Gozo Is the Grass Greener? Features in "My Gozo" Magazine

I am very pleased to announce that my award winning book about Gozo, features in the latest edition of the magazine “My Gozo”. The article can be found on pages 42-43.

Many thanks to the Editor in Chief Mark Duffy for the article.

The magazine can be read online by following this link;

https://issuu.com/mygozo/docs/final_2016v2.compressed?e=4748548%2F36295235

Alternatively, the magazine is available FREE throughout Gozo and Malta.

Gozo Is the Grass Greener? has now won 2 awards;

Honourable Mention in the autobiography section at the 2015 London Book Festival

Winner of the autobiography section at the 2016 Paris Book Festival

Thanks to all who have offered support

Please visit my website; www.freyabarrington.com for more details of me and my writing; thank you

Freya 

Gozo Is the Grass Greener Scoops Top Prize in Autobiography/Biography Section in Paris

I am absolutely thrilled to announce that my book Gozo Is the Grass Greener? Has WON the top spot in the autobiography/biography section of the 2016 Paris Book Festival.

The book's win in Paris follows on from its success in London

Already the winner of an Honorable Mention at the 2015 London Book Festival, the book tells the story of my husband Steve and I, as we left the UK in 2010 to go and live on the beautiful island of Gozo in Malta.

Filled with anecdotes, both humorous and sad, the book offers an inside glimpse of life on this small and increasingly popular island.

Thanks must go to Faraxa Publishing for publishing the work, and to Neil Whittaker for his photographs which appear in the book. Also a special mention to illustrator, Michael Martin who so brilliantly penned the front cover. Michael is the current illustrator of the Daily Mail’s much loved Fred Basset.

Thanks to everyone who supported me in downloading or buying the book and offering a steady stream of encouragement.

Also at the same Festival, my debut book about social work, Known to Social Services won an Honorable Mention in the general non-fiction section.

A winner in London and an Honorable Mention in Paris

We hope to attend the winners dinner in Paris in June – good thing we live in France now J

Freya 

Holiday Reading - Gozo Is the Grass Greener?

Gozo Is the Grass Greener? Is an award winning book about the lives of two ordinary people - namely my husband Steve and I. The book asks the question, Is the Grass Greener? This relates not only to our move from the UK to the small and stunningly beautiful island of Gozo, but also in relation to us as a couple.

Book cover, brilliantly illustrated by Mick Martin who is the current illustrator of Fred Basset in the Daily Mail

Gozo Is the Grass Greener? Is not intended as a tourists guide to Gozo, neither is it a handbook on “Things to Do In Gozo”, though there is a wealth of information in the book in that regard. The book is simply an emotive, yet honest narrative about our move to Gozo AND our relationship as a new couple and all that can entail, hence the question, Is the Grass Greener?

Steve and I married while in Gozo - Ollie the 21 year old lurcher was best man!

Illustrated with photographs by our dear friend Neil Whittaker, the book is filled with anecdotes, both humorous and sad. You’ll read about our hair raising drive across the alps in snow and ice, towing a 2 ton box trailer, meet a stroppy teenager with all her angst, and hear about our fun-loving crazy lurchers. I have included a candid bio about Steve’s bipolar disorder and explain how we, as a couple cope with that in our daily lives in the hope it will help others in similar circumstances.

The famous trailer with all our belongings in it

Then, there is Gozo itself and all the charms it has to offer. I include many details about daily life on this friendly uncomplicated island, along with some laugh out loud interactions with the locals. Read about our successful singing career; in hotels, restaurants, roof tops and even on beaches!

Having fun singing at The Captain's Table in Xlendi

Gozo Is the Grass Greener has widespread appeal, and makes ideal holiday reading.

Beautiful Gozo

So, WAS the grass greener? Ahh that would be telling; you’ll have to read it for yourself and find out; maybe you'll even visit Gozo and share in some of the wonderful experiences we were lucky enough to have during our time there J Happy holidays everyone.

Gozo Is the Grass Greener? won an honorable mention at the 2015 London Book Festival. Published by Faraxa Publishing and available via Amazon and good book stores.

