June 2017 - Week 2

Monday 5th to Sunday 11th June 2017

Monday we stayed in and worked. I had left over Puy lentil curry for dinner; Sam had salmon and spinach.

Tuesday I dropped Sam at the Radisson Blu in St Julian’s where she attended a couple of training courses. I drove on to Sliema and had breakfast at French Affaire (a cappuccino and a pain au chocolate) before doing a bit of shopping in The Point. The Point is a subterranean shopping centre and when I came out, planning to go home, I discovered that a huge thunderstorm had arrived. The sky was repeatedly riven with lightning, great bolts of it piercing the ground all around. So violent was it that thunder crashed and bellowed and shook the ground without pause. To top it all, the skies opened and sheets of water hammered the ground as if delivering a punishment. So, being a sensible chap, I retreated back to The Point, sat on a bench and read my Kindle for an hour.

When I came out the storm had abated and I drove home along near deserted streets which were running with torrents of water. This was more like October than June! Anyway, I made it home safely, worked hard and made Indian spiced vegetable and nut pilau rice for dinner.

Wednesday we worked and didn’t stray far. Today was a public holiday, the 7th June national day, effectively Malta’s national holiday. To explain, the legacy of the First World War was a serious disruption of sea trade, a trade upon which Malta was very dependent. There was a shortage of boats and a shortage of basic foodstuffs such as rice and wheat. The result was a huge hike in prices of imported raw materials. There was a feeling that the colonial rulers – the Brits – were taking advantage of the situation to line their own pockets. On the 7th June 1919 some disgruntled Maltese young men came across a shop flying the Union Jack. They tore it down, and the flagpole too. Others joined in and more shops were raided and more flags destroyed. Some over-zealous British soldiers opened fire on an unarmed group of Maltese men, killing four. Although Malta didn’t gain independence until 1964, the four men killed by the British in 1919 have ever since been feted as heroes, a symbol of resistance and the fight for independence, and the 7th June declared a national holiday, the date being one of the most important in the Maltese calendar. The practical effect is that all banks and shops, barring some tourist places, are shut.

For dinner Sam defrosted a portion of chilli con carne; I had left over vegetable and nut pilau rice.

Thursday Sam went to art class and I went to Xemxija Café for an English breakfast which was very good. In the evening Sam went to Sliema to meet a friend who is visiting from the IoM. They went to Medasia. I went to O’Rielly’s for a beer, then to the New Madras for an excellent chicken tikka madras with a pershwari naan, then on to Sotto Zero for cherry and chocolate ice creams.

Friday Sam was a bit hung over after her girls’ night out! We did a big shop at Pama. Mostly, though, we stayed in and watched the news after yesterday’s UK general election. It seems Theresa May, queen of arrogance, got her comeuppance. For dinner Sam made us a roast chicken dinner.

Saturday we met Chris and Tina at Armier Bay. Sam and Tina went swimming then we had bruschette for brunch. In the evening we met Chris and Tina again, this time at the Elvis Presley tribute bar. From there we went to Surf & Turf. I had chicken liver pate, belly pork and a salted chocolate tart. Sam had the pate too, then a rib eye steak. Chris had calamari then surf and turf. Tina had duck breast then crème caramel. It was all delicious, as usual.

Sunday we rested. I made a chicken vindaloo in our slow cooker for dinner which was exceptional.