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This blog is dedicated to Malta - my island home. My aim is not to bore you with history but to share my thoughts and a few facts together with a photo or two. For a more in -depth background of the island please go here. The purpose of this blog is not to point out the short-comings of the island. There are plenty that do that already. My wish is to show you the beauty of an island at the cross roads of the Mediterranean, a melting pot of history; a place where fact and fiction are sometimes fused to create unique myths and legends; a country that has been conquered so many times that our culture is a mish mesh of the lands that surround us and of lands far away. I confess that my greatest desire is to make you fall in love with this tiny enchanting island.

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Wednesday 2 February 2011

Enjoying The Countryside At Chadwick Lakes

There are no naturally occurring lakes or rivers in Malta although, in the winter time, a few streams can be found in most valleys. Chadwick Lakes are, in fact, a large reservoir built in the 1890s at the suggestion of British engineer Osbert Chadwick. Chadwick Lakes (34)

 

Chadwick Lakes (32)

However, being a valley, a stream of natural water does gurgle playfully downstream.

Chadwick Lakes (8)

Chadwick Lakes (9)

Chadwick Lakes (14)

This stretch of water provides a picturesque backdrop for picnics and the surrounding paths are ideal for a serene walk. The photos I am posting today were taken at the end of December and the blue skies and bright sunlight made it feel more like a spring day. However, the leafless silver birch trees were a reminder that it is not yet spring and the greenery and wild flowers are also indications that the weather is still on the cool side (I dare not say cold Smile).

Chadwick Lakes (6)

Once June comes along all the greenery that you see will be gone and arid land will be left in its place. The water too will dry up leaving a bed of hard, dry mud. So this simple beauty is transient and fleeting, like so many other things in Nature. I hope you’ll enjoy this little walk in our countryside  - it’s not very grand, I’m afraid. The island is too small for huge open spaces and it is something which a lot of us have a deep yearning for. So we make do with these little pockets of rural bliss.

Chadwick Lakes (12)Chadwick Lakes (15)

And, being Malta, there has to be that wacky little something that you won’t see in many other places. Now tell me, how many of you have seen silver birches (on the left of the photo) and cacti within a few metres of each other?

14 comments:

  1. Loree, I love this post with information and photos of your land... It did not occur to me that there would be no natural lakes on Malta, but we have already seen some of the other stunning features of your country.

    Great photos, and for the record... I think that the cacti is winning the race!

    Bisous,
    G

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  2. Fascinating and gorgeous! Yes, it sure is unusual to see cacti growing so close to silver birches. Chadwick Lakes must be a popular place to visit, especially when the reservoir has water.

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  3. Loree..wow..So vibrantly-lush, green and beautiful..wow...thanks for the color-rush of nature! I needed that! I am covered in snow here in Canada!ha ha!!
    Beautiful!! thankyou!

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  4. You just made me realize how much I miss seeing GREEN. Spring does come in March!

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  5. I get surprised with you every time I come here. You always find something good to tell about Malta. I haven't the same inspiration about the place where I live, São Paulo, I guess are the damn jams.

    I can't remember if I ever saw silver birches somewhere here but the cactis, well, I saw a lot close to each other in the north and northeast of Brazil, a region whose climate varies from arid to semiarid!

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  6. Not often! Oh this is marvellous, picnic yes but I'd just sit there, read and listen to the water!

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  7. I've never been to these lakes yet. Whenever we have passed the turn off I've said to my husband, one day I want to go there. See what is it, what its like. Thank you for the beautiful photos! Now I know what I'm missing out on, i'll definitely have to get there now. Though I might wait until it warms up a bit and the rains have stopped :o)

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  8. Oh, beautiful Malta :)
    I never knew there wasn't a natural river in Malta... thanks for the interesting factoid, Loree :)

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  9. What a beautiful place to walk through !

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  10. the last photo made me think if i've seen that anywhere and i haven't. amazing!

    your photos make me yearn for spring and warm weather. i'm ready to let go of winter.

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  11. Hhhhhm, feels like spring is coming:-)) Wonderful impresseions! Hugs from Luzia.

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  12. I always LOVE to see this beautiful country through your lens! I can't believe you took these in December! Everything looks so lush and green, I bet it looks completely different during Summer?

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  13. I confess that my greatest desire is to make you fall in love with this tiny enchanting island. countryside tourism

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