Anna Marie Galea: “Growing up, I spent my summers in Gozo... the memories are magical”
Writer Anna Marie Galea shares her love for Gozo, local cuisine and favourite hidden gems.
Where did you grow up and what memories do you have of it?
I have an usual back story; my family moved to England when I was very young and then moved back to Malta when I was ten. Growing up, I spent my summers in Gozo: the memories I have from that time are pretty magical. My dad would take us on walks near the Chapel of San Dimitri on the outskirts of Gharb, where I’d collect sparkly gypsum rock and we would also visit Calypso’s Cave. Being a young child with a pretty fertile imagination, I drank up the stories; when I looked out to the sea I could almost see Dimitri galloping over the waves and Calypso crying out into the wind for Ulysses to come back to her Ogygia.
What is your favourite…
Kris Micallef
Bar or watering hole & your usual order: I’m a bit of a cocktail girl so I love going to MedAsia for a Bellini. That said, there’s nothing like having a cocktail at Surfside during the summer. Sometimes, I’ll get it in a plastic cup and go and drink it sitting right near the water’s edge. Gleneagles in Mgarr, Gozo make the best Pimm’s Cup ever.
Local dish: Spinach and tuna pie during Lent (because people make the extra effort to cook this meatless dish during this time of year) and timpana.
Beach or swimming spot: Dwejra. Getting over the rocks is a pain but there’s nowhere on Earth quite like it.
Nightlife spot: I still enjoy going to Paceville, however, all of my old haunts have disappeared.
Family tradition: Wherever we are in the world, our attendance at the Gharb feast in Gozo is mandatory. My father will not entertain any of our excuses.
Maltese word: Wejda (small hand) – it’s the diminutive of ‘id’ which means hand. I like the way the word sounds.
Landmark: The clock on the Gharb church has the words ‘Ibni ghozz iz-zmien’ written on them. Roughly translated it means: ‘Value your time, my son’. It’s a poignant but beautiful message.
Festa food: Ftira from the Mezzan van that goes around all the feasts in Gozo. The base is pastizzi puff pastry and toppings include potatoes, sundried tomatoes and sardines.
Local smell: Bread. There’s nothing quite like passing in front of a bakery in the early hours of the morning and smelling the freshly baked loaves of crusty bread.
View: Dingli or Dwejra in Gozo at dusk: nowhere does sunsets like Malta.
Is there anything you would change about Malta or the Maltese?
Given we’re a small community, everyone is in everyone else’s business; people can be very judgemental when you don’t conform. I think that a little bit of ‘live and let live’ could go a long way.
How stressed do you get when driving in Malta, from 1 (it’s like being in a spa) to 10 (I’m literally about to kill everyone)?
10 (and if I could rate higher, I would). The traffic in Malta, coupled with the way the Maltese drive is completely ridiculous. I have spent many a rush hour fantasising over the sudden deaths of absolute strangers.
What should a visitor to Malta definitely not miss?
There’s so much! Ftira at Maxokk in Nadur, Gozo; pastizzi from Serkin whilst watching the sun rise on the Mdina bastions; litres of cocktail at O’Reillys in Bugibba followed by karaoke; swimming in Saint Peter’s Pool; the Marsaxlokk fish market on Sundays; St John’s Co-Cathedral (and all of Valletta). The list is endless…
Either or…
Rikotta or pizelli? Pizelli. There was a man in Birkirkara who made divine ones with bacon pieces in them.
Malta or Gozo? Gozo. Always and forever.
Summer or winter? I’m a fan of spring and autumn, when I’m neither roasting nor stuck at home because the rain and wind make it impossible to leave the house.