Malta and sea day

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Geo: 35.91, 14.52

Andrea and Garry and ourselves did the same excursion - called 3 cities and a boat ride.

Was a good slow start to the day with the boat not docking until 10am so our excursion didn't start until 10.30am. So enjoyed a leisurely brekkie in the nice breakfast room rather than all elbows out in the trough ( buffet).

Malta is gorgeous all the buildings made of large yellowy coloured stone, very picturesque. Our first stop was a lovely little fishing village with market stalls, with pretty handmade lacework and textiles, sweets, knick knacks, jewellery, magnets etc. we had half an hour to browse, first sweet stall immediately put me off as the gentleman very kindly gave me a sweet, fortunately before I ate it I worked out it was a prune wrapped in some sort of sweet pastry, I fobbed it off to Stephen who said it was not so great!

Bought a few bits and bobs and a tray of coloured nougat, must find time to actually eat it, we are so well fed on the boat you don't really need much in the way of extra snacks. (She says with a pack of Pringles sitting beside her).

The next part of the tour was really just a drive through, culminating at a wee port where the boats were all lined up for us. They are Maltase version of the Venetian boats holding six people but they seem to only use the oars to negotiate the wharf, once away they use their outboard motors. We had about a 20 minute trip around the harbour which was fun and gave us a good view back the island which really is gorgeous. Felt very small as we motored next to our cruise ship, wouldn't like to get in the way of one!

We were the first group out so had time for a wee wee stop while Stephen and Garry wen t a small cafe and stood outside for a coffee and some local 'pies' the one Stephen grabbed was a cheese thing, was a bit bland and not really all that nice. It actually spat a few drops of rain while standing there, not on the agenda at all! Didn't amount to anything but the day remained off and on drizzly and grey and while not cold wasn't exactly warm either.

Once all the group caught up we did a wander round the part of the city we were in, interesting were the holes in the buildings where they had been bombarded by the Germans. I am sure the lady said some interesting stuff but got to admit it mostly goes in one ear and out the other, my brain is in holiday mush mode! The lady then took us to a shop where we could look at some Maltese jewellery and other touristy stuff, I was served first probably took me all of two minutes to decide what I wanted and get served, the next lady was in the process of getting what she wanted when the tour guide came in and said everyone we have to go now. Not really sure why we were given the opportunity to shop if we had less than 3 minutes to do so, I would have been peeved if I hadn't been served immediately!

A sleepy ride back in the bus to the wharf area where we went up the cliff face in a glass elevator to the shopping area and city battlements, Stephen and Garry did some boring museum thing which went way under the ground while Andrea and I had a poke around the shops. Before a stroll back to the ship, a snack and nana nap. This sight seeing is very hard work.

Sea day

I love sea days! Sleep in, no rush to go anywhere, food, drink and toilet 'on tap'. After a leisurely brekkie we wandered up to play bingo, My card looked to be going well early but stopped, Andreas looked to be going well late, but stopped, Garry looked to be going nowhere and did, Stephen looked to be going nowhere, had two left when bingo was called,fortunately checked his last two numbers and they looked like they had gone, managed to attract the attention of the guy running the bingo just before they closed it off, said ummmmm I MIGHT have a bingo......so they checked it, just as well he won 80 euro, bet the poor buggar that called bingo in the first place was thrilled to share his winnings!

Our usual quiz or two, nana nap, casinoing, sun worshipping, more eating, some drinking, and a wee sit in the spa after dinner rounded our day off nicely.

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