- If staying at the Hilton in St. Julian's, don't be afraid to go outside the hotel for lunch or dinner. We discovered several very yummy establishments in the Paceville area. The hotel buffets run about $100 (US) a night for a couple, whereas we were able to get filet mignon, salads, and pasta for under $50 for the two of us at restaurants outside the hotel.
- Don't be surprised if there are no toilet seats in the public restrooms! This was quite frustrating at times (especially in Sicily).
- When ordering water, you will almost always be asked if you want fizzy or still. "Still" water is what we would consider just regular bottled water in the US. They do not bring water to the table automatically - you must request and purchase it.
- You can find pizza and pasta in most restaurants - and it is very good! The pizzas are wood fired with thin crust and may have things on them like peas, corn or even sliced hard boiled eggs! Don't be afraid to try something that sounds unusual! We had an artichoke heart, mushroom, onion, tomato, corn, and pea pizza that was great!
- English is the official language and we did not find anyone who did not know how to speak it. I overheard a 12 year old boy on a bus talking about how Maltese and English are required subjects for them in school.
- Don't be afraid to take the public transportation system (buses). A trip from St. Julian's to Mdina was .50c (approx. $1.60) in Maltese Lira and would likely have been Lm 10.00 (almost $34.00 US) if we had taken a taxi! They are very convenient and run often between the main cities. The hotel concierge can provide a schedule.
- Although we read that topless sun bathing was frowned upon, there were at least one or two women doing it at the adult only pool each day.
- There were family pools and adult only pools at both the Kempinski Hotel in Gozo and the Hilton in Malta. This was very nice for those of us who just wanted to relax without getting splashed or listening to the excited screams from the little ones.
- Shop around when exchanging money. The hotel typically does not offer the best rates.
- The Museum of Archeology, St. John's Co-Cathedral and "Maltese Experience" are must-sees in Valletta.
- If asked to choose between the Hilton and the Westin in St. Julian's, I would definitely go with the Hilton again. I had spent some time researching to determine which was the best 5-star hotel and believe that we indeed chose the best one.
- You don't need an expensive tour guide to get the most out of Valletta and Mdina. There are maps of walking tours that are easy to read and you can move at your own pace.
- You can arrange for transportation to and from the airport (or anywhere else) through the hotel and they will just charge it to the room for you.
- Because it was under British rule for so long, cars drive on the left side of the road. I would never rent a car in Malta! I make this statement not only because they drive on the left, but also because they are crazy drivers and the streets are extremely windy and not well marked. The public transportation system is so good that you really should not need a car, anyway.
- The clubs in the Paceville area are everywhere and are very, very busy! Many allow entrance to those age 16 and above, so most of the patrons are quite young. I believe that the legal drinking age is 18 for foreigners in Malta.
- If you like really good wine, don't expect much from the Maltese wines. They are still learning.
- There are lots of geckos running around. They are harmless and sort of cute.
- There are also cats just wandering around and lounging in the sun. They don't seem to be feral and can actually be quite friendly.
- There were grocery stores close to both hotels and small refrigerators in the room. We were able to purchase water and snacks, but beware of ants if you leave food out. One frustrating point about the Hilton (probably the only negative thing I can say) was that they did not allow you to bring your own water to the pool - you had to order it from one of the wandering waitresses. A large bottle of water cost over $12 US.
- You will need an electrical adaptor if you plan to bring any electronics. It is the same as what you would need for England.
- Although the hotel websites say that there are hairdryers in the room, I swear that my husband could blow on my hair and dry it faster than the hairdryers that are provided. You may want to consider bringing your own.
- The spa services were priced very comparable or even slightly less than those in Seattle.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Final notes for anyone considering Malta
Here are a few random notes about visiting Malta and Gozo for anyone who found this blog in their efforts to learn more about vacationing there....
Monday, August 13, 2007
Mdina
Today, we traveled by bus up to the ancient city of
Tomorrow is sadly our last day here before we head back to the States. Our plan is to just go and lay by the pool all day and enjoy our final hours here. We hope to be able to come back here one day with the boys. Malta has been everything we had hoped and more.
