March 2016 - Week 3

Filfla Island, just off Dingli Cliffs

Monday 14th to Sunday 20th March 2016

Monday we went to Valletta and, after an average cappuccino at Charles Gretch (bitter and lukewarm) we met a Notary to sort out some legal aspects of our residency in Malta. We also went to the ID cards office as we need to pick up new cards but there was an enormous queue so we gave up on that. Instead we got another cappuccino, at the Coffee Garden this time, and it was excellent as always. We drove home via Birkikara so Sam could drop off payment for a forthcoming business lunch.

Shorts weather is with us now as it’s too hot to hike in trousers. I did a great power walk to Ta Fra Ben and back. Tourists’ boats are out in the bay now and large groups of scuba divers explore the rocks, visible by the brightly coloured floats they trail behind them. Easter is just around the corner and many of the waterfront restaurants and cafes are busy painting and decorating in preparation for the tourist invasion. Before too long the promenades will be crowded during the day and evening so I’ll have to get back into my early morning power walking routine again.

For dinner I had left over vegetable mulligatawny soup. Sam didn’t fancy it again (she gets fidgety if she has to go two days in a row without meat!) so she had a roasted pousson with chips.

Tuesday I hiked to Xemxija and explored the side streets a bit more than usual. It really is a bit of a no horse town; a bunch of apartment blocks, several restaurants and cafes and one minimarket. There is only one road that passes through it – the coast road that leads on to Mellieha – and it is always busy with noisy traffic. The side streets are mostly dead ends leading off it. It would have to be an exceptional property to tempt me to live in Xemxija. The Xemxija Café is good though, and I had an excellent cappuccino as usual.

Following a supermarket shop I cooked lentils with finely chopped vegetables, herbs, spices, bacon and tomatoes as a base for a lasagne which I will put together tomorrow. For tonight’s dinner we had a roasted chicken (a bit chewy, naughty Scott’s) with roasted vegetables.

Wednesday John came to look at the bathroom leak (again); his latest idea is to turn down the thermostat on the geyser. I gave our BBQ a spring clean and replaced our gas tank so we are all set to start BBQing again now that the hot season is on its way. In the afternoon we had an impromptu visit to our dentist in Sliema as Sam broke a tooth eating some nuts. He put in a post and filled it for her and did a check-up, scale and polish while she was there. Me too, so that’s us both sorted for another six months at least (hopefully).

For dinner we had a Puy lentil lasagne which was fantastic as always.

Thursday morning we met our landlady, still sorting out the final bits and pieces to do with the renewal of our lease. We are thrilled to be staying in our flat for another year; we really are privileged to be living in such a beautiful spot.

After that I did a power walk along Dingli Cliffs, from one end to the other, about five kilometres in all. It was spectacular as always; towering cliffs, verdant farmland, rocky outcrops, deep blue sea and sun drenched skies. There is a quiet road that runs the length of the cliffs with an excellent pavement, so it’s not uncommon to find other walkers there, even ladies with prams and pushchairs. But the people and the traffic are sparse and it is a peaceful spot. The sea here is deep and blue and majestic. It is the haunt of giant container ships and oil tankers; it has a faint air of menace and mystery; I wonder where those giant ships hail from, what they carry and who sails in them. The sea here feels impossibly vast, stretching as far as the eye can see. There are very few tourist boats, pleasure craft or cruise ships in these waters; they stick to the familiar north and west coasts on the other side of Malta, plying the waters between Valletta, Comino and Gozo.

Filfla Island, quite angular and compact, sits about a mile offshore from Dingli Cliffs. Legend has it that there was a town full of sinners that incurred the wrath of God. He ripped out the town and threw it into the sea and turned all of the residents into lizards. The curious thing is that there is a hole on the mainland opposite to Filfla Island that is the same shape and size as it is. And what’s more, there is a type of lizard there that is only found on the island, nowhere else. The legend is a load of cobblers, of course, but isn’t it great that there are some things that can’t readily be explained?

For dinner we had left over Puy lentil lasagne. I know we all have phases with food, but I have to say it is my favourite pasta dish of all.

Friday we went to Sliema early as Sam was attending an aviation conference. The drive in, which normally takes 30 minutes, took one and a quarter hours! Thank goodness we don’t have to sit in rush hour traffic every morning. The streets of St Julian’s were ankle deep in rubbish – mostly empty beer cans and fast food containers – following the previous night’s St Patrick Day celebrations. Must have been some party.

It was pizza night, being a Friday, but Sam didn’t fancy that so she made pasta with fresh pesto for a change.

Saturday we wandered over to Aquatica for cappuccinos. The coffee is good there and they often give us complimentary petit fours or mini cakes or biscuits, which is nice. We did a bit of shopping and spent the day chilling out. I’m giving my feet a rest today as my toes are starting to complain.

In the evening we went to Miracles for drinks. We have noticed recently that the taste of our water has changed, and not for the better. The draft Cisk at Miracles also wasn’t as nice as usual so we wonder if the dry winter is having an effect on our water quality. We went on to Churchill’s which we haven’t been to for ages. It’s not fine dining but we still don’t know how they can dish up loads of good food for a fixed price of €13.50 (about £10). We had bruschetta, chicken liver pate with hot toast and bread, grilled grouper with roasted potatoes and steamed vegetables and ice cream.

Sunday was hot and it really felt as if summer had arrived. I cleaned the car and by the time I had finished I felt I needed to get out of the sun and into the shade. I ventured out again in the afternoon, stopping at Sotto Zero for snickers and cherry ice creams. The Sunday lunch crowd are all back in force now the warmer weather is here; nose to tail traffic, nowhere to park, packed pavements and bustling restaurants. Next weekend is Easter weekend so it will be even busier with the annual music festival just down the road.

I had planned to make a pork korma for dinner but the butcher’s shop was shut with a sign on the door that said, “closed due to a computer breakdown”. You would think they would have a backup plan! We had one pizza in the freezer so Sam had that and I made a baked pasta dish with a spicy bacon and tomato sauce.