Malta - Ireland

Maltese Impressions.

Sitting in the Airport on Malta. I'm starting this knowing that we will shortly be heading for our Ryan Air flight to Dublin and then a bus ride up to Derry to meet Paul's parents. Something we've been looking forward to for some time. At this point we are waiting for our gate to be announced and when it is, the stampede will begin as it does for these cheap flights. However, no fear. We have our seats selected and paid extra for the privilege as well as the ability to carry our luggae on. Our gate is posted and I have to run!

Ok. Through passport control because we have just left the Schengen Zone which Ireland and the UK are not part of and waiting at our gate. This was important as far as our fall walk goes because the less time I spend in the Zone the more time I'll have there in the Fall. All very confusing for many, but I've taken the time to understand so that I don't get a huge fine or blacklisted after the Camino For Alzheimer's Awareness. They are very strict about this and my efforts for an extension from the Spanish Consulate at home have been frustrating at best.

We decided to save €18 and take the bus to the airport using our passes one more time. We chose the longer bus ride, but we had time and it took us along back country roads that were quite beautiful and well away from the heavy traffic that is often Malta. In fact, I thought it was the best bus ride so far! No standing only crowds and we were able to sit together. Bonus! 

We have found beverages at the duty free to bring along for our hosts and I have chocolate digestive cookies to take on our budget flight to munch on while we watch a movie I downloaded from Netflix. After all, it's a 4 hour flight. We stopped at my favourite little cafe for sandwiches and have just had those here. So now called to our flight and all set to board. 

Ok, on board. We have had a very nice visit in Malta, in spite of Annemarie's setback. She is slowly recovering today and I noticed that as we walked to the bus that I was able to get out of impulse power for the first time when walking together since the injury. So that's an improvement! I have to report though that Annemarie is bruising up beautifully with an impressive array of colours:) From the back of her knee until her buttish area is a very multi coloured experience. Her elbow is now back into the correct shape with the swelling having passed and now we just need the scabs to heal. 

We travelled up and down and back and forth on this Island(s) and have a pretty good sense of thing. We visited a number of places that I haven't blogged about. Not that I didn't want to blog, but on this portion of the travel I didn't want to write every day. I'll be doing that in the fall. I thought I'd put in a few photos from those adventures and then move on to Ireland. By the way, this plane is full of Irish folks! Kind of fun if you ask me:) This is the sunset from our bus window on our way NW to Derry.

One of the places I didn't blog about earlier was Marsaxlokk and Marascala. Small resort towns, particularly the former with bus loads passing through. Very scenic and the blue water made it all the more appealing. Fish boats and small restaurants along the water front. Those sorts of places. As a matter of fact, we watched the last half of a stage of the Giro while enjoying those very things in Marascala. 

Then there was Rabat and Mdina where we spent the last two nights. Mdina dates back the Arab times and Rabat was its suburb, which is what the name translate to. A tourist town during the day and almost devoid of tourists at night. So perfect to wander around in the evenings and early morning before the buses arrive. We did both and enjoyed it very much. 

We had two excellent meals. The first night I stopped to chat with an elderly gent who was reclined on a bench. He jumped up, shook hands and told me to plan to eat just down the road at "the club" where we could expect excellent food and cheap wine. He gave us good advice! We sat beside the full sized pool table and watched the locals sit and visit through the evening. 

The building was constructed by the Maltese Royal family in the 1800's and there is a ball room and a secret garden well away from the street. 

Last night we ate in an Italian restaurant which we had almost to ourselves, hosted by a very nice fellow from Bologna. Erin visited there in 2009? and told me that it was well worth a visit, so it's on my list. Any way, the pasta was made from scratch as it is in Sicilia, and we enjoyed a lovely meal. He even opened a bottle of Trebbiano white wine and gave us a caraf. A few photos.

We've kicked our around our experiences here and I think that we're we to come again we'd plan to stay in two locations and bus out for day trips. It takes a long time to travel very short distances and the time could be better served with a few modifications. The walking here is quite good and we'd both like to have experienced more of it. 

This photo is for Caitlin, as I think your place would look like this if you lived here. Can you see the two birds?

These are the catacombs and underground city that was later built for the population to live in during WWII when there were literally thousands of bombing runs made agains Malta by the Axis powers. In before the tour groups and all alone. Very cool experience!





Just in to Dublin and having enjoyed our supper at the airport and our first Irish beer, we await our bus to Derry! Will publish some photos to support the above tomorrow as we will likely get into bed after 1am...whose idea was that?!