Sicily: Taormina and Mt. Etna
On Friday we took a “day trip” to
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Valletta
We went to Valletta on Thursday. The day started with a chuckle as we walked out of our room. We were almost knocked over by a British mother who was chasing her son down the hallway. I would guess that he was approximately 18 months old and was wearing only a t-shirt, which he held up as he was running. His mother called after him, "Come here right now! And put your shirt down! No one wants to see your schmeckle!!" Unfortunately, we were not equipped with our camera at the time, so no photos of a "schmeckle" will be posted.
Valletta, the capital of Malta, is one of three fortified cities in this area. After the first great siege (an attack by the Turks in 1565), Francesco Laparelli was sent to Malta by Pope Pius IV to advise on the building of a new city because, although beaten, it was the general concurrence by all that the Turks would return. The construction started in 1566 and was completed five years later.
Today, Valletta is Malta's richest repository of art, architecture, history, and culture. At first sight of the walls around Valletta, you can practically see the ships in the bay and the cannons firing. Once inside its massive walls, the city reminded me a bit of Paris.
We spent a total of about 5 hours walking around the city and enjoying some of the sights. We started with the Museum of Archeology in which we were educated on the vast history of the island and its inhabitants. From there we went to St. John's Co-Cathedral.
The Knights of St. John combined the careers of monk and soldier and were responsible for most of Valletta's churches. The simple, sober facade of St. John's gives no hint of its lavish interior. It was built as the conventual church of the Order, and the Knights spent enormous sums of money embellishing the various chapels of their langues. Almost every last inch of the walls, vault and chapels is painted, gilded, or carved. The pavimento (floor paving) consists of numerous multi-covered marble tombstones, bearing - along with carvings of skeletons and symbols of death - the names and escutcheons of past members of the Order.
The Cathedral was built between 1572 and 1581. The interior was designed nearly a century later by the prolific Italian artist Mattia Preti who transformed the original austere interior into a glowing showpiece of Baroque art.
The most impressive work housed in the Cathedral is that of Michelangelo Merisi, who was known as Caravaggio, after the town near Milan where he was born in 1573. One of his most famous paintings, "The Beheading of John the Baptist," is housed here. To say that this painting is breathtaking would be an understatement. Caravaggio is known for his development of the use of chiaroscuro (light and shade). No photos were allowed to be taken of this painting, but if you are curious, you can see it at http://www.phespirit.info/pictures/caravaggio/p075.htm.
From the Cathedral, we went to see a show called the "Malta Experience" that basically outlined the entire 10,000 year history of this tiny island. It is absolutely incredible what it has been through.
Overall, the city was beautiful, but the day was long and hot. We took public transportation there and back, which was a bargain at LM .40c each way for the two of us. That is equivalent to about $1.25 as opposed to about $18 for a taxi each way. The buses were not bad, actually. They were similar to what we have in Seattle.
Valletta, the capital of Malta, is one of three fortified cities in this area. After the first great siege (an attack by the Turks in 1565), Francesco Laparelli was sent to Malta by Pope Pius IV to advise on the building of a new city because, although beaten, it was the general concurrence by all that the Turks would return. The construction started in 1566 and was completed five years later.
Today, Valletta is Malta's richest repository of art, architecture, history, and culture. At first sight of the walls around Valletta, you can practically see the ships in the bay and the cannons firing. Once inside its massive walls, the city reminded me a bit of Paris.
We spent a total of about 5 hours walking around the city and enjoying some of the sights. We started with the Museum of Archeology in which we were educated on the vast history of the island and its inhabitants. From there we went to St. John's Co-Cathedral.
The Knights of St. John combined the careers of monk and soldier and were responsible for most of Valletta's churches. The simple, sober facade of St. John's gives no hint of its lavish interior. It was built as the conventual church of the Order, and the Knights spent enormous sums of money embellishing the various chapels of their langues. Almost every last inch of the walls, vault and chapels is painted, gilded, or carved. The pavimento (floor paving) consists of numerous multi-covered marble tombstones, bearing - along with carvings of skeletons and symbols of death - the names and escutcheons of past members of the Order.
