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Published: August 12th 2010
Do any of you find that arriving in a country youve never been to before always looks and seems and feels completely different to how you imagined it would? It almost feels like a third world country, but at the same time clearly isn ?! The first thing that struck me travelling from the airport to my hotel in Bugibba was the buildings! Every single wall looks like its gonna fall down because of the way its built. All the buildings are pretty much built of the same material...limestone.
Anyways, I get to my hotel (Topaz) in the middle of this hideous little town called Bugibba. Im just glad I will only be coming here to sleep. I unpacked and got the bus straight to Meheilla Bay, where I booked in for a tour of the Comino and Gozo islands tomorrow (11 euros!! Pretty damn good I say) One of the men who worked there offered me a lift back up the steep hill to Meheilla town after some persuasion that he wasn a rapist. I spent the last half of my day (1st half was spent on buses, trains and planes) walking round this pleasant little town, and ate
a Huge and satisfying 4 course meal at Randis for 14 euros! *RECOMMENED*! Here I had my first ever taste of rabbit, and it is very tough, dry and boney. Stick to chicken/beef/lamb/pork people!! I got the bus back to my hotel, (well 3 buses actually cuz I got all confused) and realised oh bollocks I booked the Gozo and Comino tour at the same time I have my hire car booked.
Right about the hotel, it is a shit hole. Hotel Topaz is meant to be 4*. It barely makes 2*. Bathroom is mingin and it could all do with a lick of paint. But Im not gonna let this ruin my holiday, I will concentrate on this after it has ended when I am claiming the cost of it back!! 😊
DAY 2!! So you know I said I double booked myself today with a tour and a car hire? Well I rang the tour company to postpone till Thursday. It was the least Topaz could do letting me use their phone to compensate for its shoddiness. Honestly breakfast was rank, cold, felt like I was eating in an old peoples home. No 4* I can
Ghajn Tuffieha Bay
the better beach next to Golden Baytell you! And little things aswel like the (waitresss?) uniform which looked like it had been thrown on and had a rip in it.
Anyways!! I was so so nervous about my car hire, especially as the lady at Avis said I would have to pay 600 euros excess instead of the 100-150 advertised, and I had a gut feeling that I would have some sort of accident (the drivers here are crazy and some of the roads are atroceous, and I havent driven in well over a year, and Im all by myself and no good at directions). But too late to be backing out now, off I go!! Hmmm not as bad as I thought when in the drivers seat! The roads are easily navigable with clear road signs.
First stop Marxasslokk which is a fishing village on the East coast. I would have stayed here longer if a man who wanted to "befriend" me hadn tried to get in my car with me to show me Peters Pool which is supposed to be a very nice bay with 8 beaches. I only wanted him to help me with my reverse gear (which as it turns
out, you have to pull up at the same time), and after he did, I wanted to say goodbye (he was about 60). So I did. This village is picturesque, but only good for taking a few photos if you don like fish, like me. It is also one of the few sites without concrete monstrocities erected along the shore in the shape of hotels and apartments.
Next stop was Blue Grotto. It is one of Maltas most beautiful natural scenes, and also quite a wonder how the rock formation came about. Very pretty!
Then it was the Hagar Qim. I didnt pay to see these as there apparently isnt much to see, so I admired from a distance. They are covered by ugly shelters to protect them from the elements, which is fair enough, as what is left of them are over 7000 years old! I wish the tourist touts would go away they ruin it totally, which is another reason I wasnt keen on paying. I suppose they gotta make a living though!
Then on to Ghar Lapsi, which is a small sun bathing bay with a rock lido. Not much to write home about
Mdina City gate
pic took before all the daytripping crowds ruin the silence but is good for sunbathing and swimming.
Next stop was Rabat and Mdina. Rabat is where St Agathas catacombs are. Legend has it that here St Agatha, who was on the run from the advances of a sicillian governer, hid away. She was found and taken back to Sicilly where she had her breasts cut off with shears and tortured to death. St Pauls church and catacombs are also here. I didnt go into either as I was self conscious about the short shorts I was wearing!
