Saturday afternoon sitting in the sunshine and breeze on the roof deck with live music drifting across the harbour.

The termoil of the morning, workers, shoppers, cars and tourists has been replaced with gentle tones of Ed Sheehan playing out, while the humans are resting, dining or cooling off at the beaches.

Just sometimes the world stops…..

For the kiwi travellers it was a morning of supermarket shopping, and

Coffee time as the throngs of tours from the cruise ships ploughed through our little city.

The young ones having completed their daily exercises and breakfasted were then ready to hit the beach…..space on the sand at a premium.

George and Russ sharing some father son time drying off on the well used umbrella chairs which travelled with us from NZ.

Picture postcard set up on Rinella beach directly in front. Three swims later, and very salty and a little hungry, we headed back to the house for lunch, Kat opting to head straight to the water hole for more sun and sea. Russ and George needing a nap!

Time for a shower to wash of the salt and an evening out in Valletta planned.

Just a short trip across the harbour and ferries run until 11.30pm on the summer schedule. Car parked up for the evening and Sue can relax.

Our last night with Jaxon Steph and Mike started in Senglea for drinks with Kev and Rols ….. and on an excursion to the loo I ran into my lovely friend from last year, Carmen the concert pianist! There she was trucking down to the waterfront in the trademark pink jacket after sun went down.

She joined us for a coffee, and on next loo excursion she headed home, with a promise to catch up next week! Kev, Rols and Sally headed off, the rest of us had a bite to eat, george, Kat, Jax and Steph headed home and that left three kiwis…..Sue, Russ and Mike… not ready to go to bed. Birgu, our waterfront was alive with the Queen concert practice, and we decided to take a walk and get up close and personal with the band.

Like right on the stage! Booming music and no people! Perfect way to visit a concert! Loud! The actual concert tonight is “Rock the Fort” at the end of the harbour near Fort St Angelo. Parking at a premium in our little city tonight, and we can sit on the deck and enjoy the sounds (without having to use one of the thirty portaloos lined up at the base of the fort)

Strolling back this super “Super yacht” moored and lit up in the harbour – Mandango – built in New Zealand – about 54 meters long!

And the super launch’s lighting up the harbour like the blue grotto!

This morning, early start, 6am on the road to take Jax, Steph and Mike to the airport! Two kiwis back to NZ and one back to Canada! Smooth sailing at airport and Russ and I headed home to a cleanup day!

Even the pink backpack got a wash! Along with sheets, towels, mats, deck, floors, steps, bathrooms, kitchens and feet!

George and Kat now have big apartment number two all to themselves and Russ and I are status quo in apartment number one!

A rain check on socialising and a quiet (or maybe not when the band cranks up) on the rooftop deck!

The closest sandy beach over a couple of inlets, Rinella bay.

But first, the last trip to Paola for Steph to collect her treasure, Jax and Russ to have a six euro haircut… and Sue the driver.

Mike, George and Kat got a jump on the beach!

The Paola crew celebrated their morning with a coffee in the square.

Russ enjoying a second breakfast of bruschetta – a deal for 2.5 euro! (About $4.00 NZ)

Back to the house for Steph and Jax to pack and Russ to have a nap. Very hot and humid.

Sue jumped in the car and met the beach babies at Rinella beach….

Three swims later and body temperature a few degrees lower, we all headed back for showers before meeting Sam and Anna at Attard in the garden bar for a final farewell drink for the three kiwis heading back to NZ/Canada early in the morning.

Final packing duties and we are out to dinner to meet Kev and Rols for a dinner on the waterfront!

Sue had a big catch up on work this morning – now better connected to NZ server.

Had a coffee break with the team, Dan note van in background!…..before the “young ones” headed off on a day of adventure on a boat cruise to Comino and the Blue Lagoon.

A bit more work then into Birgu square on the hunt for a few repair supplies and cleaning products!

Number two coffee break for Russ and Sue!

Getting rid of glass in Malta is a bit of a challenge, it is not included in the weekly recycling, and collection is only once a month! So armed with full bag we set off to fgura to dispose of in a recycling bin. Then off to Senglea waterfront right around the end where we were meeting Kevin, Rols and friend Sally from Paris for lunch.

