First day exploring Malta

We walked the few metres back to our hotel and a roadside restaurant underneath it, Sheila, Rosalind and Adam all had steaks, which they had missed in Positano while I had roast chicken and vegetables. We all enjoyed the change from seafood and tomato which was mostly the only choices in southern Italy.
Sheila and I decided to have an early night, while Adam and Rosalind went for just a quick drink in ‘H. The quick drink lasted until 0100 but that is about par for the course with Adam. I woke at 0245 thinking that it was time to get up and could not get back to sleep.
We had ordered breakfast in our rooms for 0700 but they were late being delivered and very continental i.e. not much to it. We were packed and ready to go at 0830 as we wanted to arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare and cater for the vagaries of Italian organisation.
Ah well the nightmare of the Rome road labyrinth was repeated and we saw the colosseum from close quarters at least three times. The pouring rain did not help and the only road signs we found were ones that informed us that the last turn that we made was NOT the one we wanted, and you only get to see it after you have committed to drive down a particular road. Eventually we found ourselves on the Via Cristoforo Columbus, we could have done with his help earlier, heading south west and on our way to the airport, hurrah!

Adam returned the car with no problems, they accepted it with no comments about the few slight scratches, my guess that it was returned it a lot better condition than many other hire cars.
Rome airport is DYSFUNCTIONAL, and it took ages for the very long queues at immigration to be processed while staff were busy gossiping to each other, and constantly tidying their dirty unkempt uniforms. However our early departure from the hotel meant that we got onto our flight ok, despite the airport staff.
It was just over a hour flight to Malta during which time we were served an excellent lunch by the very friendly and efficient Air Malta crew. We had great views of the whole island as we flew down the east coast to Luqa airport. All of us were very impressed with the clean modern terminal, which seemed to function well, until we had to wait twenty minutes for our luggage. Adam as usual had organised a car to meet us and it only took a little wrestling to get all our cases in the boot of the large Mercedes.
When we arrived twenty minutes later at the Hotel Juliana in St Julian’s bay we were met with the news that, “unfortunately there has been a double booking and your reservation is now for one day less.”
To which Adam replied “no it is not I have copies of the e-mails that confirm all the dates of our bookings”.
“Yes I know sir, the fault is ours and we would like you to consider the option of moving to the Intercontinental hotel and we will pay for the difference in the cost of their rooms and the cost of ours.”
“My wife and I are prepared to go to the Intercontinental hotel and look at their location and rooms and see if we are prepared to move” was Adam’s very measured response.
Sheila and I stayed at reception while Adam and Rosalind went by taxi, paid for by the hotel, to view the Intercontinental option. They returned after half an hour and Adam very calmly announced, “ no that is not an option that we accept, we will stay in the rooms that we have booked, but I am happy to consider any other options that you might care to put to me with regard to our last night in Malta.
We unpacked in rooms that we were very pleased with and enjoyed the view of St Julian’s Bay from our balconies at the front of the hotel. Once we were settled we went for a walk around the bay and had a coffee in a little bay side café, definitely a lot cheaper and better value than in Italy. When we got back to the hotel Adam Sheila and I went for a swim in the roof top pool. Rosalind settled for a nap I think because of the previous late night caused by Adam and his excursion for a little walk and drink.
Dinner was booked at the restaurant along side the roof top pool so that we did not have far to go and could enjoy the night time vista. The range of options on the menu was extensive and the quality and quantity of food that we got was superb. We had an early night feeling very positive about this next part of our holiday.



Sheila on our balcony overlooking St Julian’s bay



Rosalind and Adam on their balcony next to ours with the waterfront restaurants in the background.


The front of our hotel, with our rooms behind the first and second balconies from the left, on the second floor of the new part, behind the old façade.



One of the many horse drawn carriages that are very popular with tourists, they are called Gharries, I think from memory.

