Malta

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We said goodbye to Salerno and head off to Malta.While waiting for our last train ride through Europe....we decided to have a coffee...we ordered ...then this guy comes out and gives us our coffee...he seems a little worried about spilling the coffee..and says I am sorry I am not a barista in Italian....then this woman from across the street starts screaming her head off ...and she is screaming across the road towards the coffee shop..someone from inside starts screaming back....she goes off in huff still talking to herself and then again screaming back now and then...then walks out the guy that brought us the coffee....he looks back at us and winks...then we see him walking towards the woman and she starts screaming at him again...apparently he was one of those guys that looks after your car....LOLOff we go to Naples 30 minute ride in first class....we need to get to Naples airport ...at least we get to see a bit of Naples We get to the airport and we need to weight our bags....air malta only allow 20 kilos...but you can carry 10 kilos on board.. My bag is 25 so is Carmens ....I get my spare bag chuck what we can in there ...done...carrying the bag is a pain cause its heavy....and it's not a standard carry on bag...its a sports bag...bigger than a standard bag....so we need to make it look like one...we fold it where we can and wrap it .....we get away with it....Off to Rome we go.....for our next plane.....Waiting, waiting, waiting for the malta plane....the plane is late 20 minutes....but makes time and arrives in time....so cute when they all start clapping as the plane lands....When we are arriving in malta...it was about 9 O'clock...the city looked so pretty with its blue lights....yes all 365 churches have blue lights in their towers ...it's also festa month...where each town celebrates the saint days...

.Day 1

We started off with breakfast in this restaurant by the water...I decided to order just plain toast ....Carmen decided to order pastizzi....she thought that they would be small like the ones at home...she should have asked first ....before she ordered four....they were huge....guess who had to help her eat them....Off to do the hop and off bus..the bus takes three routes....so we took a two day tour.....the first route - green line - takes you through ...st Julian's, sliema and Valletta. We were taken back on how pretty malta is....and how much history it has...for been such a little island it has gone through so many years of hardship, rulers and wars but they have survived and they maintained their friendliness.The trip took a out two hours....we then jumped into the blue line and saw the Mdina main gate, Rabat, Mosta church etc....it was like another two hour trip but it was worth going to see what we wanted to go back to ..We returned to Valletta where we took a quick view of the city....the city was all dressed up for st. Carmens. We walked through the waterfront of the city where we started with Upper Barracks gardens, there is an amazing view of the city..lots of pictures taken here..we then walked through to the lower barracks another side of amazing views...and where you can also find the Siege Bell Memorial, the war memorial. We kept walking and walking when we found St Paul church but it was closed ...instead we found the Carmelite church where they were holding mass for st Carmen day but they were also,doing the procession for her day around the street.

Day 2

The next day we did the green line...not much going on this one....but we did have a quick stop at the Groto...it's a little town by the blue sea...it's also where you can take tours of the caves.....but we saved that for later and decided to have lunch by the water... After lunch the next 10 minutes, while waiting for the bus was hell.....it was over 37 degrees and it was so humid....we just wanted a shower.....or a dip on that big blue sea..We went back to valletta and explored some more...this time we stopped at the Malta experience...was interesting it takes you through a movie witn the whole history of Malta...that where I also learned that the Maltese Cross, also known as the Amalfi cross is the cross symbol associated with the Knights Hospitaller (the Knights of Malta).The eight points in the cross symbolise the eight obligations or aspirations of the knights: to live in truthto have faithto repent one’s sinsto give proof of humilityto love justiceto be mercifulto be sincere and whole­heartedto endure persecutionThe knights were thrown out of malta after all those above were not practiced by the knights...And there is still 100 knights in the world...After the movie we went to see the hospital established by the knights..the hospital had two floors one for the rich and one for the poor...the hospital had pretty much everything from infectious deceases to mental cases..who were given mercury to treat.... The hospital was also used for war casualties...As we were leaving the hospital we were approach by some man to take a horse ride....the man was cute telling us about his mum and dad who had passed away.and showing us their photo. We had dinner and a few drinks by the sea once again....near st Julian's.

