Malta Trip - March 1st - 5th

Malta – Sunday February 28th 2010

We used some old air miles to book a four night –five day break in Malta, it was a pretty random decision based on how far we could get using up pretty much all of the miles before they expired.
By traveling from London Heathrow we could reach Malta and have enough spare to rent a car with only £35 to pay.
We had intended to travel down to Heathrow on the Monday morning but then realized that the roadwork on the M25 would mean us having to allow extra time as we would be hitting them in the rush hour. We booked a travel lodge on the M4 close to LHR and Purple Parking which we had booked earlier. With hindsight we would have booked a night at the Park Inn as they provide parking and the room at a similar cost to parking with other concerns.
So it was about 5.00pm when Julia and I set off south on the Sunday.
We lost some time on the M25 which proved to us that we were making the right decision and we arrived close to our destination given by the Satnav shortly after 8.00pm. The problem was however that we were in an industrial estate with no sign of a Travel Lodge or any life at all, we retreated and I asked directions. The local sent us back onto the estate but this time we pushed on further and started to see signs of a motorway service area, unfortunately the final 300 yards of the road were thoroughly flooded and the economics of the trip did not include writing off our expensive diesel car – having watched a smaller vehicle get through we followed at a respectful distance and reached the hotel. The satnav had probably calculated its route to save us 0.5 seconds by the back lanes it had chosen but there was a perfectly acceptable motorway exit we could have used without the stress.

Malta – Monday March 1st 2010

We had a reasonable night’s sleep and then used the Satnav to get to the Purple Parking depot some 3.5 miles away and they efficiently delivered us to Terminal 4 where we checked in and found ourselves breakfast.
We travelled with Air Malta and as usual for us the plane was full. We had an uneventful flight and landed in Malta on time, our baggage appeared promptly and we were ready to get to our hotel.
We collected the hire car and set off on the lottery which is the Malta Island road system – we were driving on the UK side of the road and should have had little problem but the car was so basic that it had no power outlet so we couldn’t use the Satnav. I had spent many more years using a map than being instructed by a machine so we should have coped. Bugibba is in the North of the island while, this is where some research would have helped, Birzebbugia is in the extreme South, the names are fairly similar and I took us off in the totally wrong direction. Pretty soon this was apparent to all our party and I re-planned our route. We successfully avoided the Valletta conurbation and eventually, by following signs for St Paul’s Bay, arrived in the Bugibba area. The whole venture of driving is made more exciting by the convention that only two out of three roundabouts need to be labeled with destinations and the number of the road displayed proudly on your map never ever appears on a road sign.
Again research would have helped, nothing in our documentation gave us any real address for the Hotel Topaz, with little confidence I powered up the Satnav on battery and despite being fully equipped for Europe it denied all knowledge of Malta. We phoned the Air Miles help desk and it didn’t – they tried but no address was available and they gave us a phone number that didn’t connect but that might have been about codes rather than their error. We wandered around and, in the seafront area of Bugibba, I baled out and asked in a bar. They steered us in the right direction and, by following their instructions, we circled the hotel before seeing the sign.
We checked in and found the facilities basic but sufficient for our needs. The four star rating remains a mystery to us – it would be hard to put the Westin Chicago on any kind of a par with the Topaz but both have four stars, we settled in and as we often do, we split up: Julia to bathe and chill having driven, me to explore. I found a shop where I could buy milk, for tea in our room – we provided the travel kettle - as I walked back to the seafront and noted the various places to eat. The nearest were Chinese Buffets which can vary enormously but there was a reasonable variety within walking distance.
In due course we set off towards the front again on foot and found a passable meal at Grannies which described itself as Fusion cuisine – Maltese, Indian and Italian – Julia had the Maltese sausage in a stew while I had a chicken with cheese and bacon dish. We were the only table in operation and we felt we would return to the Hotel so that our staff could close up the restaurant. We followed a slightly different route back and entered the hotel through a bar on the first floor which our room was on. There was Karaoke to entertain us and the rest of the guests – well those who still had the use of their hearing. You may have detected from this that the clientele was generally older than us - it was like holidaying with a post office queue.
We had two Budweiser’s in the bar before retiring having formed the plan to drive into Valletta the next day and sample some of the museum experiences there. We watched some television on the two English speaking channels but were forced to change the settings by hand as we had not paid a returnable deposit for a remote control – another four star feature of the hotel.