Monday 18th September 2006
Sheila and I were up early to a very clear blue sky and pleasant temperature. We had an early breakfast in the coffee lounge, just off the foyer. There was plenty of options and large quantities of each from a variety of ‘Bain maries’. After breakfast we took a bag of clothes along to a laundry that we had seen the night before, just a short walk around the bay. When we returned Adam and Rosalind had just finished their breakfast. Adam also had a little chat with the General Manager of the hotel with regard to options about the last night and left it with the General Manager to come up with an acceptable proposal.
We took a local bus from just across the road from the hotel to the ferry terminal in Sliema.
In its long and turbulent history, the diminutive island nation of Malta, (27 km by 15 km) smaller than the Isle of Weight and Martha’s Vineyard, has often assumed an importance out of all proportion to its size. It has served as a stepping stone between Europe and Africa, a guardian of imperial trading routes and a launching pad for invasions.
In recent history Malta has been regarded as an inexpensive holiday destination because it is sunny for three hundred days a year, the sea is very clear and warm; accommodation is great value with an abundance of high quality, reasonably priced restaurants and night clubs in resort areas.

Added to this is some dramatic costal scenery and excellent opportunities for snorkelling and scuba diving.
Malta’s true highlights are not its beaches, however, and this sun and sand image does not do the country enough justice.. What makes Malta a unique destination is that so much of its intriguing past is visible today – from 5,000 year old temples to immense fortifications built by the Knights of St John in the 16th century to withstand the Turkish invasion and attempt to crush the Knights of St John. A few days off the beaches will confirm that there is much to discover and find wonderful: the magnificent fortified capital of Valletta, named after Grand Master Jean Parisot De Valette, who was seventy one years old when he lead the successful defence of Malta in 1565; ‘history encased on golden stone’ was how the novelist Nichols Monsarrat described it. Valletta with its glorious Grand Harbour and bustling Mediterranean street life; stone built towns and villages with their idiosyncratic baroque churches and exuberant annual feats; the mysterious prehistoric temples that are the world’s oldest man made structures, and archaeological finds that pre-date Egypt’s pyramids, the elegant, medieval fortress town of Mdina; and if anyone wants to get away from it all, the smaller and quieter island of Gozo with its quaint landscape of flat-topped hills and towering cliffs provide further evidence that good things come in small packages!
From the terminal we had a short wait to get a ferry boat from Sliema to Valetta. The bus fare was just eighty cents each and the boat $1.20 each. The ferry took us between Manoel Island and Dragut Point on Tigne headland. Dragut point was named after the famous Barbary Corsair who assisted the Turks during the 16th century siege while over eighty years of age. Dragut was guiding cannon on Tigne headland in their bombardment of Fort St Elmo, when he was fatally wounded by a stone splinter from a cannon shot from St Elmo.



On the way we saw this very large private yacht passing Dragut point, our research afterwards indicated that it belongs to a very rich Russian gentleman.



Fort St Elmo from the northern side, Valetta is just to the right hand side of St Elmo




John, Sheila and Rosalind, with Valetta to the right hand side and St Elmo on the left

We walked around the northern edge of Valletta to Fort St Elmo which now houses the War museum dedicated to the defence of Malta during the Second World War. The displays looked a bit old and tired, but this initial reaction passed when we appreciated the significance of the exhibits. There are many photographs of warships etc and much memorabilia including uniforms and guns. For me the highlights were the George Cross that was awarded to the Island of Malta recognising the bravery of all of its citizens during World War II and the fuselage of one of the three Gloucester Gladiator biplanes, ‘Faith, Hope and Charity’ that were the total of the air force for much of the defence of Malta at the beginning of the bombing from the Axis powers based in Scilly just 67 miles away. In fact more bombs were dropped on Malta than were dropped on London. The next photographs are of inside the museum.





The fuselage of one of the Gloucester Gladiator biplanes that were the Malta air force, with Sheila and Adam.

