We were out early this morning on the bus to Mosta hoping to find a Christmas choir performance near the the Dome Church. Instead we found ourselves in the church experiencing Sunday mass in Maltese. It was a peaceful half hour that provided us with the time to sit and look at all the beautiful areas inside. I think it was the middle of the mass, so in the break we made our donation to the collection plate and slipped out the door. Sunday's are strange days in warm countries in Europe. Church in the mornings then it's all about family and friends and visiting. All the cafes are filled inside and out. The roads are jammed with people coming and going who knows where. Just out seeing and being seen.
Some things are the same worldwide. Here, across from the church, were local 'firemen' selling raffle tickets for a huge hamper. There was a Santa and a Mickey and Minnie Mouse entertaining the kids. This was an old LandRover fire truck.
With our bus passes we jumped on the first bus that came along. A few pictures while we waited. A tattoo shop. Right next door a lovely apartment with beautiful flowering bushes. Next to that a gas 'station'.
We ended up in the town of Naxxer, pronounced Nashere....every little community or parish has a most beautiful church. It's incredible how many there are.
We visited the Parisio Palace. They charge €12 to tour the inside and all the rooms. It looks like a place that the well to do hold events like weddings. We could tour the garden for free so that is what we did. They were beautiful and one can only imagine what they look like in the summer. We were there by ourselves and it was peaceful and quiet.
Even a Bird of Paradise blooming in the winter.
Naxxer's church services were also in session so we didn't get to see the inside. Doing justice to the beauty and detail of these magnificent parish churches is beyond my sketching/painting capabilities so I think I will just post photos from now on. Church was out at 11:30 and we could see young boys up in the towers preparing to ring all the bells at noon. It was quite beautiful to hear despite the traffic noises and piped Christmas music singing of white Christmases, which very few Maltese have ever experienced unless they have been skiing in the Alps.
These clocks are all over, in every community and I have yet to see one that works. Just sayin'.
We really did a circle route today, not a lot of walking but lots of bus riding from church to church. Had cappuccinos in the sun at Golden Sands, a beach resort, sat waiting in the bus in Mgarr, waiting for someone to find the driver of a vehicle that was just parked in the middle of the road. The bus and other traffic couldn't move until he was located. A few 'words' were exchanged between drivers and we were on our way. Again another new bus and route and we still end up at the same stop near our 'home'.
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