Malta

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Stayed in a lovely farmhouse apartment in Xaghra on the island of Gozo.

Went to Comino Island for the day which was fabbo.

Also stayed a couple of nights in Sliema, Malta (main island) which was rather blah! Thought it was touristy, like Surfers Paradise. However a couple of highlights was the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum (superb prehistoric underground necropolis), and the St John's Co-Cathedral (HQ of the Knights of St John).

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Photos

Mgarr Ix-Xini
Looks beautiful, eh? But I learnt the hard way (ouch!) that if the wind is onshore, it blows the jellyfish into the bay. Who knew credit cards came in handy to scrape stingers?

Xaghra
All week the town had nightly festivals, culminating in the Victory Festival (WW2) and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. This feast held in the Main square was in honour of Maltese relatives who have returned to visit from other countries like Australia, USA & Canada.

Victory Day, Xaghra
The locals re-enacted the bombing of Malta during World War 2 (country was decimated)

Ramla Bay
Complete with a statue of our Lady as honorary life guard

Salt pans
Naturally made salt from the sea water

Xwenji Bay
Our fave swimming spot near Marsalforn

Lunch with the family
Il Kartell restaurant, Marsalforn

Quail
Cooked in the stone oven at Tal-Furnar Restaurant, Xaghra

Rabbit
A Maltese specialty. Gester restaurant, Xaghra

Baked chicken
Produce was delicious and fresh, but overall the Maltese cuisine was a bit stodgy and covered in rich tomato sauces

Scallops
Sick of the stodgy local cuisine, we decided to raid the local fish market for fresh seafood to cook at home. Yummy scallops baked in the oven with garlic & butter.

Roasted sea bass
Garnished with lemon slices and olive oil.

Razor clams
Baked with garlic & butter

Valletta, Malta
View of the capital from the Sliema ferry

St John's Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta
Magnificent HQ of the Knights of St John.

tombstones
Marble inlaid tombstones for all the knights are laid out in the floor of the Cathedral

Mdina door knocker
Wandering the beautiful alleyways of Mdina (Malta), you find little gems like these.

Comments

[Kate]

YUMMM
Can i come to dinner next time Gus - that seafood looked amazing.

[deleted_218138]

VEry nice pictures !
HEllo, your picture look very nice, the food look delicious ! From where did you get the oyster as I thought that in Malta they did not grow them. Was it in a restaurant or in a market or shop ? thks a lot !

[anonymous]

oysters
we bought them from a local seafood shop on the main road to Mgarr Harbour in Gozo, about 10 minutes up the road.