Old cities, tourist meccas , ferry rides, waterhole swimming, breathtaking cliffs, churches, green spaces, brown spaces… it all becomes a must do must see for Carolyn as the days race by!
The day after returning from Gozo was a maintenance and rest day…almost…but still included a bit of garden maintenance, washing, food shopping, car washing and street cleaning!
Friday was the Public Holiday of St Maria, our lady of the assumption…meaning the belief that the Virgin Mary, after her earthly life, was taken body and soul to heaven (in the catholic faith)
Anyway, in layman’s terms this means…the Maltese people celebrate with feasts and fireworks and the tourists do what tourists do….swim, eat, drink, shop and generally try not to melt in 35-40 degree temperatures!
With so much still for my visitor to see and time running out, I put on my tourist guide hat and Carolyn wound up her walking legs…although she didn’t know it at this point….
Public holidays here means little to public transport operators and we started our day with a bus ride to Valetta ….
Walking legs winding up, down through the northern side of the capital city residential areas…
Steep streets of above ground Valetta…
To catch the Valetta to Sliema ferry at 9.30am…
A welcome 15 minute respite of sitting time in the coolness of sea breeze and sea air….to the busy tourist area of Sliema, bathed in the morning sunshine!
A buzzing jungle of high rises, construction, tourist shops (and confused hot tourists) and cafes …. We had a meeting further up the bay with my friend Charles for coffee at 10! No time to linger….it was a brisk 20 minute walk up hill and downhill through the narrow side streets taking the most direct route, arriving at the venue en pointe, gasping for fluid and dripping with sweat! Luckily Charles had secured an inside table in the air conditioning where we chatted and cooled down for an hour or so….
This is where the tour turned into a more leisurely (?) pub crawl, as Charles headed off to his swimming date and Carolyn and I embarked on the coastal trail back towards Sliema!
We left Balluta bay, after our coffee break, the bathers bobbing around in the sea….and strolled under the patches of shade southbound around the waterfront…half an hour later(felt like 3 hours in the heat) we stumbled, conveniently across a kiosk serving 2 for one cocktails….
How could we not! Adding to our pina colada tasting across the island …and cooling off directly in front of the fan!
We needed to keep up the fluid intake as we continued south to Tigne Pointe shopping mall. Mainly for the air conditioning and a restroom stop! This four level shopping mall was teeming with tourists and Maltese locals all escaping from the heat outside..not really our scene but needs must, we circled the four floors to lower the body temperature before stepping out into the heat once again….arriving at Sliema around 1.30pm to look for something to eat and more fluid! All cafes were full, noisy and expensive, not at all relaxing…. we chose to suck it up and bus back to our quieter town of Paola..before plonking ourselves down in the centre square cafe for a cold beer (this time) and a pizza to snack on and bring home for our lunch/dinner!
Over 12000 steps, up and down in the heat and a couple of buckets of fluid loss, the homeward trek, which is not very far, was a test….we lay flat for an hour, threw ourselves under the shower, put on our frocks and then flagged the evening fiesta plans! Unanimously settling for a quiet drink on the terrace while listening to the fiesta fireworks…and making plans for today’s tourist activities…
Up with the birds….and cross country to Ghar Lapsi to join the locals for an early morning swim .. at 8am!
The locals had set up camp for the day and were already bobbing and chatting in circles in the sea!
We weaved around them, did a little breaststroke, floated on our backs and lowered the body temperature before rinsing off and climbing back up to the car!
The holiday baches and boats completing the picture!
Next stop Dingli cliffs …
Where the sea meets the island on the rugged side as the rock of Malta rises from the sea…
One more tourist attraction planned for the morning was a visit to the mosta church…the third largest unsupported church dome in the world and the largest Maltese church, renowned for its war escapade when a German bomb came through the church dome in the middle of a congregation and didn’t explode! This dome is visible rising above the town of Mosta from many areas on the island.
En route, the English 100 year rule is still evident with the redundant phone boxes!
Water fountains on the piazza providing a cooling moment and a bath for the pigeons!
A moment of awe before entering… and wrapping our shoulders…then stairs…
We were directed to the stone stairwell to climb to the start of the dome… yesterday’s leg workout was once again tested….as we ascended to the viewing circle high above the church floors!
This was a bit of a vertigo moment for both of us, as we gazed over the grand hall of the church below the dome!
Then we descended through another snail like circular stairwell to enter the church at street level! The up and down of Malta life!
As this town was the biggest feast location of St Mary yesterday, our lady was in pride of place in the middle of the congregational seating…,
And the walls were adorned in red velvet and all the silverware and gold was on display at the alter and around the alcoves of the church!
Of course no tour of the mosta church is complete without spotting the illustrious “Bomb”
With the planned morning activities complete we called in at the cousins for a drink and chat!
One more attraction on our way home…the San Anton botanical gardens…this enclosed garden and adjoining palace dates back to 17th Century when it was used as the venue for diplomatic affairs and the palace currently serves as the official residence of the President of Malta…
While touted as a must see venue in Malta, this afternoon we practically had the place to ourselves and we enjoyed the coolness of the tree shade and fountains as we strolled around enjoying this oasis of flora and greenery
Upon entry one is greeted with the first monument and fountain
These fountains are also a haven for the pigeons, ducks and other bird life cooling their feet and wings!
Archways and trees provide human shade as one meanders along the cobbled pathway!
This garden historically housed a number of exotic birds….the odd peacock still wandering around!
Time for our daily meal mid arvo we completed our day on the Senglea waterfront and settled into Alice Springs cafe for a hearty meal of Fish and Chips!
As we were sitting enjoying our meal…the clouds rolled in and thunder started clapping… by the time we left the skies had opened up, the streets were rivers and the car got another wash!!!! By all accounts we were lucky, some parts of Malta were pummelled with hail (this would not have been kind to Vivienne) The first rain in two months…it lasted about 30 minutes and rolled on to its next destination! As did we for an afternoon nap!
All who wander are not Lost girls 