Later on we had dinner at Horizon at Qbajjar and I had spaghetti bolognese. Later we went to the Ghajnsielem festa again. I walked with my aunties and uncles and grandparents all around the village. There were fireworks planes and a marching band.

The church of Ghajnsielem 

26 August 2015 - Ramla and Porto vechio

This morning we had to go to Ramla without mum and Lucy because Lucy was teething. When we were going dad bought me a lemon slushy. As soon as we got home we had lunch for lunch I had some smoked salmon on bread. 

In the afternoon my friends came to our house and we made a water slide in the pool. For dinner we went to a restaurant called Porto Vechio and I had chicken nuggets and chips. We saw horses swimming in the water for exercise with their riders. After dinner we went to the Xaghra piazza for dessert and I had a chocolate ice cream.  

25 August 2015 - Ramla and the Boat House

This morning I went for a walk with dad to the piazza and while we were there dad also bought me a chocolate milkshake. When we got back home we went straight to Ramla for a swim and we ate lunch at the beach cafe. We ate lunch with Uncle Michael, Aunty Vicki and Uncle Phillip. When we got home we all went for a nice swim in the pool. Later on we went to Dwejra to see the Azure Window at sunset and then to The Boat House which is a restaurant at Xlendi. For dinner I had chicken nuggets and chips. 

Family photo at sunset at Dwejra

24 August 2015 - Hondoq and Wied il-Ghasri

This morning we went to Hondoq for a swim and we met our friends there. On the way home we got some bread for lunch. I had some pepper cheese and salmon on some bread. 

Hondoq

Wied il-Ghasri is 'creek from Ghasri' in Maltese. It's a crevasse in the rock formed by the natural flow of water from the town down to the sea. It looks like a creek but is really sea water at a small rocky beach. 

 Wied il Ghasri

For dinner we went to Joseph and Jenifer's house. Because we were having pizza I had a gozitano pizza. 

23 August 2015 - Xaghra church and Xwejni

We walked to church because it was Sunday for 11am at Xaghra. Lucy slept through the whole mass. We went to Uncle Tony and Aunty Cathy's house for lunch. She cooked fish soup, bruschetta pizza, swordfish and vegetables. I ate everything on my plate. They gave me a present, it is a small fishing net to play with at the beach.

Lucy, Nannu, me and Nanna

After a nap at home, we went to Xwejni bay at sunset. We met dad's cousins Joseph there with his friends. I tried out my new fishing net and caught one! 

The bay at sunset

 Successful fishing

 The catch of the day!

We walked up to the Qbajjar Promenade for dinner. We had to wait a while so I ran around in the play area until my dinner was ready and I had a chicken burger. 

22 August 2015 - Ramla, and fireworks at Zebbug

We swam at Ramla again this morning. I had so much fun because my friends came and we played in the water and in the sand together. We dug a ginormous hole together and Jackson used my boogie board as a bridge over it so it nearly cracked . I bought ice creams for all my friends on our way back to the car. I ate a choc mint ice cream.

I got a little bit sunburnt in the pool because my sun screen had washed off. I noticed that I've got some freckles on my nose now.

In the night we went to have dinner then watched the fireworks at the Zebbug festa. The fireworks were to music and I loved them.

21 August 2015 - Ramla and Ta'Hmira

It was my dads first day here and we spent the day doing his most favourite things. We first went to Ramla for a long swim in the morning. Dad was easy to see on the beach because his skin was so pale. Everyone here has tanned skin, much darker than ours. Dad says his skin will go brown pretty quickly too. Mum makes us all put sunscreen on before we go in the sun.

We bought some fresh bread from the local grocery store. The bread is baked each morning in the next village. It is crunchy on the crust and soft in the middle. We had pepper cheese and a salty ham with tomato paste and olives on our bread. I ate a carrot and some nectarines too.

We went to visit my dads cousin Joseph in the afternoon. His wife is having a baby soon. Their dog was a bit naughty... 🚽

We went to the family farm for a big family BBQ at night. I played with Liam and ate lots of food. The BBQ is a wood fire in a drum and we poked sticks at it until mum yelled at me.

 Dad's family (Paul ta'Neli, Stephen, Lucienne, Dad, Paul ta'Pepe, Uncle Michael, Uncle Phillip)

Pepe, Uncle Phillip, Raymond, Nanna, Nannu, Rita

20 August 2015 - Dad is here!

We were watching the clock this morning because my dad was finally flying to Malta. Mum dropped me off at my friends nannu's place and he took us over on the ferry to Malta and all the way to the airport. It was a long drive because it was on the other side of the country. When we got there we had Burger King which is like Hungry Jacks. 

