Bus Bingo Episode 2: Ċirkewwa Or #FuckItGozo
As is now customary in our household, every second weekend is Bus Bingo weekend. For those who are unfamiliar with the Bus Bingo concept… you’re late to the party, but hold my Pringles and I shall fill you in.
The aim of the game is to head to the Bombi bus stop and get the first bus to come out of Valletta no matter where it’s going – no exceptions.
Okay, now give me back my Pringles.
Our last adventure took us to beautiful Mqabba, where I think I accidentally gatecrashed a family dinner. This time, I was at the bus stop for all of five seconds before my fate was decided.
Today, I was going to Ċirkewwa
“Hmm… interesting,” I mused to my adventure partner. “I’ve never thought of Ċirkewwa as an actual place in itself, it’s always just a place you need to go to in order to get to another place. Is there even anything to do there?”
We got on the bus and began Googling desperately. According to Trip Advisor, there are, in fact, three things to do in Ċirkewwa:
- Scuba Diving – No thanks, it’s cold.
- Fishing – No thanks, it’s fishing.
- Ferry Port – Let’s go, I think they have sandwiches.
“You know, technically there aren’t any rules saying we have to stop when Malta ends…” my partner pointed out.
Okay, so today I was actually going to Gozo
We got to the ferry port and took great pleasure in exercising our familiarity with how the ferry works. Like a pair of unhelpful dicks, we watched as tourists wondered around like pink lemmings, begging anyone who will listen to tell them where to buy a ferry ticket for the love of God.
They will all refuse to believe that you don’t pay until you come back, like the very concept is based in some sort of sorcery.
I was starving, but since the channel ferry is like a floating heart-attack, I resisted the urge to indulge in any of the oil-based, E-number incubating snacks on offer, no matter how unbelievably delicious they are. Their chocolate croissants alone could wipe you out if you’re not actively doing CrossFit during ingestion.
Mġarr, show me what you’ve got
Due to time constraints (I was not expecting to end up in Gozo tbh), we were unable to venture outside of Mġarr. But this is by no means a bad thing. Mġarr was somewhere I had always driven through, but never really taken the time to walk around in.
We followed the shoreline round to a little side street which had a handful of restaurants, and we settled on Sammy’s Restaurant for lunch. With stunning views of the harbour and its quaint fishing boats, this small, hidden corner of the village had a surprisingly lively atmosphere. It was extremely busy with families, couples, locals, tourists, and a constant stream of playful dogs passing through on their daily walks.
Despite being very busy, the staff at Sammy’s were patient and polite, and we got a free mini-platter as we waited for our food. I’m a free-food slut, so this was already exceeding my expectations. The pumpkin soup I ordered was amazing, the vegetable stew was huge, and both were decently priced, which made it worth the slightly lengthy wait.
The wind was picking up, so once we finished lunch we headed for shelter in the Gleneagles bar: a Gozo classic, and must-see for anyone visiting the island. The bar is named after the first regular passenger boat which began service between Malta and Gozo in 1885, and in some ways still feels like a bit of a relic from those days.
It’s a modest pub, typical of harbour boozers, but manages to stand out from any bar you’ve been to due to the abundance of fishing paraphernalia covering every inch, and the bucket-loads of charm oozing out of every little crack in its imperfect walls.
After finishing my satisfying pint of creamy Blue Label nectar (draught btw), it was time to get the ferry back to the big smoke. Today was a surprise, but that’s what’s so great about Bus Bingo. Every time we do it, we end up discovering yet another part of Malta (and Gozo) that we love.
Bus Bingo – Level 2 Complete
Notes:
Another success. Although, some tips: Don’t make evening plans when you play, you could end up further away than expected. Bring a jacket. Don’t ruin my fun by explaining how the ferry works to tourists.