The Cathedral was built between 1572 and 1581. The interior was designed nearly a century later by the prolific Italian artist Mattia Preti who transformed the original austere interior into a glowing showpiece of Baroque art.
The most impressive work housed in the Cathedral is that of Michelangelo Merisi, who was known as Caravaggio, after the town near Milan where he was born in 1573. One of his most famous paintings, "The Beheading of John the Baptist," is housed here. To say that this painting is breathtaking would be an understatement. Caravaggio is known for his development of the use of chiaroscuro (light and shade). No photos were allowed to be taken of this painting, but if you are curious, you can see it at http://www.phespirit.info/pictures/caravaggio/p075.htm.
From the Cathedral, we went to see a show called the "Malta Experience" that basically outlined the entire 10,000 year history of this tiny island. It is absolutely incredible what it has been through.
Overall, the city was beautiful, but the day was long and hot. We took public transportation there and back, which was a bargain at LM .40c each way for the two of us. That is equivalent to about $1.25 as opposed to about $18 for a taxi each way. The buses were not bad, actually. They were similar to what we have in Seattle.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Ggantija Temples and Malta
Yesterday, on our way out of Gozo, we stopped by the Ggantija (pronounced g-jan-tee-ya) Temples. The panoramic views around the temples are amazing in themselves.
The word 'Ggantija' means gigantic, and there is a legend that the temple complex was built by a female giant who carried stone blocks on her head from Ta' Cenc. When you actually see the size of the megaliths, you understand why it was assumed that no mere mortal could possibly have moved them. The outer walls of the temples are built with colossal horizontal and upright blocks, some of them weighing as much as 50 tons. The complex consists of two temples surrounded by a common outer wall and was built somewhere around 3600-3000 BC - predating the pyramids by about 1000 years. It is believed that the temples had something to do with fertility and were built by the first inhabitants of the island over the course of 100 or so years. Overall, it was quite the sight.
We then took the ferry back to Malta. Our taxi driver was talking about how Malta just recently joined the European Union and how good it has been for the country. They are currently receiving money and other support to upgrade the country's infrastructure. The most obvious benefit of this to the average tourist is the new roads. There is quite a difference between riding in a car on the new roads versus the old ones.
We arrived at the Hilton in St. Julian's at around 4 p.m. and had to wait for our room. While waiting, we made friends with the concierge and managed to book a day trip to Sicily where we will be able to go to Mt. Etna and another town. We also managed to figure out the public transportation system so that we can visit the fortified cities around Malta.
St. Julian's can accurately be described as the polar opposite of San Lawrenz. We went for a walk last night after dinner and felt like we were in Times Square during rush hour! Evidently, the area in which our hotel is located is also home to the most popular 'discoteques' in Malta. There were young hootchies everywhere! Even Randy was (supposedly) getting annoyed with them.
Today we are planning to work out in the health club here in the hotel and them possibly go to Valletta or Mdina. More to come later!!
The word 'Ggantija' means gigantic, and there is a legend that the temple complex was built by a female giant who carried stone blocks on her head from Ta' Cenc. When you actually see the size of the megaliths, you understand why it was assumed that no mere mortal could possibly have moved them. The outer walls of the temples are built with colossal horizontal and upright blocks, some of them weighing as much as 50 tons. The complex consists of two temples surrounded by a common outer wall and was built somewhere around 3600-3000 BC - predating the pyramids by about 1000 years. It is believed that the temples had something to do with fertility and were built by the first inhabitants of the island over the course of 100 or so years. Overall, it was quite the sight.
We then took the ferry back to Malta. Our taxi driver was talking about how Malta just recently joined the European Union and how good it has been for the country. They are currently receiving money and other support to upgrade the country's infrastructure. The most obvious benefit of this to the average tourist is the new roads. There is quite a difference between riding in a car on the new roads versus the old ones.