Day 3

We took the bus once again to Valletta...I swear bus drivers here are all left foot and they go hard on the break.We met with Carmens dads cousin Carmen and she took us to see where her dad lived in Malta. A little town called Ghargur..We get the bus and ride for about half hour from town....we arrive at his house and I saw how Carmen was a little bit overwhelm....and it reminded me of my first time I went to chile....the house is up for sale...I kept telling Carmen to buy it 😊Since we couldn't going inside....we did go to for a wonder down the street....we saw where he went to school, did Sunday class, learned English etc...and we also visited Carmens grandparents cemetery.What was more interesting were the people we met along the way that knew her dad....a lot of them knew him from childhood....one was a second cousin...we met this man and he said ask your auntie about the scar on her forehead...I was the one that threw the rock...lolOnce we finished there we were off to have lunch ...we went to this little town by the sea in Bugibba....then we went off to Carmens house, that use to be Carmens dads grandparents house more stories came out about when they were kids.......it was a long day but it was well worth the day...Since it was such a long day...dinner by the sea once again near Sliema.... Day 4Early in the morning we decided to book a cruise with captain Morgan ferries...to Comino...While we're there there was an accident with a bus and truck....the whole of malta stopped....there is only two lanes so cars were stacked up well behind,...that is until the police arrived...then we got some movement...We decided instead of catching the bus once again that we would take a cab....to Mosta - church.....yes it did take us a while to get out of there....but we saved heaps of time...if you're going to see all of Malta rent a car...saves you time...Mosta is the church that got bombed in WW2....three bombs fell outside and one inside the church...there were 300 people having mass ...and no one got hurt because none of the bombs exploded...the bomb inside landed right smack in the middle....there is a replica of the bomb ...pretty big...We then headed off to the Tarxien temples & hypogeum....the Tarxien temples are three separate but attached temples ..... they all can be traced to over 3000 years old..the oldest one is 3025 .....they temple was used through the Bronze Age as a crematorium.The hypogeum, the underground temple has to be booked over 6 weeks in advance. Off to the beach we say after looking at the temples in the heat we needed a bit of coolness....we ended up at pretty beach......the water was nice and cool....Carmen decided to finally try rabbit...after 35 years of not eating it... so we went to a typical maltese restaurant Ta Kris.....I think after eating the huge plate she was going to be sick....her face changed within one second of being ok to OMG I am going to be sick....my food was good lol...i just think she ate way too much...good luck tomorrow on the boat....

Day 5

Early start and off to a tour of Captain Morgan ...Comino & Gozo ....at 9:15 we were all supposed to be on the boat...and going at 9:30...10 o'clock malta time we were finally off....we were sharing our table with two Spanish girls....and off I started talking to them....I am turning into my mother lol....speak to anyone and everyone...such a friendly bunch we are lol...the trip was an hour and a half with lunch ....First stop was this cave with amazing green water.....the water was so crystal clear that you could actually see the rocks under the water....second stop lunch and Comino.....Now they had made a mess with our booking and had given us only the Comino tour and not Gozo....we also found out we would have to get off, get another ferry to Gozo..then come back to Comino and then would only have one hour swimming time...and we also had booked a cave tour with a jet speed boat...so we decided no....we would just stay in Comino and enjoy the water...After lunch we were to join the jet boat for the tour but we went the wrong way and missed the boat....we had to wait a bit for the next one....when we saw our boat it was for 8 people the previous one had been for 20 people....poor Carmen she held on four dear life....the caves were awesome....the ride was tops...he really did want to make sure we all got splashed...Once back ...we rented our chairs by the rocks...in that lovely green sea water.and swam all afternoon until the boat left....The trip back seemed so much longer..I think I snoozed off a couple of times...

Day 6

Back to valletta ...St. John's cathedral ...we had to see this cathedral before we left....it was the church built by the knights of Malta....it was designed by a maltese military architect. The cathedral has 375 knights and officers of order underneath it's marbel floors,. The Cathedral contains seven rich chapels, each of which was dedicated to the patron saint of the 8 langues (or sections) of the Knights. There is also a huge painting by Caravaggio. The cathedral is amazingly shiny with all it's colour of gold..and of course the Maltese cross in every detail..After this we did a bit of shopping and we got our hair done...Carmen was telling the hairdresser that in Australia all the hairdressers say how thick her hair is ...but the hairdresser and her at the same time said but it's normal here....guess...all Maltese have helmets?

We go home have some dinner by the sea againnnn....and once done we start going home....when we hear Elvis signing. ....yes a Maltese one two. ....the accents so suit the songs....he was in a public pool party in st julians...some charity party.....we stayed listening to him for ages until 12 when the cops came and stopped the party....

Day 7

Well we had to check out of our apartment and head off to the meridian...where we just stayed by the pool ...got a massage....and then went out to St Joseph's festa....we got there too late for the fireworks as they had been the previous days....but we did enjoy the party atmosphere by the streets.. So we say good bye to charming city...we have had a wonderful time...won't miss the English students and those bus drivers.... But I will miss Carmen Maltese accent ...she is so maltese....

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Photos

Mosta church
Find Carmen