Also, Floriotravels on Instagram: teamwork – all images © Jason Florio & Helen Jones-Florio
via Instagram: World at a Glance – Jason Florio photography — jason florio
Walking the Victoria Lines, ‘The Great Wall of Malta’
‘Originally known as the North West Front and sometimes unofficially known as the Great Wall of Malta…a complex network of linear fortifications known collectively as the Victoria Lines‘
What a revelation… to find so much nature, and tranquility, particularly after having read recently the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta equated with the word: ‘cementation’‘. And, in some areas, justifiably so. Where we live, for example, we are surrounded by deconstruction, reconstruction, new construction, behemoth cranes, and all the constant racket (and dust!) one can expect from the aforementioned.
From our starting point in a small village near to Mgarr,on the west coast of Malta, we walked along the Victoria Lines, across the country – with views (largely) unimpeded by towering metal structures – clambering up and down steep man-made steps, down into rocky ravines, clambering over lush countryside (yet another, much welcomed, revelation), with ‘distant sea views’ (much used by island estate agents), all the way to Medlienna on the east coast. Although officially 12km distance, we managed to cover a total of 22km, mainly due to the Victoria Lines wall no longer being there, in places, causing us to go (albeit pleasantly) off-piste a couple of times!
Well recommended. So, get your walking boots on!
Reference: Walking in Malta by Paddy Dillon & Map Guide
Photo of the Day: Fixer-upper? Abandoned caravan, The Gambia, West Africa
Boys Hanging out at King Kai’s Barber Shop, Kartong, The Gambia, West Africa
We first met ‘King Kai’ – a young local entrepreneur from the village of Kartong (also known as Kartung), which borders Senegal, in southwestern Gambia – a few years ago, when he had recently opened his small barbershop/hairdresser, which also served the community with cold drinks and expertly hand-crafted (by King Kai, himself) models of traditional masquerades. Never one to rest on his laurels, when we returned a year or so later, KK had expanded his business empire to include an amusement arcade, to entertain the youth of the village – apparently, much to the consternation of the village elders and Koranic scholars, who felt this to be unIslamic behaviour for young boys.
To see more from our West Africa travels, please visit ‘River Gambia Expedition – 1044kim source-sea African odyssey‘ and ‘A Short Walk in the Gambian Bush – a 930km African odyssey‘