We arrived at the Hilton in St. Julian's at around 4 p.m. and had to wait for our room. While waiting, we made friends with the concierge and managed to book a day trip to Sicily where we will be able to go to Mt. Etna and another town. We also managed to figure out the public transportation system so that we can visit the fortified cities around Malta.
St. Julian's can accurately be described as the polar opposite of San Lawrenz. We went for a walk last night after dinner and felt like we were in Times Square during rush hour! Evidently, the area in which our hotel is located is also home to the most popular 'discoteques' in Malta. There were young hootchies everywhere! Even Randy was (supposedly) getting annoyed with them.
Today we are planning to work out in the health club here in the hotel and them possibly go to Valletta or Mdina. More to come later!!
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Last Day in Gozo
Not much going on today. We ended up canceling our trip to Ramla Bay. The tour guides didn't have much to say about it so we decided that it might be nicer to stay at the hotel and just hang out by the pool rather than be stuck for 4 hours on a beach where we can't get into the water.
Tonight, we had dinner in the Cabana restaurant by the pool. It was a warm evening and they had a singer who was accompanied by a guitar player for the entertainment. He was really good and covered songs by Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Dave Mathews, Snow Patrol, The Beatles, etc. We ended up ordering a bottle of wine after dinner and just listening to him play. He was really good.
Tonight is our last night in Gozo. Tomorrow, we are taking a taxi to the ancient ruins of Ggantija and then moving to the Hilton in St. Julian's on Malta. I chose San Lawrenz and St. Julian's as our two destinations because they are in sharp contrast with each other. St. Julian's is supposed to be as lively and bustling as San Lawrenz is slow and relaxing. We are still hoping to be able to take a day trip to Sicily while there.
Overall, we would highly recommend Gozo to anyone who is looking to relax and unwind. It is a beautiful island and the Kempinski Hotel is very nice. The breakfast buffets are included in the cost and are to die for! The hotel staff is very friendly and helpful and the rooms are very clean and quiet (except for the occasional naked German lady on the adjoining deck who is clammering to get back into her room).
Tonight, we had dinner in the Cabana restaurant by the pool. It was a warm evening and they had a singer who was accompanied by a guitar player for the entertainment. He was really good and covered songs by Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton, Dave Mathews, Snow Patrol, The Beatles, etc. We ended up ordering a bottle of wine after dinner and just listening to him play. He was really good.
Tonight is our last night in Gozo. Tomorrow, we are taking a taxi to the ancient ruins of Ggantija and then moving to the Hilton in St. Julian's on Malta. I chose San Lawrenz and St. Julian's as our two destinations because they are in sharp contrast with each other. St. Julian's is supposed to be as lively and bustling as San Lawrenz is slow and relaxing. We are still hoping to be able to take a day trip to Sicily while there.
Overall, we would highly recommend Gozo to anyone who is looking to relax and unwind. It is a beautiful island and the Kempinski Hotel is very nice. The breakfast buffets are included in the cost and are to die for! The hotel staff is very friendly and helpful and the rooms are very clean and quiet (except for the occasional naked German lady on the adjoining deck who is clammering to get back into her room).
Monday, August 6, 2007
Marsalforn Excursion
Our plans to go to the ancient ruins fell through today, but we were able to hop onto the hotel's free bus to the coastal town of Marsalforn. As we jumped into the bus, I looked at the driver and asked how we would get back. He grinned a little and said, "Relax! I will come back to get you around 6. You should not worry so much!" I then retorted, "6 today or tomorrow?" He laughed and responded, "Today! I promise!"
On the way to Marsalforn, I noticed a hill with a giant sculpture of Jesus with outstretched arms on the top. I asked the driver what it was and he responded, "It's Jesus!" as if he was really saying, "You idiot!" I rolled my eyes and said, "I know that! But is it a shrine or a place of worship or something?" He didn't seem to understand what I was asking and mumbled something in Maltese that I couldn't understand. Finally, I said it looked like the statue in Rio de Janeiro and he said, "Exactly!" I have a photo of it, but I don't think it will show up well.
