May 2016 - Week 1

Sam's newly invented drink - the Samcello!

Sunday 1st to Sunday 8th May 2016

Sunday Linda and Mick arrived! It’s great to have family visiting again and I can now be on holiday again (as if I need an excuse). We had a fab lunch prepared by Sam of roasted vegetables, cumin spiced aubergines, cured meats, olives, humus, breads etc. After lunch we walked to the main square, on to Café del Mar, through Qawra to a gastropub called Cheeky Monkey. I had a New England Iced Tea, Sam and Mick beers and Linda a white wine spritzer made with lemonade. Very refreshing on a hot day. Sam took the short cut home. The rest of us carried on through Qawra to Kennedy Grove, through Salini Gardens and back home. For dinner we had Caribbean food; Trinidad three times cooked chicken, rice and peas, and pineapple chutney.

Monday a gale arrived and it is forecast to stick around until Thursday! It didn’t stop us getting out and about, though. We drove to St Julian’s and had cappuccinos at Spinola Bay. We walked around the Hilton Marina, then the full length of the Tower Road promenade and through Sliema to have lunch at Rocksalt on the strand. We had artisan sandwiches and they were all very good; I had baked ftira with red onion jam, stilton and walnuts. We took the inland route back to St Julian’s to pick up the car and drove to Chirkawa to check out the sea. The waves were terrific. We got covered in sea spray but thank goodness we weren’t on the ferry! We drove to Armier Bay for a look-see, then on to Ghardira Bay and had cappuccinos at Munchies before heading home. Dinner was fantastic. I cooked chickpea and roasted vegetable casserole, our favourite vegan dish and we loved it again.

Tuesday we went to the Blue Grotto. We all agree; it should be called the Blue Grotty. Tatty, touristy and not worth the effort. We then went looking for Smart City but found Birgu instead. We had a wander around, marvelling at the super-yachts, then went to the World War 2 Museum. It was disappointing; information boards describing events, and exhibits in glass cabinets but nothing interactive. Part of it includes bomb shelters and that was the most interesting part. It is a warren of claustrophobic narrow and low ceilinged tunnels with cramped areas for washing, eating and sleeping and others for medical attention, toilets and teaching. I can’t imagine how rancid the air must have been after any length of time down there.

We drove on looking for Valletta but found Smart City instead which has nothing of obvious interest to see. We drove through the densely populated towns of Zabbar, Fgura and Paola, still looking for Valletta without success! In the end we followed signs for the airport so that we could find our way home. On the way we saw the results of two car crashes, both at roundabouts as usual.

In the early evening Linda, Mick and I were banished from the flat while Sam had her yoga lesson! So we went to the pub! For dinner we went to Mallet which was mixed – good in parts, not so good in others – but we enjoyed it and it didn’t break the bank. For pudding we went to Sotto Zero for ice creams.

Wednesday we – Linda, Mick and I (Sam was working) - packed in a fairly full day. First we went to “Clapham Junction”, Malta’s famous cart tracks. We wished we hadn’t bothered; a couple of tracks worn into the rocks many, many years ago. I’m sure some archaeological zealot would find them fascinating but I can’t understand the fuss.

Secondly, cappuccinos at the craft village – yum, yum. (Should I mention that I also had a giant chocolate chip cookie?)

Thirdly a walk around the National Stadium. Football mad Mick requested that one. I’m not sure we will seek his opinion again.

Fourthly, the Aviation Museum. Fantastic. Now we are talking. It is packed full of planes and related things from pre-war and during-the-war. There are great big planes that you can touch and marvel at and dream about, and you stand in awe at the brave souls who ventured out in them. Judging by the cockpits, they must have been midgets, but brave midgets at that. And there is something moving about standing within touching distance of working Spitfires and Hurricanes and remembering all that they achieved and represented. I wonder what my life may have been like without the success of those planes and the remarkable men who piloted them?

Fifthly, the San Anton Gardens. I’m astonished Sam and I haven’t sought them out previously. They are fantastic; large gardens laid out semi-formally with flowers, shrubs and trees over several acres in the heart of Attard.

Sixthly, we parked near the Wignacourt Aqueduct in Attard. Although broken in places, it runs for a couple of miles or so through Attard. We went there so Mick could capture some photos of it so I hope they are good!

Seventhly, we went to Farsons Direct. Farsons is the brewer of our local beer Cisk, and Farsons Direct is their shop. The Cisk was cheap but everything else – wines and spirits – seemed more expensive that our local minimarket!

Eighthly, I wanted to buy a Samurai Sword today but for some reason I knew Sam wouldn’t take to the idea too well and I abandoned it! Maybe tomorrow.

For dinner Sam baked us sea breams with lemon, herbs and wine – delicious fish and chips.

Thursday the wind dropped and we went on a strenuous, hilly 11 miles hike from the flat to Xemxija (for cappuccinos), Mistra Bay, St Paul’s Island and the salt flats, Fort Cambridge, the Selmun Palace, Mellieha (for lunch at Tal-Puzzu) and Ghardira Bay. We caught the bus home and diverted to Sotto Zero for ice creams to cool down. Today was hot, hot, hot and we loved it! For dinner we had Harrira which was fantastic as always.

Friday we drove to Pretty Bay for cappuccinos and a walk on the beach. From there we went to Marsaxlokk and walked the promenade before lunching at Terrone. It was pretty good but perhaps a bit short of its usual very high standard. We then drove on to Marsascala and had another promenade walk. We explored the centre a bit and really liked it. It curves around a deep inlet with fishing boats at anchor, all very pretty. And it is very much a residents rather than a tourists town, so has a positive community feel. In the evening we went to Miracles then O’Reilly’s for beers (Linda had espresso martinis). We didn’t feel like dinner after a big lunch so just had bread and cheese for supper.

Saturday started showery. We went to the Farmers’ Market to buy veggies then went on to the Craft Village. After cappuccinos at the café, we looked around the shops and Mdina Glass and Mick and Linda bought a couple of souvenirs. We had a short walk around the National Park. On the way home we tried to visit the supermarket but its car park was full so we bought chickens, wine and chocolate from our local shops instead. After lunch we drove to Magdalena’s Chapel, intending to go for a hike but the skies went slate grey and it started to drizzle. Most peculiar weather for Malta, perhaps a treat from God for any home-sick Brits. For dinner we had roasted chickens with barbequed vegetables. I added hickory wood chips to the BBQ but the veggies tasted a bit like they had been cooked in a burnt out garden shed. I won’t bother with that again! After dinner we played a quiz game that Mick and Linda had brought with them. Sam and I won, of course.

Sunday we didn’t want to move the car and lose our parking space so we walked to Xemxija and had cappuccinos at the café there. The Nature Park was open – I’ve never previously found it open so we had a walk around there but it was just a sheltered path and really wasn’t worth the effort.

Our plan was to climb the ridge and walk through the trees to Golden Bay. However, we could hear a lot of shooting (even though the hunting season is over) and we could see dogs on the loose in the trees. You don’t want to mess with hunters’ dogs! So we retraced our steps and took the road to Golden Bay instead. There was quite a lot of traffic, being a Sunday and Mother’s Day to boot. We had lunch at the packed out Apple’s Eye, caught the bus to Bugibba, had a wander and ended up at Fat Harry’s for a cooling drink (Pepsi for me, beer for Mick and wine for Linda and the Pepsi cost the most!).

For dinner we had barbecued pork loin ribs with barbecued vegetable kebabs; delicious, especially the kebabs