Dad arrived, with his friend Jason and his brother, my Uncle Michael. They looked tired but happy.  We all drove back to the north side of Malta to wait for the ferry to Gozo. Mum surprised dad by meeting him with Lucy and the rest of Jason's family at the port. We all caught the ferry back together. Dad enjoyed a Maltese beer and some cuddles from all of us. 

We took dad to our farmhouse. He really liked it. Mum went and bough takeaway pizza from a place that cooks with an old wood fire oven and our Auntys and Uncles came to visit us and share the pizza. 

I'm really happy that my dad is here now.

18 August 2015 - Ramla and the farmhouse

This morning I wanted to go to church, but I was too late because my nanna and nannu had already left. I played Goat Simulator on my iPad instead, until mum and Lucy woke up then we had breakfast. 

After mum did some packing, we went to Ramla for a swim. The water was very clear and warm in some parts. My Aunty Vicki helped me buy an ice cream on my way back to the car. It was a Flake 99 and was really yummy. 

Later on in the afternoon I went with my mum to our new farmhouse which is two stories high. It has three bedrooms with four bathrooms, two lounge rooms and a pool that is shaped like a jellybean. 

We went to Paul's kamra for a BBQ with some of my dads cousins (a kamra is a room in Maltese, and this room is a small building on a farm plot with a bed, sink, and small bathroom that farmers use to have their siesta in during the work day). I played with two boys called Liam and Tyrone. I really liked the salad that my mum made. Dads cousin Paul ta Pepe gave me a ride on his quad bike back up the hill to our car. 

Liam and I at the BBQ

19 August 2015 - Relaxing at the farmhouse

We are living at the farmhouse now. We visited my nanna and nannu then went and bought some groceries in the morning and took them back to the farmhouse. While mum made lunch, I had a bit if a swim but the water was cold even though it was a really hot day so I didn't go in that much. Mum put Lucy's feet in the pool too. 

We were watching the clock at lunch time, as my dad was catching the plate from Sydney to meet us here. He gets here tomorrow afternoon and we can't wait!

We all had an afternoon nap, and when I woke up, we went to the beach. I met dad's cousin Anna and her family. She has two kids, Jessica and Manuel. Lucy liked sitting with Anna. I had some fruit after my swim then we ate dinner next to the beach and went home. 

 Lucy and I in the pool

Anna holding Lucy

Me swimming at Ramla  

17 August 2015 - A bit stinky at Xlendi

Today, in the morning, my uncle Phillip came to our house to see where we were going today. He asked if we would like to go to Xlendi, which is a Maltese bay, and we said, 'Yes!'. When we went, we met our friends there but we had to leave early because they were emptying the sewer from the ships so we all had a ice cream instead. After we had finished our ice creams we went home and had lunch.

We had a chat with dad on the phone, it was lunch time in Malta, but bed time in Australia. It was a video call and he was happy to see us. After talking to dad, I tried to go to sleep but I ended up just having a rest instead. 

Later on we went out with some friends for dinner and I had a beef burger with chips and salad. 

I am the closest one who is in the water wearing black 

The ice cream 

Me and my friend eating burgers 

16 August 2015 - Sunday, a day of rest

We stayed home through the morning today, and went to church at Xaghra at 11am. At lunch we had pasta and I put butter in mine. later I tried to get to sleep but I couldn't.

 After we went to Aunty Cathy and uncle Tony's house which is in Xaghra and later we went to the piazza for for dinner and I had a chicken burger with chips and salad 

15 August 2015 - Animals and fireworks

This morning we went to the Rundle gardens which is in Rabat  to see the animals and to celebrate the feast of Santa Maria.  Their were Goats, Horses, Ponies, Chickens, Qails, Pigeons, Geese, Ducks, Cockatiels, Cockatoos, Cows, Parrots, Donkeys, Rabbits and Guinea pigs. 

Later on in the afternoon I tried to go to sleep but Lucy woke me up as soon as I got to sleep so I stayed up for the whole afternoon and we had fireworks in Xaghra at night and I thought  they looked  awesome.

A donkey at the Rundle gardens 

Fireworks at Rabat, from the lookout at Xaghra 

14 August 2015 - Ramla and Ta'Pinu

Well we went to Ramla and stayed there all morning, swimming and digging a massive hole in the sand. I tried to build a sand castle too but the waves kept knocking it down . After a swim, I dried myself and was treated to an Oreo ice cream by my Aunty Vicki at the beach cafe.

We went home for lunch. Nanna cooked minestra, which is Maltese for minestrone, and is a soup with everything in it. We had a shower and rest. 