Once in Marsalforn, we were able to walk along the waters of the Mediterranean. The beach was extremely rocky but had quite a few people enjoying it. The path along the water was lined with apartments, shops, restaurants, and bars.
One of the funniest moments occurred as we watched a little boy about Logan's age running from his mom. They were obviously having a disagreement about whether it was time to leave or not. He was still wearing his water wings as he ran away. She had gathered up her belongings and was running after him with a plastic grocery bag of clothes and/or towels in her hand. He was a little too quick for her as she chased him, so, in a desperate attempt to slow him down, she hurled the bag of clothes at him. Although it hit him in the head, he didn't miss a step and just kept going. We saw the little boy still swimming in the water about two hours later, so he obviously won that battle even though he took a direct hit!!
We settled in for lunch at a place located on a cliff overlooking some salt flats called "Otter's." As we sat there, suddenly there appeared a fairly large group of perfectly tanned boys ranging in age from about 10 to 17. They were all wearing white polo shirts embroidered with McDonald's symbols and navy blue shorts. They posed for a team photo before pulling out some yellow balls that were slightly smaller than a soccer ball and started kicking them around. As we got up to leave, we realized that they were all a part of a water polo team that played right there in the harbor! They even had to fish out the jelly fish before starting the match! The fans sat on the rocks that formed the slope down to the water. A formal scorekeeper's table had been set up and the two teams waited on their respective rocky outcroppings while cheering on those playing in the water.
Overall, it was another gorgeous day. Tomorrow we are planning to go to a beach that is rumored to be one of only 20 in the world that has red sand.
On the way to Marsalforn, I noticed a hill with a giant sculpture of Jesus with outstretched arms on the top. I asked the driver what it was and he responded, "It's Jesus!" as if he was really saying, "You idiot!" I rolled my eyes and said, "I know that! But is it a shrine or a place of worship or something?" He didn't seem to understand what I was asking and mumbled something in Maltese that I couldn't understand. Finally, I said it looked like the statue in Rio de Janeiro and he said, "Exactly!" I have a photo of it, but I don't think it will show up well.
Once in Marsalforn, we were able to walk along the waters of the Mediterranean. The beach was extremely rocky but had quite a few people enjoying it. The path along the water was lined with apartments, shops, restaurants, and bars.
One of the funniest moments occurred as we watched a little boy about Logan's age running from his mom. They were obviously having a disagreement about whether it was time to leave or not. He was still wearing his water wings as he ran away. She had gathered up her belongings and was running after him with a plastic grocery bag of clothes and/or towels in her hand. He was a little too quick for her as she chased him, so, in a desperate attempt to slow him down, she hurled the bag of clothes at him. Although it hit him in the head, he didn't miss a step and just kept going. We saw the little boy still swimming in the water about two hours later, so he obviously won that battle even though he took a direct hit!!
We settled in for lunch at a place located on a cliff overlooking some salt flats called "Otter's." As we sat there, suddenly there appeared a fairly large group of perfectly tanned boys ranging in age from about 10 to 17. They were all wearing white polo shirts embroidered with McDonald's symbols and navy blue shorts. They posed for a team photo before pulling out some yellow balls that were slightly smaller than a soccer ball and started kicking them around. As we got up to leave, we realized that they were all a part of a water polo team that played right there in the harbor! They even had to fish out the jelly fish before starting the match! The fans sat on the rocks that formed the slope down to the water. A formal scorekeeper's table had been set up and the two teams waited on their respective rocky outcroppings while cheering on those playing in the water.
Overall, it was another gorgeous day. Tomorrow we are planning to go to a beach that is rumored to be one of only 20 in the world that has red sand.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
no modesty here, please!