Mdina is without a doubt the most beautiful city I have ever seen, if only cars werent allowed to be parked within the walls. It is a completely walled citadel and is the oldest on the island. Breathtakingly beautiful. So.many.tourists though, so I went back the next day early morning to see it without the tourists. I see now why its called the silent city.
Then onto Golden Bay and that better bay next to it which I cant spell. I didnt go to either as I planned to come here tomorrow early while I still had the car.
Next Popeye Village. Closed. So on to the Red Tower (St
Agathas tower). I dont know why but this tower is one of the most fascinating attractions to me on the Malta, I find it really haunting becuase of its history and how old it is. Also, there are great views over Comino and Gozo. It has a twin, in white, on Comino.
Then back to mingin Bugibba. So so happy to get back to the hotel only because I actually made it all by myself in one piece! I honestly feel like after doing that, I can do anything!!
I got up really early today on day 3 with the intention of going to Mdina early before the daytripping tourists, and then to do some sunbathing on the bay next to Golden Bay before I had to drop the car back before 11:30. The first part of this went to plan...I saw Mdina again early on. Beautiful. Then I spent about 2 hours trying to find Golden Bay, continuously going round in circles. Grrrr. As it turns out I just had to go back down the road I came to go to Mdina, and there was the lovely brown sign saying Golden Bay. When driving in Malta
and sightseeing, those blue and brown signs are such exciting things to see! I spent about half an hour on the beach before heading back to Bugibba.
I spent the rest of the day sunbathing in the hotels swimming pool area. Got a great tan and white bits!!
In the evening I caught a bus to St Julians area but this was a very brief stint as I realised the last bus back to Bugibba was like half an hour later.
Back in Bugibba I ate lasagne at The Grapevine, which unfortunately, was playing some god awful tunes: Hit me baby one more time, 5, 6, 7, 8 my boot scooting baby, If your getting down baby, barbie girl, flying without wings, among other ultimate cheese. I quickly moved on the the next pub, Velvet Lounge, which attracted me with better tunes pumping out. Here I met a Londoner/Maltese man called Darren who was cool, and very good looking!! (dont tell my boyfriend). I indulged in 3 sex on the beaches as it was buy 2 get a third free.
Today, DAY 4 was Comino day. Im thinking about becoming a tour whore, so much simpler.
But do any of you notice how, just before the tour touts have taken your money they are oh so friendly, then on the day and youre just another bloody tourist its not so smiley?
The boat took us to various caves e.g Smugglers Cave in Malta, Lovers Cave, Popeyes cave and about four others in Comino. It also took us into Mgarr Harbour at Gozo, then onto the Blue Lagoon. The sea here is stunningly clear and blue, but it is INUNDATED with tourists. I hate that yorkshire accent when Im on holiday along with that familiar smokers cough. I sunbathed here for about 2 hours, got a lovely top-up for my tan! Then I went for a walk into Comino Island. It is so barren and ruggid, the only inhabitants here are those cute little lizard things. I walked as far as I could to see Malta and St Marys Tower, which is the Red Towers twin, but in white. Also, no tourists here...bliss!
Then back to Malta. I spent the evening in Sliema where I ate a very nice chicken penne with the posh people in a restaurant called (can remember), and promenaded along the
waterfront. I had a Cisk lager while people watching.
On DAY 5 Got up bright and early today to go to Valletta. Only 54c on the bus. Valletta is the capital of Malta, and it is one of the tiniest capitals in the world.
Starting at City Gate outside which you are spoilt for choice for snacks/drinks etc at one of the many kiosks. I first went to see Fort St Elmo, which is now the Police academy and where the War Museum is located. Its quite spooky thinking about why and how long ago this was built! This fort bore the brunt of the attack by the Turks.
