We had just gotten back from Christmas vacation when B and I realized that ski week was going to be upon us in no time. Since we had just spent 2 weeks skiing in the U.S., heading out on another ski trip didn't sound very appealing. Thankfully, the family agreed. So, I was tasked with finding a destination that would help alleviate our winter doldrums with warmth, sunshine and maybe a bit of history to boot. It only took a quick consultation of my European bucket list to come up with the perfect destination - Malta.
An archipelago in the Mediterranean, located just off of the African coast, Malta is one of the smallest countries in the world (#9), with the smallest EU capital city (Valletta) and is also one of the most densely populated countries (#8) in the world. So, what were we going to do for 3 1/2 days in such a tiny space? Never fear because within that tiny trio of islands there are over 7000 years of history and three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Add in the fact that it has been ruled by everyone from the Phoenicians to the British (with the Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John and the Fench in between) who each put their own stamp on the islands and you can be sure that we would not lack for things to do or see. The only thing that could have put a wrench in our plans was the weather since most of the sights are outdoors and uncovered. I prayed to the weather gods for sunny days and warmth because early March can still be hit or miss and we were VERY lucky - the few days before we came were windy, rainy and cool; the day after we left they were hit by a huge storm that carried gale force winds and even destroyed one of their most famous monuments. But more on that later...
We left on Wednesday because even though the girls and I have a lot of breaks, B only has so many vacation days in a year. As we flew almost directly south we marveled at the views of the snowy Alps but were happy to be headed to a warmer climate.
They seem to have run out of the letter M.
It is a short flight (just over 2 hours) and the drive from the airport to our hotel was relatively quick so we were out exploring the streets before sunset. I had done a lot of reading and planning for this trip because I had been laid up sick for almost a week before we left. I didn't like the sick part but I did love having the trip planned down to the minute details of where we would eat dinner that first night. I also had a list of the must-sees, the would like to sees, and the if we had extra time to sees...
One of the first must-sees was the doors of Malta, not that you could miss them. The residents of Malta take pride in their houses and in the colorful front doors and intricate handles that welcome you in. It seems that every door is different - each more colorful than the last. I didn't have much time before the sun set so I only had a chance to snap a few and then move on down the bay. I would snap more of them later (perhaps I will make a collage of them).
Doors behind us, we headed to St. Julian's Bay and watched the sun slowly creeping towards the horizon. It was refreshing to have been able to shed our jackets and just breathe in the fresh sea air. We were in no hurry so we stopped to play on the Bay...
Pretending to ride the bikes
She was just so happy to be near water even if it was too cold to get in.
Upside down and backward it is always the same. We got there too late to see the reflection in the water (where is is upside right and in the correct order) but too early for the lights to be on and reflect it. We would see it later though.
Gorgeous - right? It reminded B and I a lot of Valparaiso, Chile.
The color and clarity of the water was stunning!
Outside of St. Julian's we hugged the shoreline and popped down a few times to walk on the limestone that makes up most of the island.
We wandered underneath this church by those arches but started to get hungry so we kept moving on...
but not before I snapped the sun turning those towers almost golden.
Finally, we made it to dinner! If you are ever in Malta, eat at the Electro Lobster Project. You will not be disappointed.
Sated, it was time to head back to the hotel. We had an early start in the morning (remember this vacation was planned to the minute) and we had promised the girls some time in the swimming pool before bed. Having stayed on the footpath around the water's edge on our way to dinner, we did not encounter much traffic. On the way home, we cut through the city so we were very thankful for the reminders that lined the streets to...
Yep, they drive on the left side of the road which would test B's driving skills in the morning.
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