Today we explored the hotel more and made appointments at the spa. The spa here specializes in Ayurveda techniques, which were developed in India to heal the body. Randy and I both signed up for a lymphatic massage. I have had a lymphatic massage and thought this would be a good course of action considering what I have put my body through the past three years. From what I understand, the lymph system is how our body clears itself of toxins. If the lymph system is sluggish, however, the toxins just sit there. The lymphatic massage is designed to get the lymph system moving. I have had it described to me as analogous to a top. Once the top starts spinning, then it will continue spinning as long as you continue to give it some momentum. The lymphatic massage starts the top spinning. As I made the appointment, I had an image in my mind of my therapist literally flushing away three years of Skittles, Mountain Dew, and beer!
So, we show up for our massage appointments dressed in our bathing suits covered by our hotel robes (as instructed when we made the appointment). We were each escorted to separate rooms with separate therapists (a woman for me and a man for Randy). Up to that point, everything seemed pretty typical of all spas to which I have ever been.
Once inside the room, things changed a bit. My therapist was very sweet and obviously of Indian descent. She took me to an area of the room in which there was a shower and told me to strip. I just stood there for a moment a little dumbfounded in my vain attempt to understand what she really wanted me to do. After a moment, she looked me in the eye and literally ordered me to strip down - in front of her. I thought, "All righty, then. I can do this." She stood there while I stripped down and then proceeded to help me into a crude "loin cloth" that consisted of a string tied around my waist and a six inch wide piece of cotton cloth that covered my lower extremities and wrapped around the front and back of the string. Then I was promptly ushered to the massage table. No nice white cotton sheet to cover me up....nothing.
As I laid there on the table, I was thinking about an article I read once about European modesty. Evidently, North America inhabitants are uniquely modest. This fact was punctuated this afternoon when Randy stepped out onto our deck to read. As he did, he realized that the 60 year old overweight German lady staying in the room next door had been enjoying the afternoon sun in the nude. I am posting some pictures of the hotel. As you will see, there really is no privacy on the decks.... Randy has indicated that it will take a long time to get that image out of his head. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of that because according to Randy, she scrambled back into her room "like her ass was on fire," upon realizing that she was no longer alone.
Tomorrow, we are scheduled to visit the ancient ruins here on Gozo! I should have lots of photos to post!
So, we show up for our massage appointments dressed in our bathing suits covered by our hotel robes (as instructed when we made the appointment). We were each escorted to separate rooms with separate therapists (a woman for me and a man for Randy). Up to that point, everything seemed pretty typical of all spas to which I have ever been.
Once inside the room, things changed a bit. My therapist was very sweet and obviously of Indian descent. She took me to an area of the room in which there was a shower and told me to strip. I just stood there for a moment a little dumbfounded in my vain attempt to understand what she really wanted me to do. After a moment, she looked me in the eye and literally ordered me to strip down - in front of her. I thought, "All righty, then. I can do this." She stood there while I stripped down and then proceeded to help me into a crude "loin cloth" that consisted of a string tied around my waist and a six inch wide piece of cotton cloth that covered my lower extremities and wrapped around the front and back of the string. Then I was promptly ushered to the massage table. No nice white cotton sheet to cover me up....nothing.
As I laid there on the table, I was thinking about an article I read once about European modesty. Evidently, North America inhabitants are uniquely modest. This fact was punctuated this afternoon when Randy stepped out onto our deck to read. As he did, he realized that the 60 year old overweight German lady staying in the room next door had been enjoying the afternoon sun in the nude. I am posting some pictures of the hotel. As you will see, there really is no privacy on the decks.... Randy has indicated that it will take a long time to get that image out of his head. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of that because according to Randy, she scrambled back into her room "like her ass was on fire," upon realizing that she was no longer alone.
Tomorrow, we are scheduled to visit the ancient ruins here on Gozo! I should have lots of photos to post!
Saturday, August 4, 2007
A Beautiful Day
Today we woke up late, took a walk to the small town of San Lawrenz, and laid by the pool. It was a gorgeous day - about 85 degrees but with a nice breeze. We went to some local shops where the local crafts are sold. I got totally suckered in by a sweet old lady selling her locally hand made lace.
San Lawrenz's claim to fame is through the fact that novelist Nicholas Monsarrat (1910-1979) lived and worked there for four years in the early '70's. His love for the Maltese Islands is reflected in his novel The Kappillan of Malta, which grew out of his experiences here.
