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  • TravelerMalta
    Day 9

    Time to leave...

    October 12, 2017 in Malta ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    I'm sitting on the terrace at 5am, aware that the alarm is relentlessly ticking towards 05.45 and getting moving time. It's peaceful out here, just me and my coffee. I can't believe our eight days are done...

    The taxi arrives at 07.45. We've booked a bit early to hopefully miss the worst of the rush hour traffic. We don't. It is appalling, nothing's moving faster than a slow crawl. The taxi driver turns around a couple of times but 20 minutes after we leave we are sitting on the road directly across the harbour from our apartment, which would take a maximum of three minutes to walk... Eventually, using his knowledge of all the back doubles, we break free and the last few miles to the airport are easy going.

    It shouldn't have been as difficult as it was getting through the gate. The sole member of staff somehow took 25 minutes to process 5 people in wheelchairs, plus carers, through the final boarding pass and passport check, having already called all us Speedy Boarders forward at the same time, which meant everyone else was milling around too, trying to be first after us so it was a total fiasco. Subsequently, boarding was half an hour late but we made good time and a speedy whirl through Gatwick got us homeward bound on a train by 14.20.    Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 8

    St Elmo's Fort and the War Museum

    October 11, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Because it was so good yesterday, we stop at Pappani's for lunch again. This time we share mussels in a delicate tomato sauce, followed by a porcini and ricotta ravioli in butter sauce. A "Wow" elicited from John sums it up!

    We move onto Fort St Elmo and the National War Museum, which details the military history of Malta over the ages. The Fort holds the commanding position right at the end of Valetta, overlooking the harbour entrance.

    We run out of time and decide to bus it back, rather than ferry and bus. The bus station is at the far end of Valetta but it proves to be a good move as every bus is leaving packed solid and then not stopping to collect any waiting passengers en route.

    We booked a table at the Emperor of India for a second time. This time we have chicken madras, achari lamb, vegetable Jaipuri, pilau rice and a butter naan. John loved it all and the standout dish for me in terms of flavour tonight was the madras, although I struggled with the heat.    Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 8

    The War Rooms

    October 11, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    We decide on the Lascaris War Rooms, beneath Barakka Gardens, this morning. The tunnels were dug deep into the bedrock in 1854 and played a vital role in the defence of Malta during WW2. Malta suffered sustained bombing from the Axis troops and the quick responses of Allied fighter planes, controlled from these War Rooms, was critical to the survival of Malta.Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 7

    Two Harbours Cruise

    October 10, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    We bus back to Slimea from Valetta and stroll the quay to find a cruise. As it's late it turns out there's only one left today, leaving at 5pm. But it's a luzzu, there are only a few people on board and we can have a beer so all is well.

    It's a thoroughly pleasant trip. The sun is shining, we have beer and we're out on the water. Puttering along you can see how fantastic this harbour is - sheltered, lots of different inlets and big. No wonder it has been so strategically important for so long.

    We see the Grand Harbour first and then swing round Fort St Elmo into the Three Cities harbour. There are three cruise liners in today which probably explains why Valetta seemed very crowded earlier. The industrial part of the port can hardly be described as attractive but it's a working port so this is a necessity.

    The queue at the bus stop afterwards is massive so we cunningly walk back one stop to be ahead of them. Our ploy doesn't work as not one, not two but four buses sail past all packed to the gunnels. After at least twenty minutes one finally let's us on. It, too, is packed but we're on the move. We're heartily sick of the buses now.

    Dinner's at Bianco's this evening. We enjoy a trio of Maltese sausages, don't enjoy a beef cappuccino much and enjoy the pizza with double mozzarella and Parma ham.

    I bring up the subject of Gozo tomorrow and the buses. We're both in agreement : we can't be bothered with hassle of the buses so we're not going to go...zo    Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 7

    The Palace of the Grandmasters

    October 10, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    We stop at Pappani's for lunch. We have a very tasty fish soup and a cheese and meat plate. Both are starters but that's plenty for us. Replete, we continue on our way.

