DISCOVER GOZO

A new team member at Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz!

Hello peeps! May I introduce myself to the growing little crowd that reads the blog of the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz? My name is Renzo, Knight of Gozo, and I am very proud to say I’m the latest member of the Sales & Marketing team.

I first saw the light of day on March 27^th, just before Earth Hour (how’s that for timing, eh?), while five hundred candles were alight in the hotel’s restaurant (see photos of the event here!)

I’m owing my life to the conspiracy of three creative ladies – all a little crazy, to varying degrees: Tanja, who is a fanatical outside-the-box thinker;  Sabine, whose creativity is perfectly in tune with Tanja’s way of thinking. And then there’s Nicole, a very talented young lady, who tied it all together and made me who I am!

This is exciting!

So what am I doing here, you might well be asking? Well, I’d like to help the Kempinski team to tell the world about Gozo… about its culture, its history! For such a tiny rock in the Med, Gozo has a long, long past, and I have come in now to tell you all about it. Did you know, for example, that Gozo was granted autonomy that lasted almost two years, by none other than Napoleon Bonaparte after he conquered Malta in the late 18^th century? You wouldn’t believe how much more there is to discover – and I will tell you all!

L-Ghadira ta’ Sarraflu (limits of Kercem)

A very easy walk or bicycle/car ride is from Victoria to L-Ghadira ta’ Sarraflu (which translates to San Raphael’s lake or pond), which is situated behind Kercem. Getting there is easy; coming from the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz, head for Victoria, then  just follow the main road from the capital to Kercem, and behind the church continue going straight all the way. There are no steep hills involved, and hardly a chance of getting lost; at one point, the country lane splits in two, but both paths merge into one again after a while.

The route through the rugged area (which I believe is called Ta’ Klula) to Ghadira, as straight forward as it may be, is one of Gozo’s most beautiful ones. The road is wide enough for motor traffic, but stuck inside a car, you might miss out on some of the most spectacular scenery the island has to offer!

Then, just as you think your feet could do with a break, you arrive at your destination. Ghadira is a freshwater pond that carries water practically all the year round. However, the best time for a visit is in spring (in my humble opinion that is anyway the best season for discovering the island!), when you’ll find a lush oasis of peace – if the frogs keep quiet, that is!

We hope you enjoyed our outing of this week. Below is a map showing the way – and we’ll show you a different, slightly more challenging route from the hotel to Ghadira in one of our next posts!

Ta’ Gelmus, one of many hills of Gozo

One well-known nickname Gozo is known by, is Island of the Three Hills. I’m a little confused as to which three of its hills exactly carry the honour of being embedded in Gozo’s coat of arms. The page “Something about Gozo” on the website of the Ministry for Gozo says it “probably derived from the hilly view when observed from mainland Malta.” However, I remember faintly the explanation by a lecturer during an MTA course I once attended. According to him, the emblem rather features the three hills that become visible when the island is approached by sea in the vicinity of Ramla or Marsalforn, which were the landing points for pirates and other seafarers over the centuries.

Well, be that as it may, I can only tell you with certainty that there are far more than just three hills on Gozo. Ta’ Gelmus is one of them. With a height of ca. 95 m it isn’t exactly the highest point of the island, but it does offer an amazing panorama, and is within easy reach; coming from the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz, head for the main road to Victoria and take the path that you’ll find on your left a short distance after you pass the aqueduct. Better not do that by car though… while it doesn’t seem impossible (we went up by motorbike), the terrain is pretty rocky in places. I don’t want you go blaming me for letting you destroy your vehicle!

Once you’ve made your way up, the actual hilltop is a rather boring, plain plateau. The 350 degree views it gives you are fabulous though, and especially so with the countryside all dressed up in green, at this time of the year!

Another word of caution: being so close to the centre of Victoria, Ta’ Gelmus is being used for letting off fireworks on the occasions of various feasts and festivals. Such activity is usually marked by a large signpost saying “Vampa”. Here I need to admit that I’m not as much up to scratch with my knowledge as I would like to be… but I do seem to recall that Vampa is the name of the fireworks company and translates to something like a fiery flare. (Well, that sort of figures, doesn’t it?) In any case, don’t attempt to stroll up there if you see that sign – but I am certain, they wouldn’t really let you do that anyway…