Tonight, the hotel had a BBQ buffet for dinner in the "ritzy" restaurant that consisted of swordfish, chicken, and rib eye steak. I must admit that it was a bit confusing to the brain to be sitting on a tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean while eating BBQ and listening to Italian opera.
Oddly enough, and worth noting, we have not run into any other Americans yet. There are lots of Germans and English, however.
I am posting a few pictures that we took yesterday while on the ferry from Malta to Gozo. The most interesting part of that trip was a group of several men who were attempting to fish from the side of the ferry using a roll of fishing line and some potato chips. We were standing above them and watching the fish go crazy as they threw the chips into the water. I don't believe I have ever seen that on one of our ferries in Seattle!!
San Lawrenz's claim to fame is through the fact that novelist Nicholas Monsarrat (1910-1979) lived and worked there for four years in the early '70's. His love for the Maltese Islands is reflected in his novel The Kappillan of Malta, which grew out of his experiences here.
Tonight, the hotel had a BBQ buffet for dinner in the "ritzy" restaurant that consisted of swordfish, chicken, and rib eye steak. I must admit that it was a bit confusing to the brain to be sitting on a tiny island in the middle of the Mediterranean while eating BBQ and listening to Italian opera.
Oddly enough, and worth noting, we have not run into any other Americans yet. There are lots of Germans and English, however.
I am posting a few pictures that we took yesterday while on the ferry from Malta to Gozo. The most interesting part of that trip was a group of several men who were attempting to fish from the side of the ferry using a roll of fishing line and some potato chips. We were standing above them and watching the fish go crazy as they threw the chips into the water. I don't believe I have ever seen that on one of our ferries in Seattle!!
Friday, August 3, 2007
A Long 24 Hours!
We finally made it into our hotel room 24 hours after we walked through the doors of SeaTac Airport. Our flight from Seattle to Amsterdam was relatively easy considering it was approximately 9 hours. We had a 5 hour layover in Amsterdam, though. That was no fun at all because they will not let you into the gate area without going through security again (there is an individual screening setup for each individual gate!) and they don't open the screening area until about an hour before the flight is scheduled to leave. Once they do open the gates, it is like a cattle call and everyone who has been waiting out in the terminal rushes forward.
The one thing we learned today is that no matter how many no smoking signs are posted or how many announcements are made, Europeans smoke where they damn well please (with the exception of the airplane)....
We are going to rest now and then relax by the pool tomorrow. I'll post more then.
The one thing we learned today is that no matter how many no smoking signs are posted or how many announcements are made, Europeans smoke where they damn well please (with the exception of the airplane)....
We are going to rest now and then relax by the pool tomorrow. I'll post more then.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Where the hell is Malta?
"Malta - that tiny rock of history and romance." Winston Churchill, WWII, 1948.
We leave for Malta tomorrow! The first question we get asked is, "Where the heck is Malta?" Don't feel stupid, we had no idea where the heck it was either until we happened upon it in our search for the perfect place to spend two weeks alone together after more than three years of interruption in our lives. We wanted to visit Europe, but just couldn't narrow it down to a manageable vacation because there were too many places we wanted to see. We thought about just finding a place with a beach on which we could lay for two weeks, but then faced the reality that we are just not the type of people to lay on a beach for two weeks. We finally stumbled upon this group of tiny islands in our research.
The Maltese Islands lie in the center of the Mediterranean, about 93km south of Sicily and 300km north of Libya. The archipelago is made up of the islands of Malta, Gozo, and Comino, plus the tiny uninhabited islets of Cominotto in the north and Filfla, about 5km off the southern coast. Together ,the islands make up a mere 316sq km. Malta, the largest of them, is only 27km at its longest point from northwest to southeast, and 14.5km at its widest point, from east to west.
