Excerpt from Off the Map in Malta by Christopher Ludgate
Out now in the Wanderlust Issue of Wander Magazine, Page 90
All to myself in the morning light of Gozo, I drifted through the tiny fortified alleys of Iċ-Ċittadella, hugged by lofty limestone ubiquitous in Malta’s architecture. Standing on a foundation more than 3000 years old, I ran my fingers along the fortress’s soft, porous stone, caressing the white specks of seashells embedded for millennia.
Climbing to the peak of this Citadel, perched above the orchards and clustered homes of rural Ir-Rabat, the majestic panorama emanated the tranquility of a remote, quiet life. Often favored by its alternative British name, Victoria, the landscape of ir-Rabat stretched beyond the knolls of rare fauna, cascading out into the Mediterranean Sea. Sicily’s coast was a faint impression in the distance.
The past is written on the walls of this marvel of ancient history, showing the erosion of time. Craft shops appeared along the winding mazes. At shadowy intersections, I imagined the many incarnations of the fortified castle as if time stood still. A museum is nestled beyond the Citadel’s Cathedral, where the Temple of Juno once stood, whispering tales of antiquity about this coveted ground.
Once upon a time, at the crossroads of the world…
Read Off the Map in Malta in its entirety here.
