Papa's 70th

2011 & 2012 have really been quiet eventful for my family, I’m an only child therefore my family is really my parents and I.  A while back I told myself that I would spend more time with both my parents and do things that they enjoy and that make them happy.  This post is all about one of those moments I spent with both my loving mama & papa .... a day I will treasure in my heart and record in my Happiness Jar.

On the 31^st March the Catholic Church celebrated Easter Sunday, which in itself is a very important celebration of the risen Lord, however for me it had another meaning, one that is closer to my heart.  My father turned 70 … a blessing for us that he is in relatively good health after all he has been through.

The picture speaks for itself

On Easter Sunday morning we met at their house and headed to the Ferry in Cirkewwa to take the 9:30 crossing to the sister Island, I like to call Little Rock – Gozo.  The weather was beautiful, just a tad of a breeze but otherwise lovely.

We got to Gozo in time to drive over to the other side of the Island, a quiet town called Gharb and attend Easter Sunday Mass, because it was Easter Sunday and also because the Church is home to the Portrait of the Madonna ta Pinu, as I explained in a previous post this has a strong meaning for my mother.  So we couldn’t visit Gozo without visiting the church and giving homage to the Madonna who has kept dad safe and healthy year after year.

Marble Angel

We arrived a little bit late, I’m pretty sure it was the first time my mother entered a church while the celebrant was half way through his homely, incidentally he was urging churchgoers to make it a point to arrive before mass actually starts … I’m sure she was forgiven just for being late once … me well I’m not sure I can seek forgiveness since I’m a repeat offender!

Mama & Papa outside the Sanctuary

After mass we drove to Marsalforn and had lunch at a lovely restaurant close to the sea called Murella – we had a lovely meal, I had their speciality – Fried Gozo Gbejna (which is a local soft cheese made from sheep’s’ milk).  Gbejniet (plural for Gbejna) are delicious raw with some olive oil – fried they are divine, as a main course I had one of their Speciality Pizza with Mozzarella di Buffola … YUMM!

Mum had Aubergine Brusketta followed by an Aberdeen Angus Burger and dad had the fried Gbejna and burger same as mum … he hadn’t indulged in anything so rich in months – since it was his birthday mum let down her guard.

For pudding I had a portion of Cassatella Siciliana a Sicilian ricotta dessert while both my parents had fresh fruit salad.  After a meal like that all we felt like doing was have a nap in the sun ... but we didn't give in.

On the way to the ferry we stopped for some fresh air at Calypso Cave overlooking the picturesque Ramla il-Hamra (the red beach) …

Posing with my lovely mum

Our Trip on Google Maps

A lovely end to a beautiful day, we must really do this more often … nothing is more fulfilling then spending quality time with both my parents.

A lonely boat sitting outside the Mgarr Harbour in Gozo