Please visit my website; www.freyabarrington.com

I have two other blogs, which may interest you as well;

www.freyabarrington.blogspot.com

www.breakfastinbrittany.blogspot.com

My latest novel about child trafficking, titled Caught in Traffick is due out later this year.

Freya

Memories of Gozo

It is almost a year since Steve and I left our lovely home on the tiny island of Gozo, which is part of the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean.  After leaving Gozo, we spent several months in the south of France, before moving to southern Spain where we have spent the last three months. We are about to move again, but that is another story. As we once again start packing up our belongings to move house; for the 7^th time in ten years may I add! I can’t help but think of Gozo and the happy five years we spent there.

Beautiful Gozo





I tried to put my finger on one thing I miss about Gozo, but I found I couldn’t narrow it down. I simply couldn’t name ONE thing about this island of magic, as there are so many things I miss. Instead, I decided to make a list; not a list of tourist attractions or things to do, but things I miss. So, here are the top five things I miss about Gozo.

   Friends; in the five years we lived in Gozo, Steve and I made more friends than we’ve ever made anywhere else we have lived. That remains true today. There are many ex pats living in Gozo and we quickly built up a core group of true friends who could be counted on in any event, no matter what time of day or night. We miss our friends; we miss the spontaneity of that knock on the door as they called to see us. No arrangements were required; it was just the accepted thing that people turned up, the frying pan went on and bacon sandwiches were made. We had friends who would do their weekly shopping, then visit us armed with donuts to share; things like that. I recall on many occasions, friends would call around lunchtime, and still be with us in the early hours of the morning! At regular intervals during that time, I’d rustle up some food, open a bottle of two of wine, and we’d just talk and laugh all day. Good times, such good times J

At one of our favourite places, the Cornucopia Hotel in Xaghra where we got married



Some of our friends left Gozo while we were still there, and we missed them. However, we could guarantee that when they came back to visit, we would all meet up, and pick up where we left off, such was the close relationships we were lucky enough to share. I miss going down to Smiley’s in Marsalforn, or Kozmo in Victoria, or the tiny café down at the Inland Sea. It didn’t matter where we met, what mattered was the company. Whether it was just us plus another couple, or the whole group of 10 or more, we laughed, we cried, we shared griefs and joys – after all, that’s what friends are for. Yes, we miss our friends and I am very saddened to say that some of them are never coming back. Make the most of it folks, we’re only here once.

Just some of the wonderful friends we made in Gozo

We also had many Gozitan friends, who embraced us and accepted us as part of the scene. One time, Steve and I had been on the bus and were chatting to the driver who we had come to know well. We knew that Gozo had become our home as he waved us off with a smile and said, “You’re locals now”. I recall another time we were on the Gozo ferry ,returning home after a trip to the UK. One of the workers on the ferry recognised us and simply said, “You’re home then” – I miss that.

   On the Gozo ferry





Xlendi Bay; Steve and I never lived in Xlendi, but our very first trip to Gozo in 2010 was to Xlendi, where we stayed in St Patrick’s hotel. I fell head over heels in love with the place and decided I needed to live in Gozo. Xlendi has a special charm and magic, which I have not found anywhere else on the island. Restaurants and bars line the sea front, the fish swim in their hundreds right next to where you sit, and are always grateful if you share your bread with them. It sends them into a feeding frenzy and used to keep me entertained while I drank my coffee. The water is a clear as glass and provides a safe haven for swimming and diving. However, if you visit on one of those blustery winter days where the rain comes down like stair rods, the sea will show its wild side and leap right out of the bay at you and onto the sidewalks, making it impossible to sit outside until it calms down. Many’s the time we’ve waded across the road in Xlendi after a heavy rainstorm, marvelling at the difference a few hours of rain can make.

Beautiful Xlendi




Steve and I had our own special place in Xlendi where we would go and sit. We would walk right along the side of the bay to the far end and sit on the bench there staring out to sea in simple silence. No words were necessary, such was the beauty of the vista. I miss that.