Malta – Tuesday March 2nd 2010

We rose and took ourselves down the narrow corridor to the large breakfast area, here we found the entire cocoon cast most of whom were keen to take their regular seats and had brought with them their own mugs – a good idea we shamelessly copied for the remaining three breakfasts. Our battle to get a good cup of tea was fought again, the drinks machine produced a nameless brew which required CSI to identify it but there were tea bags and hot, close to boiling, water so our second attempt was passable.
The bacon defied chewing but the various types of bread were really nice and there were sufficient spreads and fillings to produce a reasonable breakfast.
We took a leisurely drive to Valletta and my map reading survived all tests. Parking in Valletta proved to be beyond us everywhere was either occupied or festooned with “resident permit parking only” or “Tow Zone”. We circled and frustratingly saw the places we wished to visit but had no way to stop. We emerged from Valletta proper back into Floriana.
Guide book extract ; Floriana is a suburb of Valletta and shares with it the impressive harbour fortifications. It also lies within the capital's landward fortifications which reach as far as the Portes des Bombes on the main Valletta approach road. Floriana is named after the 17th century military engineer Pietro Floriani who was commissioned by the Knights in 1636 to extend Valletta's fortifications. Floriana was conceived as an entire fortress city in front of Valletta. The town is characterised by open spaces, gardens and some fine patricians' houses. All very impressive but our best attempt at parking here was only for 90 minutes; enough for a stroll but not time to do museums. We took some good photos as we wandered, including some of the historic buses which sadly are going to be replaced in the coming year.
We adapted our plan and set off for Vittoriosa, one of the Three Cities, which lies on one of the promontories jutting into Grand Harbour, opposite Valletta. At its tip is Fort St Angelo, perhaps the oldest fortification on the Islands. We were here to visit the Malta at War Museum; our 8 euros bought us a film of Malta resisting the Axis powers in WW2 and, more interesting, a tour of the underground tunnels which were excavated as bomb-shelters. For this we had to wear hairnets and hardhats; sadly no photographic evidence exists! We had a beer in a garden bar next to the museum and made the decision to try Valletta again.
We found our way back and the parking situation had eased, we were still on the edge of Valletta rather than the centre but we had no time restriction on us. We set off walking following signs for the Malta Experience which is a 45 minute presentation which basically goes through the history of the Island, it is signed from everywhere and I suspect we found one of the slower routes to it but our walk was enlivened by two incidents. The first was when we were accosted by a horse-taxi driver, he asked where we were going – we told him and he said that we had time for a tour of Valletta at the end of which he would drop us at the Experience. He wanted to charge us 30 euros and at that moment I realized that the banker I was with had not brought out sufficient funds for the tour and the Experience. We had not paid for a key to the safe in our room so the balance of our cash was in the sock drawer rather than with us. When we told our driver this he thought we were haggling and he successively dropped the price 25 – 20 – 15 – 10 before he accepted we were not bluffing. Incidentally the horse taxis were similar to those used in Jack the Ripper films and TV. Our other, more surreal experience, was meeting a long string of joggers coming towards us, they were all very similarly dressed but of clearly differing fitness, as they passed us we read on their backs that they were members of the Malta Police. Some obviously spent most of their time behind a desk but were not excused this venture. Some runners were passing us on their way back by the time we were nearing the Experience but there were still runners setting out so this must have been the all-time best opportunity to indulge in Maltese crime.
I would love to tell you more about the Malta Experience itself but having spent 9.50 euros, taken our seats in a warm auditorium and sorted out the earphones to the correct language one of us may have dozed off.
The few euros we had left were enough for a Malta & Gozo guide book but nothing like enough to purchase the mugs that we now knew would give us street cred in breakfast and perhaps get us an early appointment with the escape committee.
We returned to the car using an entirely different route to the one we had used arriving but it took a similar time, and from there navigated back to the hotel.
I was dispatched again with some sock-money to obtain mugs – purchased for 3.50 euros each. I ventured further than the night before and spotted a likely restaurant for our evening meal – Da Rosita.
We set out down the hill and had a hugely enjoyable meal at my nominated restaurant, the Head Waiter and the Chef made a great fuss of us and when Julia ordered a half bottle of Rose wine from the menu the waiter arrived with a full bottle and just told her to drink half. I had pork served with caramelized apple while Julia chose something which she really enjoyed also. We appreciated the fact that the salad, vegetables, roast potatoes and chips were all served in separate bowls so you could put on your plate only things you were willing to eat. I feel that perhaps the restaurant was struggling but it was not down to their level of effort or the food. We resolved to return the following evening so that Julia could finish her wine.
We stopped off for one Budweiser in the hotel bar before booking a bus tour of the North of the island; we were to be picked up from the hotel at 9.00am the following morning.