Then I went to the World War 2 memorial, which is a huge bell which rings every day noon in commemoration of those who lost their lives. Just uphill from this was Lower Barakka Gardens, which is a very pretty and picturesque park with fantastic views over the harbour.
Up from here is the Upper Barakka Gardens, above the Saluting Battery where they fire a connon at noon every day. This is like the lower gardens, but on a larger scale and with more fantastic views over
the harbour. Here I stayed to see the cannon being fired. Just like Lonely Planet promised, it certainly did clear the wax from my ears!
Feet starting to ache now, but onwards I go for more essential sight seeing. But before that I stopped at La Sicillia restaurant which, as the name suggests, is an italian restaurant. I decided to go here because Lonely Planet recommended it, and whaddyaknow they were spot on as per usual!! Delicious, simple, cheap food from an unpretentious restaurant, which I ate in a lovely little sun trap of a square overlooking the harbour, just like Lonely Planet promised. I had the spag bol.
Next I found Hastings Gardens. This doesnt get a mention in Lonely Planet, and is not so touristy - just the locals hanging out. Its near the City Gate, and is now one of my favourite places in Valletta.
I then took a walk along Republic Street on which are the archiological museum and St Johns Co Cathedral. I decided to take advantage of my ISIC card and take a look around both. St Johns Co Cathedral was magnificent, but unless you have the audio tour, you dont
really have a clue whats where or anything. I was hoping to see the crypts but I didnt know whether I had actually seen them or not. Also along this street is the Casa Rocca Piccola which is a 16th-century palazzo which is the elegant family home of the Marquis de Piro. The marquis has opened part of the palazzo to the public and guided tours give an unique insight into the privileged lifestyle of the aristocracy.
My feet were caning by now, but on I went to Vittoriosa which is one of the 3 cities, but by the time I got here it was getting late so I had a quick wonder round then went back to Bugibba.
The weather was astoundingly beautiful again today, not a cloud in the sky and unrelenting sun. I definitely recommend this place (Malta) for October time.
Extremely hungover, I got up on day 6 intending to sunbathe by the pool, but last minute I thought, I actually really like Valletta so Im going to go back there for the day! So I did, ate again at La Sicila which was a lot busier on a Saturday, and then walked
round aimlessly, ending my day sunbathing in Hastings Gardens on the wall overlooking the 3 cities (if you ever go here, I was on the thick wall you get up from that empty semi circle at the bottom of the gardens. If you dont like heights DONT LOOK DOWN!
In the evening I went to Paceville where I went firstly to Red Aroma where I met Dave, a barman, and Christian, a holiday maker. Chatted to Dave drinking away and then danced the rest of the night away with Christian in Havana (nothing sinister). No entry fee which is good! I must say the prices in Malta for booze isn much different from UK. Which is bad. Caught the last bus back to Bugibba at 1:30 (in high season the last bus is 3 am) on which I met Connor and Luke, two young Essex boys.
Next day I sunbathed by the pool before meeting up with Luke and Connor on St Pauls Bay. Then the weather turned shit and I went back to the hotel and slept 😊
What do I think of Malta? Absolutely chock full of history and interesting sights. Sorry I havent put
any of my blog into historical context. If you want to know more buy Lonely Planets guide because it is brilliant. The weather was absolutely lush but saying that, there was a storm and a series of days with crap weather just before I arrived. When I arrived it was brinking on 30 degrees every day, with bright blue sky and then the weather went bad again in the afternoon of my last day. So I got VERY lucky weather wise. I would definitely suggest you hire a car for at least a day, and you can fit all your sightseeing into 2, even 1 day this way as it only takes about 25 minutes to get from the West to the East coast! If you want a proper beach holiday I wouldnt suggest Malta as the beaches are mostly blocks of rock cut out in the form of a slab for sunbathing. But at the bay next to Golden bay there is the best sandy beach I saw there. Also, there is a high concentration of old people at this time of year!
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