   Singing; Steve and I worked in Gozo as entertainers. Resident at The Captain’s Table in Xlendi, and regulars at many other places, we made many great friends through our singing. We performed on roof tops, on beaches, in squares, on the waterfront and of course in hotels, bars and restaurants. It was what we did, and we loved it. Our followers never ceased to amaze us with their creativity in ridiculousness. They loved to catch Steve out, and many’s the night he couldn’t sing for laughing. We both miss that.  

    Great times at The Captain's Table



The Simple Life; living on Gozo was so easy. We had left the UK due to never ending hassle in daily life. We’d had enough and were looking for an escape. We found it in Gozo. With a simple, slow pace of life, where everything seemed so straight forward, it was exactly what we needed. The sun shone most of the time, eating out was cheap and the food always good. Time moved at a leisurely pace, people were polite and friendly and life really was simple.  There was no crime that we were ever aware of, and you really could leave your car keys in the car and your handbag on a table without fear of theft. We were lucky enough to be in a position to pretty much please ourselves in what we did. If we wanted to go out, have a wander round the shops, a bit of lunch, a walk by the sea, then that’s what we did. We might pop to Marsalforn and enjoy the walk along the front; one or two coffees were always in order, along with lunch. 
   

    






  Everything came with a sea view of course. Other days, we might go down to the famous Azure Window in Dwerja and marvel at this well-known monument and wonder that it hadn’t fallen into the sea yet!  What we did not know was that one day, we would shoot a video here and sing right up on top of this most famous Gozitan landmark!

And here we are; rockin on the rock!





We always loved a trip into Victoria, where we would make our way through the lovely new park in the centre, and up to the market. We’d stop and talk to the stall holders. They would shrug their shoulders when we asked how business was, and tell us it was too quiet, or too busy. We’d bump into people we knew, stop to chat, or agree to coffee – there was always time for coffee. I miss that.

   Everything! It’s no good, I can’t narrow it down to 5 headings. I miss the lifestyle we had in Gozo, which I know we can never replicate anywhere else, because there IS nowhere else like Gozo, or should I say there was nowhere like the Gozo WE lived in. It wasn’t perfect, nowhere is. The winters could be wet, cold and fairly miserable. I certainly don’t miss that, but everything else ……………………..

When it rained, it REALLY rained!




It may be different now in Gozo, but the life we had for those five years was wonderful. We sang, had great friends, I wrote 2 books, we did car boot sales, which were so much fun. Hell, we even got married there! 

Our wedding day with 20 year old Ollie the lurcher as our best man!






I miss the beauty of the place, the colours, the cliffs, the sea, the ferry ride over to Malta. I miss the locals sitting on their doorsteps after the heat has gone out of the sun. I miss the lizards darting about, the flowers in May, the sound of that musical singsong language. I guess I just miss it all, so thank you Gozo, for everything. Things change, people change, and places change. But Gozo was just what we needed for the time we lived there. It was a time of healing, of simply being. I miss that and I know we can never have it again.

You can read all about our life in Gozo in my book, Gozo Is the Grass Greener? This is not a tourist's guide to Gozo, neither is it an exhaustive narrative about the pros and cons of the island. It is simply about our lives while living there, along with anecdotes and observations of life in general.  

Available from Amazon and published by Faraxa. Gozo Is the Grass Greener was awarded an Honorable Mention at the 2015 London Book Festival.

Visit my website; www.freyabarrington.com or find me on Facebook and give me a like J https://www.facebook.com/FreyaBarrington/

Freya

Au Revoir

Once again, Steve and I are on the move.

In May this year, we moved from the beautiful Maltese island of Gozo to the Tarn Et Garonne region of France, which we have been lucky to call our home ever since.

Ahh summertime, it seems like a memory now









However, at the end of December, after two weeks in the UK to see family and friends and do some gigs, we will be moving to Spain, to a small place close to Huescar, which is about an hour and a half north of Granada.  We are going because we like to travel, we like to explore and we feel almost ready to find somewhere to call home on a more permanent basis. I say almost ready, as at heart, I think Steve and I are nomads, we don’t do well in one place for too long, always wanting to see what’s around the next corner.  Oh and there is the small matter of me finishing the sequel to my bestselling social work book - Known to Social Services!

