Sunday, 20th May 2007

Making headway from Mgarr to Hondoq

It was the third outing to Gozo during the current walking season and yet some six dozen walkers challenged the rather warm weather and a splendid sun to make it to Hondoq ir-Rummien from the Mgarr harbour.

Once past the yacht marina inside the harbour and up to the rocky outcrop along the shore the refreshing sea breeze from the west rendered the ramble most enjoyable and before long we had made it to Hondoq ir-Rummien, the site of yet another proposed development that will potentially deprive the Gozitans of a favourite bathing spot and Gozo of some beautiful coastline and clear waters.

All ears to the sad plight awaiting Hondoqr

At Hondoq the ramblers were met with members of the Moviment Harsien Hondoq, with Paul Buttigieg leading the group with his usual overwhelming enthusiasm. Paul and his friends informed the ramblers of the havoc that the project will cause on all fronts ? starting with the deprivation of a protected and popular beach favoured by Gozitans and Maltese alike; continuing with the further degradation of the site from which tremendous amounts of rock will have to be excavated to dig a marina, itself threatening to pollute the clear waters; in the process of construction putting stress and health hazard to the people of Qala as countless numbers of trucks will be to-ing and fro-ing with construction waste and building materials; and threatening to deal the final blow to the sustainability of tourism there due to further ruin the quaint characteristics of Gozo that make the island different from the building-site that is Malta today.

Leaflets and brochures were distributed to drive home the worthy cause for which the Moviment is striving.

Pristine Hondoq, what is your fate?

From there it was uphill to the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on the outskirts of Qala, where the group took a merited rest in the shade of the small parvis. However many made the effort to visit the underground room which presumably was the cave that the hermit Korrew inhabited, to view the skeletal remains of a human body from the 14th century.

The next stop was the last at the Belvedere overlooking Mgarr Harbour. This is where the group disbanded as some lingered there in the cool breeze, others stumbled down to the coast again whilst others ventured to Victoria to take in the festivities of Lejliet Lapsi.