Malta – Wednesday March 3rd 2010

We had our breakfast earlier than the day before in order to be ready for the pick up, strangely many of the same guests were there already, I surmise that they feel if breakfast is provided from 8.00 to 10.00 it might be construed as rude not to attend for all of it. Our mugs, too obviously new, were greeted with suspicion and no contact with the other guests resulted.
It is slightly unnerving to be eating with people who appear to have a lower life expectancy than the processed cheese on offer at the buffet.
We dressed for the day on the top of an open bus and went down to wait in the foyer for our tour. The time having passed 9.00 we moved outside of the building and sighted the bus approaching us, with studious care the driver turned in front of the hotel, ignored our waves, and drove away.
The reception staff phoned the company and they in turn contacted the driver so in due course 25 minutes or so later he returned and allowed us onto his vehicle, it must have been more annoying for the punters already on the bus as they had the dubious pleasure of two laps of the not scenic area around the Topaz.
We had opted for the Northern tour of Malta because we had seen Valletta the previous day and we felt that we would cover the far south when we were evicted from the hotel on the final day.
Guide book extract : The North Tour goes to Ta'Xbiex Harbour, Msida Yacht Marina, Valletta Bus Terminus, Birkirkara, San Anton Gardens, Ta' Qali Crafts Village, the Aviation Museum, Mosta Church, the Old Capital City Mdina, the Domus Romana in Rabat, Bingemma, Mgarr, Golden Bay, Bugibba, St. Julian's and ends up in Sliema, our tour also entitled us to a free harbour cruise which we would have joined at Sliema.
We had no clear plan about hopping on and off so we were still on the bus when we reached the Ta' Qali Crafts Village, we decided to check it out and we watched a jeweler working with silver filigree – basically modeling with incredibly thin silver wire – it was skillful but the end result had no attraction for us. We then went into the glass factory and watched genuine Maltese craftsmen argue amongst themselves - again the end product was not quite our thing.
Close to the craft village was the Aviation Museum, we paid our 4.08 euros despite having to keep an eye on the bus times in order to hop back on, and it was the most fascinating time we spent on the island. In the more modern hanger a guide was taking a party round and his detailed knowledge and grasp of his subject all sprinkled with dry humour had his audience gripped. He was one of the aircraft restorers and had worked on most of the exhibits.
When we realized that we needed to get back for the bus or wait another full hour we made the wrong choice, by only glancing into the older hanger and heading back for the bus – this also meant that we took no pictures of the museum and its brilliant exhibits.
The craft village and the aviation museum have been built, along with the national sports stadium and the basketball centre, on the war-time airfield from which the defense of Malta was coordinated. The entire area was heavily bombed throughout the defense and this probably created the cleared area for the new build projects. In the early part of the defense the Malta air force consisted of three Gloster Gladiators, long outdated biplane fighters, which were romantically named Faith, Hope and Charity, In the tight fighting area above a small island they coped remarkably well with the more modern axis planes, soon they were reinforced by Hurricanes and later Spitfires.
We next stopped outside the Mosta Church, one of the many Malta and Gozo churches which display two clocks set with differing times – this to confuse the Devil and keep him out. The driver and some of his local friends disappeared into a nearby bar and Julia took the chance to find a public toilet. This venture had repercussions later.
The next leg of the trip was along the coast and the wind got up significantly making the top of the bus cold and the commentary through our headsets inaudible. As we were travelling again – thinking of staying on the bus all the way to Sliema, our intention was to take the free cruise before catching the bus back to Bugibba – Julia started searching our bag frantically. She was convinced that she had left her purse resting on the cistern in the toilet she had visited three or four miles back. We decided to get off in Bugibba return to the hotel, grab the car and head back to Mosta. However having got off the bus Julia remembered having her purse in her hand on the bus and a more systematic search revealed the black purse hiding at the bottom of the back-lined bag. We were now not keen to return to the bus and enjoyed a couple of hours walking in the area of the hotel and then having a dip in the indoor pool.
It was the day of England playing Egypt at Wembley so we intended to eat relatively early at Da Rosita and watch the game at the nearest sports bar.
The head waiter and chef were once again in attendance and we selected from the menu again, this time I chose the rabbit stew, rabbit is a Maltese specialty and Julia had the Beef Olives which were stuffed with a Maltese mixture. Having enjoyed the meal so much the previous night I was disappointed to have as much of the rabbit’s skeleton to deal with, a competent modeler could have constructed at least one bunny from the debris left on my plate.
While we watched the soccer in Fat Dave’s pub or some such name we found ourselves sitting with a couple who had been at the aviation museum when we were there. They reinforced our opinion that we had missed out by leaving.
England won the match and we returned to the hotel and bed.