Hmm, what's round that next bed?







We thought we’d found our forever home in Gozo, so much so, I wrote a book about the experience entitled Gozo Is the Grass Greener? However, we felt we needed to explore other places, before making a decision on where to perhaps settle down full time.

My book about our lives in Gozo









After almost five years on a very small and close knit island, with the best friends anyone could wish for, and where we were in demand as entertainers; a move seemed almost unnecessary. We were however, ready for a change and France has certainly provided us with just that.

Great memories of singing on Gozo







We have so many wonderful memories of this area, and it will be a huge wrench to have to go. You see, in a nutshell, we love France.

Beautiful France








So what is it we love about this area and its surrounds? Well, first of all, the people. We were told before we moved here by more than one or two people that “The French are ignorant”. While this in itself is a huge sweeping statement to make about a whole race of people, it is also, in our opinion, totally inaccurate and without basis.

Always something lovely to see







Far from being ignorant, we have found the people to be extremely polite and courteous, not to say, helpful and patient, especially with my schoolgirl French. I am absolutely certain that you could travel the world over and find people of every race who are ignorant, but on the whole, we have been impressed by the old fashioned good manners we have witnessed while here. The greeting of “Monsieur Dame” as we walk into a shop, and the cheerful “Bonjours” in pretty much every, bar, café and restaurant. Not just from the owners, but from all present. Then, as you leave a place, you will always hear, “Au revior, Bonne Journee”. Ignorant? I think not.

Coffee anyone?

Or a baguette?






We have felt more than welcome everywhere we have visited, and in our most local town of Valence D’Agen, we felt like locals after going into our favourite café one day and the waitress confirmed, “Deux café grand crème?” without us having to say a word. 

Our favourite cafe








It made us smile, it made us feel part of the fabric of the town, which we called home for a while. We spent many happy hours here at the café, watching the world go by, especially on market day when the town came alive, bustling and busy with people. The produce so fresh and home grown, the friendly cheese man who would pretty much let you sample every single cheese he had until you made up your mind. This is small town France at its best.

So many yummy things!








This place has something, which seems to be sadly lacking now in the UK. There is a sense of belonging, a pride in the artisan shops, which abound everywhere you go. The tiny village schools, which are not in danger of closing, the people in the villages and towns who all seem to know each other and greet their fellow man and woman with a kiss on each cheek. At times, we almost felt like intruders. Outsiders looking in, like a child with their face pressed up against a sweet shop window, jealously looking on, while unable to gain access to the treats inside. However, we have been so fortunate as we have felt included, and embraced everywhere we have been.

Always time for coffee









The second thing we love about this area is the sheer magnitude of its history, which is overwhelming. Almost every single village and town seems to have a 13^th century church, a chateau, a castle or some other wonderful monument, which takes your breath away. Then there are the walks, the stunning scenery, the rivers, the canals, the architecture and so much more.

Walks galore

Spoiled for choice








We’ve spent unexpected happy hours after stumbling on car boot sales, and various other events, where we just “happened” to be in the area. We’ve smiled at the sight of locals having a full cooked meal as their picnic, complete with wine. Not an egg sandwich in sight!

Cahors car boot sale







We have much to be grateful for and who knows, one day, we may be back, this time for good.

Here are just a few photos of the amazing places we have visited.

The magnificent cathedral at Penne D'Agenais

Gateway to St Jean Pied De Port

Overlooking the river at Auvillar

Stunning old architecture

Bridges aplenty

The novelty paving in Lauzerte

A friendly dog in one of the cafes

And friends, good friends

In Montcuq

Struggling up the hill with a friend to lean on. St Jean De Pied Port

No excuses needed to have coffee with our mates! 

The whole gang

The caves at Penne D'Agenais

Goodnight








Thank you France, it’s been our pleasure. Now, to get writing J

Freya