After we left the capital city of Victoria on the island of Gozo in Malta our driver took us to Dwejra Bay and the Inland Sea.  We passed the church of San Lawrenz and could see the Dwejra Watchtower in the distance. (I have absolutely no idea how any of these place names are pronounced.)

If you are here on a holiday and have time you can rent a rowboat or hire a boat and rower to take you through the cave to the Inland Sea.  Unfortunately our tour time frame did not allow us to go.  The sandstone is all chewed up by the salt and the sea.  It made some very interesting patterns, and a challenge to walk on.                                                  The Azure Window.

Chapel of St. Anne at Dwejra Bay.                                 Cave entrance to the Inland Sea.

The tour continued across the western side of the island and past Ta’ Pinu Shrine (the full name is The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu – Maltese for ‘Of Philip’).  It is amazing how large and elaborate all these churches are for such a small island and a small population.  Of course they were all built a few hundred years ago.

Santa Maria Asunta Parish Church of Zebbug had two cannons out front and a purple cross – something different.On the north side of the island we stopped at Qbajjar (Salt Pans) which are still used today to harvest salt from the sea.                                                  Roadside salt selling.The people that harvest the salt live in homes cut into the hillside across the road from the salt pans. Just a short distance down the road is Xwejni Bay.  I love the beautiful water all around this island.The resort community of Marsalforn is another popular holiday spot. Our ‘almost’ final stop was at Calypso Cave; the place historically accepted as the site for Homer’s epic poem, Odyssey.  The entrance to the cave is very dangerous .  You take a narrow winding staircase into a small hole in the ground.  I don’t think people are encouraged to enter it.  I like caves and stuff but I wouldn’t go down there.  Our last stop was just a few minutes to enjoy the gorgeous view overlooking the absolutely stunning Ramla Bay. From there we cut across the eastern end of the island. Another of the watchtowers can be seen on the cliff edge near the back of the photo above.  This one is Isopu Watch Tower.     The lovely water in the far distance is on Comino Island.  We got back to the port at 3:30, caught a tender back to the ship and had  time for some ice cream before we attended the Palm Sunday Interdenominational Service.  I loved Gozo and Malta.  Two places to add to my “I want to go there again” list.