Malta – Thursday March 4th 2010

We got out from breakfast promptly the following day and set off in the car following signs to Gozo knowing full well that there needed to be a ferry involved in our trip.
We found ourselves on the ferry and crossing the short channel between Malta and Gozo by 11.00am, we passed the even smaller island of Comino on our way the whole journey taking only 30 minutes. As we were docking in Gozo we found our way down to the car deck in no hurry – by the time we got there the bow doors were open and two of the three rows of cars had gone – our row had not gone being held up by our little blue car – we were serenaded by a massed band of car horns as we got in and drove off.
Julia had picked out an objective for our first point of interest, having been awake during the Malta Experience, we headed for Ggantija.
Guide book extract : The Ggantija Temples in Xaghra, Gozo, are one of the most important archaeological sites in the world and date from around 3600 to 3200 BC. Due to the gigantic dimensions of the megaliths, in past centuries some locals believed that the temples were the work of giants. This particular temple site in Gozo bears witness to this ancient legend: its name, Ggantija, is Maltese for giant. The Ggantija megalithic complex consists of two temples surrounded by a massive common boundary wall, which was built using the alternating header and stretcher technique, with some of the megaliths exceeding five metres in length and weighing over fifty tons. Built with rough, coralline limestone blocks, each temple contains five apses connected by a central corridor leading to the innermost trefoil section.
Trust me that prose is more impressive than the experience itself and to be charged 8 euros each was galling. The structure, more impressive that Stonehenge?, was held up by modern scaffolding and there really was little to see.
We took ourselves to the island Capital Victoria and got parked.
Guide book extract : All roads in Gozo lead to Rabat, also known as Victoria. The village’s Citadel is visible from almost all the Island, rising steeply above the surrounding countryside. The Citadel in Gozo owes its roots to the late medieval era, but the hill has been settled since Neolithic times. For centuries, the Citadel served as a sanctuary from attack by Barbary corsairs and Saracens. At several times during Gozo’s history, these raiders took its population into slavery.
After the Great Siege of 1565, the Knights set about re-fortifying the Citadel to provide refuge and defense against further attack. Until 1637, the Gozitan population was required by law to spend their nights within the Citadel for their own safety. In later, more peaceful times, this restriction was lifted and people settled below its walls, creating the prosperous town of Rabat, now known as Victoria.
Victoria is not just the geographic heart of Gozo, it is also the centre of everyday activity. It manages to combine the bustle of its market and shops with a relaxed and sociable atmosphere. It is a great place to watch the Islanders go about their day, especially when the main market square, It-Tokk, comes to life. Browse around Victoria's market and narrow winding streets and you'll find everything from delicious fresh produce, cheeses and wines, to antiques, craft goods, fishing nets and knitwear. The town also has a thriving cultural life all its own, with some surprising attractions ranging from opera to horse races in the main street on fiesta day.
This time the prose really does the place justice, we loved Victoria, there was a thriving square served by six or seven local bars and cafes and all around there were rooftop restaurants with amazing views of the town and the surrounding country. By random chance we selected a bar/restaurant staffed by zombies and it took an age to get a beer served to us at altitude and life was too short to wait for the bill up there but the views were spectacular. We then walked up the hill from the modern town into the citadel passing a vacant parking space marked “Parking for Carmelite Sisters”. The views from the walls were incredible; we could see the ocean on all sides and by looking back towards Victoria we were able to pick out our rooftop restaurant and a family of skeletons still waiting to be served.
After about an hour in the citadel we returned to the car to find it hemmed in on all sides but one of the surrounding cars was occupied and grudgingly let us out. We set off for a beach as the weather was warm and sunny. Without the benefit of signs we continued through Victoria looking for a right turn towards Marsalforn, eventually we turned back into Victoria and took what we thought was a major road to the coast – it was a cart track at best. We encountered downward slopes normally found on rollercoasters and turns which defied belief but our trust Fiat Panda coped. We arrived in Marsalforn.
Guide book extract : Marsalforn, meaning 'bakery harbour', is Gozo's main seaside town. During the summer, it becomes a bustling, lively resort. There is a small but pleasant sandy bank on the harbour with safe bathing and good rocky coastline towards Qbajjar which is excellent for snorkelling. The resort has a good range of accommodation from seafront self-catering apartments to hotels. Marsalforn is characterised by its harbour-side cafes and restaurants, many serving fresh fish. The small harbour is the main port for a fleet of traditional 'luzzijiet' trawlers and smaller fishing boats. The beauty of Marsalforn is its relaxed atmosphere, even in the height of summer.
Relaxed – read comatose – but we got a cheap and very nice cup of tea after walking along the sea front for 40 minutes in a howling gale which we had not noticed inland.
We continued along the coast to Ramla Bay.
Guide book extract : Ramla is Gozo's largest sandy bay and one of the most beautiful on the Maltese Islands. The beach here is of a deep, reddish-gold hue. The bay is surrounded by countryside and nestles below steep terraced hills and the mythical Calypso's Cave. There are no hotels or tourist developments nearby, but the beach side has several snack bars and cafes. The beach has its own landmark - a white statue of the Virgin Mary. Ramla is a superb spot to while away the hours - even in peak summer months, there always seems to be space on beach. In winter, you can find yourself alone. The area is excellent walking country. Swimming here is safe and the waters are clear and clean. There are some smooth, underwater boulders a few metres out in the central strip, but these are easily negotiated. On windy days, white surf rolling on the sand is an added attraction and fun for young bathers. The best approach to the bay is from Nadur or Xaghra, down a bamboo-lined valley. The road from Marsalforn, via Calypso's Cave, is rather steep and rough though it is passable by car. Of historical interest in the bay are some Roman ruins buried under the sand near the present-day cafes, and a 'fougasse' - a kind of primative mortar developed by the Knights which was fired from a rock-cut shaft to defend the bay during the 18th century.
We walked on the beach and shared it with only four other people and it lived up to the account above – really peaceful place.
We were now about ready to return to the ferry and from there to the hotel – it had been a good day. The journey was uneventful and we decided on local Chinese for our meal that evening. While Julia caught up with emails in the hotel lobby I walked down to the front again taking some photos in the process. On the sea front I saw the strategic importance of Malta illustrated, on the horizon there were eight sizable tankers passing within easy distance of the Island.
The Chinese was local, serviceable and not inspiring a Budweiser in the bar washed it down.

