February 2023

Male is the capital of the Maldives. But while the roads are cram jammed with cars and motorbikes, it still did not feel as frenetic as most big cities.

Larry and I tried to pinpoint what makes Male feel more relaxed, or at least what made us feel as if it were.

For one thing, people drive at an easy pace, without much honking. Sure, they want to get from here to there, but there is a palpable air of patience running through it all.

It’s hard to explain, but Male feels more relaxed than most cities. (We experienced something similar in Bali.)

At one point, Larry joked that, “Male is full of house plants!” Perhaps the abundance of flora contributed to our sense of relaxation here.

During our snorkeling trip, the heat and humidity of the Maldives did not bother me. After all, we were in the crystal blue water most of the time!

Exploring the city on foot, however, was another story. Many streets here are shaded by trees. (If you look closely at one of the photos I shared, you can see a tree growing through the roof of a restaurant.)

By the time we bumped into our Romanian friends, we were drenched with sweat! (You can probably tell from the photo.)

The man in the red shirt is walking down one of Male’s many narrow alleyways. While we appreciated all this shade, Larry and I were more than ready for a shower once we returned to the ship!Read more