Every year, our friend Oliver Magro visits Nadur to see what we're up to. His last visit was in June 2002, just a few days before Mnarja. He managed to arrive just in time for the Agricultural Fair at the pjazzetta, organized annually by the Nadur Local Council.

Six days before the annual Mnarja and the Nadurin are rearing to go! I was in Nadur during the weekend prior to the actual festa... in time for the annual agricultural exhibition. The activities started on Saturday evening, with some folk dancing and ghana folk singing. One could also sample the homemade wines!

I would have to say that I was most impressed with this model made entirely in wood, by a retired gentleman from Ghajnsielem.  We managed to speak to the artisan, who said it took him eight months to complete the model of one of the most elaborate churches on the island - that of Nadur.  

One could look at some rare baby ostriches, lovingly bred by one of the Nadurin. They are hard to see in Malta as they are not indigenous to the Mediterranean. They were a star attraction, but so were the cute goats!

There were also three fairly large pumpkins. The third pumpkin actually weighs more than 195kg! The pumpkin seeds were imported (ordered over the internet, I've been told) and planted in a field just off Nadur. On the right, a selection of the large number of agricultural produce on show, most of which I had never seen before! 

Il-Wirja tan-Nahal: Literally translated "an exhibition of bees".  But the person inside the glass box is one of the Nadurin, Pawlu Muscat, who was confined to the box for a good two hours. The bees, attracted to their queen bee, will eventually congregate on his chest and neck forming what looks like a beard.  Now this is something I don't think I'll be doing ... at least in the near future.

Visit Oliver Magro's website. Click here.