Malta – Friday March 5th 2010 – Home

We rose ate our final breakfast, packed and checked out. We had hoped to see Mdina the old capital of the island on our tour but having not done that we made it our focus for the last day.
The citadels of Victoria and Mdina are similar; both perched for safety on the high ground overlooking the rest of the island.
Guide book extract : The history of Mdina traces back more than 4000 years. This city can claim the origins of Maltese Christianity, as it was here in 60 AD that the Apostle St. Paul is said to have lived after being shipwrecked on the Islands. Lamp lit by night and referred to as “the silent city”, Mdina is fascinating to visit for its timeless atmosphere as well as its cultural and religious treasures. Mdina has had different names and titles depending on its rulers and its role but its medieval name describes it best – ‘Citta’ Notabile’: the Noble City. It was home then, as now, to Malta’s noble families; some are descendants of the Norman, Sicilian and Spanish overlords who made Mdina their home from the 12th century onwards. Their impressive palaces line its narrow, shady streets. Mdina is one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city and extraordinary in its mix of medieval and Baroque architecture.
Mdina was stunning and we only regretted that we had not planned to be there in the evening when it is almost silent and would have been a memorable experience. Mdina is the old capital built in the centre of Malta for safety for the regular coastal raids, as the island became safer the inhabitants started to have coastal homes at first in addition to, and then instead of their houses in Mdina. Consequently Mdina is thinly inhabited and basically car free. As you wander any picturesque fortress it is easy to miss the military engineering which made them so easy to defend and such killing grounds for the attackers. In Mdina the narrow streets curve by design to limit the use of archery as there are no straight shots of any distance, this probably indicates that the defenders did not have bowmen but were infantry looking to keep all engagements at hand-to-hand distances.
We walked round the huge cathedral which still has services ever day but only 30ish people turn up for them; the concerts however are over subscribed. There was restoration work going on in the cathedral but to our surprise what looked like stone or marble when it was raised back to ceiling height was painted wood rather like a film set.
After some time we left Mdina and went into the surrounding town of Rabat which I think is Arabic for suburb.

Guide book extract : Like nearby Mdina, Rabat played a major role in Malta’s past and is a prime source of its cultural heritage. This large provincial township was part of the Roman city of Melita, with the sites and archaeological relics found testifying to the town's importance during the Roman period. For many centuries, religious orders have established themselves within the precincts of Rabat and Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians still flourish here in their spacious convents and monasteries, catering for the religious needs of parishioners in their churches. The town is a commercial centre and acts as a market to its large agricultural hinterland. It is also well established on the tourist map due to its archaeological and historical sites: The Roman House Domus, Catacombs, St. Paul’s Grotto and the fine churches and monasteries.
We found ourselves some lunch before joining a sightseeing trip on a fake train. We basically circled the area in about 40minutes and enjoyed the journey and the commentary.
Time was now drawing on so we returned to the car and made our way back to the airport. The whole return journey was uneventful.