Russ chilling on the Harbour’s edge

Thinking about a dip with this huge cruise ship (carrying 4500 Passengers) across the channel.

Panorama of today’s visitors to the Island. After an overcast morning, the clouds burned off and the wind dropped…backing up a week of very hot days.

The bar/cafe in the foreground and the oil rigs in the background, we spent a very pleasant afternoon with a warm sea breeze, shooting the breeze with brothers and Sally!

Already 4.30pm, a quick trip to the supermarket for salad supplies and home before the troops, who will probably appear around 7pm!

Today ended with a visit to the “Dragons Teeth” in Marsakala – obstactacles put in the bay to deter the Germans getting to the Malta shore. The hooks and spiked at the side have rusted off.

The day started with the Norwegian kiwis off on their exercise routine, Sue trying to work and stomping her feet on the tiled floor as connection to work server so slow it was going backwards….

Gave up! And Russ sue and Steph headed to the street market.,..this time to kit Russ out in some new shorts and T-shirt’s.

Sue and Steph then had a wedding dress fitting (Sue the driver, Steph the model) Amost there!

Then it was back home through the streets of Birgu…

And a great day for the washing…

Hanging out the Maltese windows – maltese women have long arms!

Picked up the troupes, minus Jaxon and Steph, Jaxon with a summer flu and Steph looking after him and we headed to St Thomas Bay waterhole for a swim.

A couple of hours cooling off, and a trip to visit the “Dragons Teeth”, a must do in Bizzare Malta!

George and Kat hanging out in the Maltese seaside Bach town!

Back to the hacienda, and on the deck with a welcome cloud cover cooling off the evening.

The kiwi athletes hit the road early, Kat went running, George and Russ went walking, Sue working and the rest of the team arising a bit slower to another warm day.

Kat and George then went to the gym and after breakfasting, Russ stayed home and the rest of the team headed to the Blue Grotto for a swim!

Lookout from the top, and straight down onto the yachts at anchor!

We then drove down into the car park, and headed right to the swimming hole – to cool the kiwi feathers!

Swimming off the rocks – see Mike in the middle!

Kat still soaking up the sunshine and….

Steph and Sue sitting on the edge spotting the jellyfish – there are still a few around as the waters not so warm yet.

It was so calm we decided to do a Luzzu cruise into the caves…

The window in the cliffs, as pointed out by our driver.

Our skipper at the helm with the umbrella for shade, none for the punters, tied onto the back of the boat.

And the clear blue turquoise seas of the blue grotto! One of many caves we visited.

A trip certainly worth taking, then back up the hill for a quick bite and drink before the next tour stop..at which time Sue realised she had lost the rental car keys!!!! Bag emptied out, last option, Mike checked the car and sure enough there they were in the ignition. Only to be informed, by the very kind parking man, that I had actually walked and left the car going. He turned it off and kept and eye on the car until we returned (2 hours later)…. worthy of another little tip I thought.

We then headed to Qrendi, to visit the 400 year old church on the edge of the sink hole (Malta’s Grand Canyon – our kiwi nickname).

A stop at Scott’s supermarket for salad supplies and home to collect Russ to go visit Sammy and Anna (our cousins in Attard)

The fireball sun setting on 40 plane arrivals last night at Malta airport to greet George and Kat to a hot steamy evening.

Jaxon, Steph and Sue up early this morning, to visit the Car boot market by 7.00am, still and hot and very busy with bargain hunting locals and a couple of Kiwis.

Already by 9.00am the heat was getting to one and all so it was off to the Birgu swimming hole.

Kat soaking up the sun after her Norwegian winter. I managed to swim a length of the buoyed off area (felt like half a mile – possibly 800meters)

Relaxing on the waters edge with a few more locals coming down for a dip. Today must’ve hit about 38 degrees celcius….a little hot for some of the Kiwis.

Watching the world go by…the locals were heading out to their boats by..

Overloaded dinghy and no life jackets. Mmmm maybe a couple of trips would have been safer.

Back to the house, after a coffee stop, to find the air bed (George and Kats bed) floating. The hose had come off the washing machine and flooded the upstairs bunk room.. Still with today’s temperatures, the dry out time was only half an hour!