We visited Aunty Cathy and Uncle Tony. Uncle Tony went to work, and Aunty Cathy came with us to church. Church started at 8pm, and it was a special mass at Ta'Pinu shrine celebrating the Assumption of the holy Mary. My nanna took me inside the church and we said some prayers in the chapel. We had  an outdoor mass with hundreds of people, but we got a bit tired so left early, and we bought a takeaway pizza on the way home. It was already 10.30pm by then so I was really hungry, tired and hot.

 Uncle Tony and I, with the Xaghra church in the distance

 Ta'Pinu shrine 

 Ta'Pinu shrine during mass

 

13 August 2015 - Hot hot Hondoq and Horizon

I started my day bright and early, at church with nanna and nannu just as the sun was coming up. The church we go to in the mornings is called Marija bambina and it is main church within the Xaghra parish (www.xaghraparish.org) on the island of Gozo. Over 90% of the islanders are Catholic, so all of the churches here are part of the Catholic Church. 

After church mum took me to Hondoq, and there we met with lots of Aussies, including my friends Jayden, Dylan, Brodie and Jackson who we travelled with on the plane. We jumped off the rocks into the water, swam with our goggles looking at the fish at our feet, dug holes in the rocky sand and climbed in the rockpools looking for sea creatures. Mum shouted at me to get off the rocks because it was a bit dangerous and all the little kids were following me. I bought a snickers cornetto as a treat on our way home. 

 Hondoq

 View of a helicopter over the sea between coming and Gozo 

After lunch we had a nap through the afternoon. Everyone here sleeps after lunch here because it's too hot outside and we stay up so late at night.

We visited my dad's Aunty Katrina in the afternoon. She gave me a glass of Kinnie and some chocolate biscuits. It was my first taste of Kinnie, a Maltese soft drink. It tastes like bitter oranges. Mum says if I drank a little bit each day I would learn to like it but I think it's gross and would rather drink water. 

We said hi to my Aunty Jenny, who arrived here for a holiday today, then met my Uncle Phillip and Aunty Vicki and their friends at Horizon restaurant at Qbajjar bay. I was allowed to climb down the rocks to the waters edge in the dark while I was waiting for my cheeseburger. Lucy was so tired that she fell asleep in the highchair, it was so cute!

Qbajjar

 Me playing at the waters edge at Qbajjar

 My sister Lucy asleep in the high chair

12 August 2015 - A bit rough at Ramla

First I helped my mum put the clothes on the line. Also I had to be very careful because in Malta the clothes lines are on the roof. After we did our chores, my nannu took me to Ramla. The water was a little bit rough so we decided to go to Hondoq beach instead. I saw some jellyfish and crabs in rockpools there, so next time I go, I want to bring a small net to catch one.

I had a nice swim at Hondoq and went back home for lunch. I was so tired that I went for a six hour nap. Mum had to wake me up at 7pm so we could go out. We walked up to the piazza and met my Aunty and Uncle for dinner at a place called D'venue. I ate a yummy salmon salad and had chocolate ice cream for dessert. While we were eating, there was a play in the piazza, reenacting historical events in Xaghra. I met one of the actors, and got to have a photo with him. The history story is interesting so I have shared a photo of the information sheet below too. 

Salmon salad on the menu tonight

 The Maltese knight and I

Xaghra history reenactment 

9 August 2015 - The first day

We are at the airport now and I am a bit nervous about the trip ahead. The photo below is of me at the boarding gate and the one below it it is of me at my house just before we left to go to the airport. My dad is going to miss us, he won't be leaving for another ten days. 

 

10-11 August 2015 - Fun fun and fun

I'm sorry I didn't write anything yesterday but I've been so tired after such a long trip. After catching the Emirates aeroplane from Sydney, I was excited to find out that there are lots of games to play using the TV screens. Since I was travelling with some of my friends on the next flight, we decided to play games together. I played a maze game called Caveman from Dubai to Larnaca then to Malta. 

When we come on holidays in Malta, we stay on an island north of the main island, called Gozo. So after our long plane trip, we went on a ferry to Gozo and finally made it to our house. We will be living with my grandparents (nanna and nannu) for a few days until my dad arrives. Mum and I had a nice meal with our family, and I fell asleep on the couch. 

The next day, I woke up at 3am and helped mum unpack our bags. I went for a walk with nanna around the village of Xaghra where I'm living. After our walk, I went to church. The mass is said in Maltese but I still like going. The best part of my day was when we went to Ramla, which is a Maltese bay popular for sand and swimming. After a long nap at home, we went shopping in Rabat. Mum let me have McDonalds and buy an ice cream. We went for dinner at Marsalforn and I had six fish fingers and chips.

Me on the tarmac at Dubai airport - it was boiling hot and only 6am

Mum, Lucy and I in front of our Malta house

Me at the restaurant at Marsalforn 

 The view from the restaurant, of Marsalforn

Me playing in the sand at Ramla