We spent a lot longer time in the museum than I expected, and although not air-conditioned it provided a haven from the strong sun outside.
After leaving the museum we kept walking around the eastern edge of Valetta until we came to a sign indicating a pictorial history of Malta called the ‘Malta Experience’. It is in an underground theatre in the basement of the Mediterranean Conference Centre in the Sacra Infermeria, the 16th century hospital of the Knights of St John. www.themaltaexperience.com The 45 minute audio visual presentation provides a good introduction to Malta especially for first-time visitors. The presentation has 12 different languages available for the soundtrack; it showcases the country’s long history highlighting many of its scenic attractions.
After the show we had to contemplate the stairs back up to the surface and as Sheila suffers with her legs in the heat and walking I noticed some lifts next to the toilets and suggested that we take that option. “Good idea” proclaimed Sheila, but when the lift doors closed there appeared to be only one button to select so as one is never sure what floor one is on I just pushed that and we exited the lift when it stopped. We found ourselves in a very ornate stone corridors along which were various archways and about half a dozen suits of armour.

“Nah I don’t think that we should be here” I concluded and after taking a quick picture we went back into the lift and to the floor from where we came and then climbed the stairs back to the outside where Adam and Rosalind were waiting.



The ornate corridor in the Sacra Infermeria that is not the way to get back outside.

We then walked to a headland overlooking Grand harbour and across the harbour to Fort St Angelo that was the last surviving bastion in the south of Malta during the Great Siege.
One of my favourite books describes the Turkish siege very well:
‘The Great Siege: Malta 1565’ Ernle Bradford, published by Wordsworth Military Library; (1999) ISBN 1 84022 206 9



Adam and Rosalind next to the carillon at the northern entrance to Grand Harbour



Adam and Rosalind with Grand Harbour behind them with Fort St Angelo on the left, then Senglea and Fort St Michael just to the right of centre.

We walked into the centre of Valletta, just a five minute walk (Valletta is barely a kilometre long and 600 metes wide, and had lunch at a street side café on the main street called Triq ir-Repubblika, (Republic Street) which runs in a straight line northeast from the City Gate, where there is a major bus terminal, to Fort St Elmo, passing through Great Siege Square Republic Square and St Georges Square. Two major sites of interest are on Republic Street they are St John’s Co-Cathedral and The Grand Master’s Palace. I found myself taking lots of pictures of the very picturesque streets so have only included a sample of the many that we have on disc.



A small street being explored by Adam and Rosalind





Sheila proudly showing off the doorway to ‘her’ shop



Republic Street in Valletta, the main street. During the afternoon siesta from 1230 until 1630 it is mostly deserted apart from a few tourists wandering around as all the shops shut for the siesta with only a couple of cafes serving mad dogs out in the mid day sun.



A view from Valletta across Manoel Island to Sliema in the background.



We found the variety of balconies fascinating



We walked back to the ferry and then caught the local bus back from Sliema to our hotel in St Julian’s Bay. Being more familiar with Malta I insisted in ushering everyone off the bus when we got to the stop in St Julian’s Bay; however it was the wrong bay and Adam Sheila and Rosalind were compliant but bemused as to why they had been asked to get off at Balluta Bay. Our hotel is in fact in Spinola Bay, a small inlet off of the ‘larger’ St Julian’s Bay.

My mistake turned out to be fortuitous as when we were walking back to our hotel we passed the laundry/newsagent and as we passed one of the owners, Tony Albanese, called out to us and said that our laundry was there ready for collection. The extra walk also meant that we had an opportunity to but some gelato, and opportunity that was taken with alacrity.
Adam booked dinner at a Greek restaurant just three minutes walk from the hotel, it is called Bouzouki and our table was right by the waterfront in an excellent position to see the sights and enjoy the warm balmy evening. The food was superb and we had a great night.
By the way Adam had concluded his discussions with the General Manager of our hotel and had agreed that we would vacate our rooms one night earlier than originally booked. In return we would be taken by taxi to Luqa airport then flown by helicopter to the Island of Gozo where we would be taken by taxi to a five star health resort for the night and then back by helicopter to Luqa airport the following morning for our flight to Bangkok via Rome. We all agreed that Adam had fixed up a deal that we thought was ‘pretty reasonable’.

Fort St Elmo
A private yacht owned by a Russian The George cross awarded to Malta





The outside of our hotel
Grand Harbour





Republic Street the main street of Vallatta
A view from Valletta across Manoel Island to Sliema
Some balconies in Valletta

Sheila on the balcony of our hotel