Maltese Lakes...

[fajrdrako]

A photo on yahoo! caught my eye this morning. My which I mean, I gasped in surprise. It's a picture of flooding water rushing into a lake in Malta. Malta - the dryest place I've ever been. Malta, which has no rivers - and I would have thought it had no lakes.



The caption: "Water pours over one of the dams at Chadwick Lake, an artificial lake and irrigation system, after heavy rainfall in central Malta January 5, 2009. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi (MALTA)."

I have been to Malta. I loved Malta. And one thing I don't remember is lakes on Malta. The Mediterranean, yes - gorgeous. Inlets and channels, yes. But nothing like a river or a lake, man-mad or otherwise. Malta is dry. Very dry.

So I looked it up, and by gum, yes, there are lakes. Chadwick Lakes. How'd I miss those? I did some research - and was particularly charmed by this picture, which suggests it's a good area for a country walk, and by another site that advertises walking tours there. I'd go in a second if I could. I even know where the area is - someone (probably Simon or rosiespark pointed to the ridge from a highway while describing other things in that area, but I don't recall lakes being mentioned.

So Malta has a Lake District - hee! I never would have guessed.

Comments

[gillo]

Goodness. I had no idea either. It looks lovely, but incredibly un-Maltese.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Exactly! And it looks so dramatic, but I'd have guessed anywhere - China, Canada, Peru - before I'd have guessed it was Malta.

I love the capacity of this world to surprise me.

[namastenancy.livejournal.com]

Malta has lakes? Good grief - I had no idea. I loved the island but I was taking Dorothy Dunnett as my guide and she never mentioned any lakes. Knights of St. John, Cathedrals, beautiful medieval architecture, hot hot and hot - but no lakes. I hope that they can some some of this bounty because it sure gets dry there in the summer.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Malta has lakes? Good grief - I had no idea.

Must be one of those well-kept secrets.

I loved the island but I was taking Dorothy Dunnett as my guide and she never mentioned any lakes

I believe the lakes are man-made 20th century things, which Lymond would never have seen. Of course Dunnett was my Malta guide as well, and it makes these modern things seem of lesser importance.

I guess the weather has been strange everywhere; I just can't imagine Malta having all that water flowing over it. I did experience one downpour, so I have a notion what it's like, but... I'm still blinking in wonder.

[duncanmac.livejournal.com]

Agreed. The weather has been rather less predictable of late.

I do apologize if I talk a lot about the bus strike ... but that situation is driving me batty for a number of reasons. There are parts of town I currently cannot reach except by taxi or someone giving me a ride. Arrrghhh.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I do apologize if I talk a lot about the bus strike ... but that situation is driving me batty for a number of reasons.

Me too. It was rather a long walk home from the hospital last night and now I have to walk to work. I don't know how I'll get to the hospital after work. Taking it moment by moment.

[sidhe-woman.livejournal.com]

Good Grief! I've been to Malta twice, and fell totally in love with the place. Okay, I was preconditioned via The Dunnett and Lymond, but the second time, getting off the bus and walking through the city gate was like coming home. But - *lake*???

That pic is so beautiful. I am hoping to go back in a year or so, and I will be looking out for it now. Malta does get a fair bit of rain over winter, so I can see the possibility of a storage lake.

That island is just amazing. Magical and full of surprises *hg*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I've been to Malta twice, and fell totally in love with the place.

Yes - I want to go again, too.

I was preconditioned via The Dunnett and Lymond, but the second time, getting off the bus and walking through the city gate was like coming home.

I think it would. It will. I'm missing it!

But - *lake*???

Just to show that Malta can hold some surprises for us still.

I want to go back too, but the Dunnett gathering in Paris will come first.