Marsaxlokk

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Marsaxlokk is an acient fishing village which is located at the head of Marsaxlokk Bay. Old low-rise houses occupy along the whole waterfront, and a fleet of brightly coloured luzzu (Maltese fishing boats) crowds the habour. Not surprisingly, this place is renowned for its top-notch seafood restaurants.

The most interesting thing here is the Sunday Fish Market. As the name suggests, the fish market only opens on Sunday, and yet in the morning until 12pm. How lazy they are! So, I needed to set aside some time for a visit. Finally I spent the whole morning in Marsaxlokk today.

When I first got there, what I saw is a series of stalls on both sides of the main road selling daily accessories, toys, decoration.....When I continued walking, I can see the fish market. There are a large variety of seafood such as prawn, squid, octopus, shark, swordfish....and so many many kinds of fish (I don't know how to distinguish them). Right after getting into the fish market, I caught a whiff of fish and sea smell. And when I saw the habour and the fish stalls are put together, I got an instinct the fish was freshly caught. I felt an impulse to go to the restaurant straightaway!

The harbour of Marsaxlokk is famous for its colourful vista of moored fishing boats and the crowding of the boats around the coast is one of the Malta's national symbols. If you pay attention to the boats, you would see "Eyes of Osiris" on the bows which are traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits. They are unmistakably Maltese so I bought an eye as a memento (3 euros). The sea water appears translucent greenish-blue in colour and I can vaguely see the fish around.

It is impossible to miss the restaurant here! I chose a recommended restaurant in Lonely Planet, Ir-Rizzu. Both the food and service are up-to-scratch, but it's a little bit expensive.....It was my first time to try Aljotta (a traditional Maltese fish soup). It's not quite what I expected as the soup is so liquid and I found some rice in it, but it tastes good. And I ordered prawn as my starter. IT IS SO DAMN GOOD! I wanted to try lobster tail or Lampuki. The staff there told me they are all not in season and explained to me when the best season is blah blah blah...they are quite supportive indeed. Finally I tried Calamari which is a kind of Maltese dishes which is a squid tube with something inside like meat.....To be honest I don't like that much coz the squid was like chewing gum -_- and the things inside is just usual minced meat. Trying it once is far enough for me.

I planned to go to St. Peter's Pool after lunch and I heard this is an area with water being the clearest and the most beautiful in the Maltese Island. After asking the people there, I found there are no buses to go there and I have to drive or walk for at least 40 mins. Then I finally went to Golden Bay again....

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Photos

The harbour
The brightly coloured fishing boat

Prawn as starter
SO DAMN GOOD!

Comments

[Dancing Dave]

NICE BLOG
You captured this day in Malta beautifully in this blog. I've never seen Stuffed Calamari rings...look delicious...and prawns...they're always my favourite. Enjoy.