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We visited Carmel's relatives in Melicucca her Papa's cousin and family; they welcomed us with open arms and it was great to see Carmel getting on so well with them, joking and laughing it's as if we see them often. They fed us as they do to show their appreciation and wouldn't take no for an answer. We then left for Mel's 50th birthday (the trip from here was explained in my previous blog)
Well we finally got to the hotel at Riace Marina freshened up and headed to Guardavalle Marina for our sister in-law Mel's 50th. Mel's relatives own and run the farm stay which is a very popular destination around these parts; don't get me wrong it's not a small hobby farm and lodgings, it's actually on a grander scale they even run excursions at the property.
I promised Carmel's brother Frank that I would bring some American Honey Bourbon to help celebrate, unfortunately I couldn't get it but brought some Maltese Honey as I call it instead (Prickly Pear Liquor). I insisted we have some before dinner and they all looked at me funny but before you knew it everyone had a glass and we were toasting Mel on her birthday everyone was quite surprised how good and smooth it tasted. I was in heaven! Out came the food the presentation and taste of this food was bellisimo! There were 3 birthdays celebrated at our table and there were 3 gorgeous cakes made for the occasion. One thing that I learned is "mungia is good" Frank and I already knew this! Check out my photos as a picture tells a thousand words. From here we headed to another resort they ran which was a village in itself here they had bars food spots and a disco-tech as they call it here in Europe we had a few more drinks and took in the scenery ;-)
After getting home at about 4am we were up early the next day for a trip back to Melicucca with Frank and Mel this time driving through Opiddo where Carmel's mum came from. We arrived at the main Church in the centre of town we heard someone call out "Hey are you Aussies" followed by "OLI" i thought to myself is there anywhere in the world that someone doesn't know Frank?! Frank was recognised by an old mate he used to knock around with, he owned a bar and betting establishment near the church it was called "Bar Sidney" he was really hospitable and we went in for a coffee and had a few laughs and jokes while they reminisced.
The drive through the mountains was so windy and it took quite a few hours to get there. When in Melicucca we visited Carmel's cousins pasta factory where they make various pastas and market them through Europe, they told me that they won an award in Malta for one of their style of pastas, we all left with shopping bags!
That night we caught up with Joe and Silvana Amalfi at midnight at Rochella Ionica it was great to catch up, they are on the end of their trip in Italy and we laughed at each other's stories and adventures. It was comforting that after speaking with them that Carmel and I were normal hearing their dramas and reactions. Another late night hence the delay in posting my blog.
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