Blogs from Sliema, Malta, Malta, Europe - page 3

Today the tour group visited Gozo. It is the second largest of the small archipelago that makes up the country of Malta. One gets there by boat and there is a ferry that runs frequently throughout the day (see picture). I was surprised how large the ship was and many people were on board. Lots of people going and coming from Gozo! We boarded a bus and rode to the megalithic ruins of Ggantija (see picture). Like the other ruins we saw yesterday, not much is known about the builders of these ancient structures, but it is something to imagine men moving these huge boulders before machines and even before metalworking. Our next stop was the cathedral. Nearly everyone in Malta is Catholic and there are two cathedrals, one on the island of Malta and one ... read more

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 ... read more

My grandmother grew up during the air raids on Malta in WW2, she immigrated to Australia from Malta in 1955 at the age of 13. During World War II, Malta became the most bombed place on earth. At the outbreak of World War II, Malta was Britain’s most important Mediterranean naval base. As such, it was to protect east-west supply lines while blocking the passage between Italy and North Africa. When Mussolini plunged Italy into the war on June 10, 1940, Malta knew for sure that it was destined to play a frontline role. Malta’s worst period of the war was in early 1942, when the air raids never ceased. In April alone, 6700 tons of bombs rained down on the island and on the 15th of that month a special message from the British king, ... read more

With summer coming to an abrupt end in London, the bank holiday long weekend in August was the perfect chance to get some sun in Malta, situated just south of Italy in the guts of the Mediterranean sea. 3 days of perfect 30 degree weather ensured and despite the efforts to apply sunscreen, the burns also prevailed. The highlights of Malta are the two "Blues", the Blue Grotto, a series of caves on the south of the island with perfectly blue water, and the Blue Lagoon, turquoise blue water in a bay on the tiny island of Comino. Given the only blue you see in London these days is Chelsea football club, we were in awe of these 2 sights and loved every minute there. We went to hit the capital Valetta on the first morning, ... read more

Well, the sun is just as strong and the sky is just as clear as the last time I wrote! Everyday, I wake up sweating. What was I thinking coming here in the middle of the summer!? And to cap it all off, Blake has been giving me updates on the weather in Morocco which is usually a daily high of a staggering 50 degrees! Eeeep. So my Maltese life is becoming more and more routine now. My days are beginning to blend together and my familiarity of the island is getting better. In Malta, despite the insane heat, the summer is packed with festivals and events which I have been doing my best to take advantage of. During my first week on the island, Andrew and I were so keen to hit the beach every ... read more