Headed north to meet cousin Neville and Michelle at St Pauls Bay, planning a stop a Buggibba for the team to see the tourist area…no car parks anywhere and car number two needed a gas stop. Most gas stations are closed on Sunday, and finding one meant we were nearly at our destination and close to the meeting time.

Barracuda sports club and another swim stop!

And a fun afternoon spent with two more fabulous cousins!!

I sat on the roof top deck from 6.30am this morning, talking to Mum back in NZ and watched three cruise ships roll in. The orange haze of the sunrise over Valletta promising another warm day.

A little internet problem and a few phone calls to the landlord, turning the power to the whole house off seemed to remedy the situation…..but it’s off again so maybe the heat is putting the internet to sleep.

Russ had a rest and the other four kiwis took a trip to the supermarket, to stock up, before the Norwegian Kiwis arrive tonight.

Then it was off to the Birgu swimming hole… where the locals go.

Kalkara side of Fort St Angelo..no people and clear water.

Living on the edge….everything in this city is up or down.

And it’s a jump off the wall – the swimming hole marked out with buoys to keep the boats out. So cool, a couple of other punters but otherwise totally unpopulated and no driving needed.

Cutting through to Birgu marina at the start to Fort St Angelo – a nice flat walk for Russ, but even hotter on this side with the sun over the yard arm, streaming in.

However, as luck would have it, Steph spied an ice cream kiosk halfway back.

30 plus degrees celcius, we’d be fools not to partake, barring Jaxon who found a chocolate milk in the bottle store a bit further on.

Back to the hacienda, another power flick to reset the internet, late lunch, bed ready for George and Kat and siesta time for the roasted Kiwis!

Boys on the town last night, pretty much all night…. but Mike managed to pull himself together for a day of exploring with Russ, Sue and Steph….

First stop the wildlife park, which has only recently reopened in October, after a fire destroyed it in 2017. As with everything in Malta it is enclosed and covered, with pools of water for the animals to cool off in.

The pair of white Siberian tigers with three, two and a half week old, cubs were camera shy, but very special to see in their island home.

This park closes soon for the summer and tourist season and doesn’t reopen until the cooler weather again….and the animals just enjoy a quiet summer with their Maltese human family.

I decided I had to cuddle the orange tiger cubs – a mere €25 and a full photo shoot.

Not as angelic, or cuddly as they look, my first attempt incurred a lot of biting and growling and hissing and spitting….the trainer regrouped us (me and the tiger) and I had to grip firmly it’s bum and under its neck. She said; hold it like a baby, not quite how I would normally hold babies….but the method did deter any more biting and growling!

Then it was off, on the roads less travelled, through farmland, down the west side to Pretty Bay for lunch and a swim.

Mike still hanging in there with the team waiting for lunch at the kiosk.

As it is a public holiday here today the roads were clear driving was a breeze, but…..everyone was at the beach! Half a hour to find a park and a good wait for lunch…

Steph relaxing before we hit the crowds on the beach (in the background), for our afternoon dip.

We lose one kiwi today, Aaron leaves Malta and Ireland and heads to Italy….say no more!

Up at 4.30am working, coffee on the deck at 6am and the boats started coming in – three today!

Then a house cleaning morning mopping the four flights of stairs and all the tiles in between.

The rest of the kiwi team emerged around 9.30 when Russ and I were heading for a coffee.

The younger team did their cleanup and joined us, Russ headed home got a rest and five piled into the “Ford Fiesta”and headed to Paola tattoo parlour….,

Parking was at a premium- but a green space in Paola, The tattoo parlour….. didn’t work on several fronts, then off to Tigne Point.,., the shopping mall!

Sue missed a few pedestrians and ran a red light, got lost in the parking building and the mall was at least cool….no other attractions!

Home by 2ish and everyone was tired and a couple a bit sick! We were supposed to be visiting cousins but took a rain check – Aaron’s last night here and the boys are having boy time!

On the deck…,

Steph with her sunshade!

A quiet drink

Aaron resting his legs in the deck shade

And Mike going topless ..,,,

Steph Russ and I are relaxing and the boys having one last hit of two for one cocktails at their favourite bar!