Stock-take after one week’s sick leave: my legs appear to be practically trouble-free, as do my arms. Now if the back could decide to stop aching, and my voice came back to normal, I’d be a happy camper! Unbelievably, a nasty little cold has added itself to my trials; I hope it’ll be over soon, especially as every sneeze sends shock-waves through every muscle in my back. But on the whole? I think I am getting better!
Since my first brave walk last Friday I went twice more, and I can clearly say it does feel a little better each time, though anything ever so slightly uphill is a killer. Also, at the peril that people will hate me for this: walking through Gharb is rather uninspiring. Sure, there are still a few enchanting corners, where the view on the surrounding country-side hasn’t been shut off with walls yet. But all in all the village isn’t as pretty as one might expect.
Yesterday I took my nifty 50mm out with me, seeing that dusk was near, but there were very few inspiring views… or maybe I just wasn’t in the mood to see them?
Arid land & San Dimitri Chapel
Shut
Nobody home?
Architecture in Gharb
Religious devotion
Shaded alley in Gharb
At the end... light!
“Optimism. The doctrine or belief that everything is beautiful,
including what is ugly.”
Ambrose Bierce
Posted on September 21, 2010 - 12:49 pm. Add a comment
…and too close to home, too: Three cases have been confirmed in Gharb (see Times report here)! It seems they are the first cases in Malta that were not “souvenirs” from a holiday abroad – or due to contact with family/friends who returned infected – but transmitted locally. If I think of the crowds at the festa over the past weekend, I think it’s reasonable to assume that within days a much larger number of infections will materialise!
No, I’m not exactly panicked, I do realise that the mortality is extemely low. But the thought of having to fight a fever in this kind of weather (33-34°C / 92°F) is making me sort of queezy!
Posted on July 6, 2009 - 7:16 pm. Add a comment
A big thank you to the pyromaniacs who have this idiotic urge to shake people out of their sleep with atomic clock precision, at 8 am sharp. I ask this question every year but nobody, ever, has been able to answer it: what exactly is the reason for petards being let off at 8 in the morning? Well, at any time, really? There’s nothing beautiful about them (quite the contrary actually). They are nothing but a nuisance, powerful enough to kick car alarms into action and send pets scrambling for cover. Oh yeah, and to shake people out of their sleep…
Yesterday we stayed out in the garden until just after midnight, despite the fact that hubby had to go to work this morning. It would have been impossible to sleep though, with the festa hullabaloo taking place right underneath the bedroom window – and those bangs going off at random all through the evening.
Oh well. In trying times such as these, I usually try to distract myself and look around for lens fodder. And last night a beautiful moon obliged – see above. I’m quite pleased with it – but before you say, “wow”, take a look at the original photo, which is rather less spectacular…
The next photo, of the church all dressed up for the feast, could be of last night, too, but I actually took it a couple of nights ago. I might arm myself tonight with my nifty fifty and venture out there for some better shots. Then again, I might pass on dolling up just to get a few pics. I’ll just wait and see where my mood takes me…
Last but not least, here’s a pic of our staple food on such nights. 
Il-festa t-tajba… And to my American friends: Happy Independence Day! 
Posted on July 4, 2009 - 9:31 am. 3 comments