Malta was first inhabited around 5000 BC. There are ruins that predate the Egyptian pyramids by 1,000 years. The islands have been ruled by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Italians, French, Aragonese, Spanish, and most recently, the British. St. Paul was shipwrecked on the islands in 60 AD and brought Christianity. St. John established the Maltese Cross, which represents the eight Beatitudes. Today, most people are Roman Catholic, however, the Arab influence is evident in the fact that they believe that Jesus's father is Allah.
In WWI, Malta was 'the Nurse of the Mediterranean', providing 25,000 beds for the wounded. 1942 marked what the Maltese refer to as the Second Great Siege (the first occured in 1565) when over 6,000 tons of bombs were dropped in April of that year alone. In August, the German and Italian air forces suffered heavy losses over Malta, and in October, they conceded defeat.
We are spending our first week on the island of Gozo. From what we have read, Gozo offers a soothing respite from the crowded resorts and manic drivers of Malta. Although it is one-third the size of Malta, and has less than one-tenth of the population - only about 30,000, it is filled with many treasures. We are staying in the Kempinski Hotel in San Lawrenz (http://www.kempinski-gozo.com) and plan to use this week to just unwind and relax after the bar exam (for Diane) and a construction project from hell (Randy). We are spending our second week in the much livelier port of St. Julian's. We are staying at the Hilton (http://www.hiltonworldresorts.com/Resorts/Malta/index.html) and look forward to exploring Valetta and St. Julien's.
Supposedly, we are going to have internet access in both hotels, so we will attempt to update this blog on a regular basis. Check back over the course of the next two weeks for updates and pictures.
We leave for Malta tomorrow! The first question we get asked is, "Where the heck is Malta?" Don't feel stupid, we had no idea where the heck it was either until we happened upon it in our search for the perfect place to spend two weeks alone together after more than three years of interruption in our lives. We wanted to visit Europe, but just couldn't narrow it down to a manageable vacation because there were too many places we wanted to see. We thought about just finding a place with a beach on which we could lay for two weeks, but then faced the reality that we are just not the type of people to lay on a beach for two weeks. We finally stumbled upon this group of tiny islands in our research.
The Maltese Islands lie in the center of the Mediterranean, about 93km south of Sicily and 300km north of Libya. The archipelago is made up of the islands of Malta, Gozo, and Comino, plus the tiny uninhabited islets of Cominotto in the north and Filfla, about 5km off the southern coast. Together ,the islands make up a mere 316sq km. Malta, the largest of them, is only 27km at its longest point from northwest to southeast, and 14.5km at its widest point, from east to west.
Malta was first inhabited around 5000 BC. There are ruins that predate the Egyptian pyramids by 1,000 years. The islands have been ruled by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Italians, French, Aragonese, Spanish, and most recently, the British. St. Paul was shipwrecked on the islands in 60 AD and brought Christianity. St. John established the Maltese Cross, which represents the eight Beatitudes. Today, most people are Roman Catholic, however, the Arab influence is evident in the fact that they believe that Jesus's father is Allah.
In WWI, Malta was 'the Nurse of the Mediterranean', providing 25,000 beds for the wounded. 1942 marked what the Maltese refer to as the Second Great Siege (the first occured in 1565) when over 6,000 tons of bombs were dropped in April of that year alone. In August, the German and Italian air forces suffered heavy losses over Malta, and in October, they conceded defeat.
We are spending our first week on the island of Gozo. From what we have read, Gozo offers a soothing respite from the crowded resorts and manic drivers of Malta. Although it is one-third the size of Malta, and has less than one-tenth of the population - only about 30,000, it is filled with many treasures. We are staying in the Kempinski Hotel in San Lawrenz (http://www.kempinski-gozo.com) and plan to use this week to just unwind and relax after the bar exam (for Diane) and a construction project from hell (Randy). We are spending our second week in the much livelier port of St. Julian's. We are staying at the Hilton (http://www.hiltonworldresorts.com/Resorts/Malta/index.html) and look forward to exploring Valetta and St. Julien's.
Supposedly, we are going to have internet access in both hotels, so we will attempt to update this blog on a regular basis. Check back over the course of the next two weeks for updates and pictures.
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