    We enjoy the Palace. Like anything to do with the Knights, lavishness and opulence seem to be key words. Our visit also includes a trip to the Armoury which has an extensive and fascinating array of weapons and armour from the time of the Knights. A suit of armour with decorations in gold? Nothing was too good for these Knights!Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 7

    A new plan

    October 10, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    We now need to rethink today. There is still plenty to see and do round here so our new plan is to visit the Palace of the Grand Masters in Valetta, have lunch and then catch the ferry back to Slimea and take a Two Harbours cruise. Sorted.

    The first bus is a direct one to Valetta which is a lot better than messing around with the ferry. We arrive and immediately change our plan by visiting St John's Co Cathedral, which was founded by the Knight's of St John. It became a co cathedral in the 1820s when the Bishop of Malta was allowed to use it as an alternative see to the one in Mdina, as it had, by then, become as important.

    Wow! Jaw droppingly lavish. It's in a whole different league to the many other churches we've visited here    Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 7

    Heading to Gozo

    October 10, 2017 in Malta ⋅ 🌙 12 °C

    We check the bus timetable online before heading to the bus stop for the 07.57. We check the timetable again and, oh joy, this is now the winter schedule which hasn't been updated online and the bus is due slightly earlier than expected. However, that time is for the far side of the bay, before getting round to us, and it didn't pass us walking down and rush hour is starting so there's lots of traffic so we should be fine.

    We wait. Plainly we're not fine. Time drags. The next one is now due but doesn't show. We wait. We've now been waiting for an hour and the next one is due but we've had enough. We've lost enough of a chunk of our day trip for it not to be worthwhile. We drag ourselves home, keeping an eye out for the elusive next bus but that doesn't show in the time we're going back and watching out for it.

    Chatting with our neighbour, he confirms that buses just not arriving is nothing unusual at all. I'm getting a bit irritated with how difficult it is to get around this island.    Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 6

    And back

    October 9, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    We have more bus hassle getting back. The service is heavily touted as being every half hour, all day. Except, when you look closely, this particular half hour when there is no service. There's a big queue by the time the next one arrives so we're pleased to snaffle a couple of the last seats on the top. Time's moved on by now and we decide to just get back.

    Dinner tonight is at The Emperor of India. We have a Goan chicken curry, achari beef with ginger, saag paneer, rice with cumin and a paratha bread. All were very excellent. We've noticed, over time, that curries we've had abroad are often noticeably different to the same dish in the UK. And usually noticeably better. We may well be back here before we leave.    Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 6

    To Marsaxlokk

    October 9, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    We take the open top bus to the traditional fishing village of Marsarlokk (pronounced Mar-sash-lokk) on the south east of Malta, marsa meaning port and xlokk meaning south east.

    Simply put, it is gorgeous. The simple village houses arc around the harbour, which is full of the brightly colored wooden fishing boats known as luzzu (pronounced lut-zu).

    We stop for lunch - lampuki and sea bass - and a beer on the quayside before taking a potter round the harbour in one of the luzzus.

    Just picture postcard perfection.    Read more

  • TravelerMalta
    Day 5

    Fort San Angelo

    October 8, 2017 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    There has been a fort on this spot since medieval times. The Knights of St John rebuilt it and during the 1565 Great Seige of Malta it became their headquarters. It was garrisoned by the British for nearly 180 years, until 1979.

    We're hot and sticky so decide it's time to leave. We see the ferry coming in and pick up speed. They execute an almost lightening turnaround this time and are already undoing the ropes as we yomp up! A few minutes later we're back in Valetta and take the lift to Upper Barakka Gardens, with the intent of returning to the other ferry for our journey home. Crossing Valetta, we are so close to the City Gate I suggest a bus might be quicker. It is. We're back less than an hour after jumping on the ferry.

    Dinner in Gululu is rabbit, followed by braised pork cheeks. Mmm...

    I've been keeping an eye on my pedometer and we've been averaging six miles a day. And, apart from the first two days, the weather has been really nice, probably hovering in the mid 20s and nice enough to sit outside first thing in the morning and in the evenings.    Read more

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