Already past mid-October... So much has happened in my life lately, since our 7 week long May/June holiday in Portugal; my return to Portugal 6 weeks later, mid-August due to my Dad's stroke and subsequent death; the preparation for our upcoming trip to South Africa at the beginning of November to attend my nephew's wedding; some socialising with friends and family, etc, etc... that has not left me much time to write about the end of our trip to Portugal.
Sorry, it's a long and photo heavy post :)
You can read here PART I of our trip in May/June.
Linking to Tom's SIGNS. Please check his blog for other signs from around the world.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Shortly after our arrival in Portugal I mentioned to my parents that we were keen on going to Malta for a few days. Despite my Dad lately not being interested in going anywhere far from home, he showed a lot of interest. Apparently a few years ago he had seen some documentary about Malta and felt he would like to visit, but did nothing about it.
I talked to my sister and brother in law and we thought that although my parents were 93 and 88 they were in good health and independent, the flight was only 3 hours long, and even though they might not be able to walk as much as we could, they could always just do less, walk less...
I wanted to give Dad a nice holiday to a place he had wanted to see, even though I thought this would probably be the last time he would fly. Sadly I was right and he died exactly 2 months after his return from Malta 😢.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Thursday 11th June - Jose and I, my sister and brother in law and my parents flew to Malta, departing at 17;45 and arriving in Valletta at 21;50.
At the airport we arranged an uber van to take us to our Airbnb in Sliema, a residential suburb on the coast just across from Valetta.
It was a nice 2nd floor apartment with 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, modern, reasonably well furnished. The kitchen basically didn't have much in the way of cooking utensils if we had wished to cook at home, it didn't even have enough plates for the 6 of us, even though it had been hired for 6 people!
We never managed to get the TV to function either and all their electrical European appliances required UK plug adaptors and the only adaptor we had was one we had bought at the airport to charge our mobile phones - so 1 plug to use for the kettle, then change it to the toaster, then to the TV... plus we wouldn't be able to charge our phones if being used. Our bathroom had no hooks or rails to put our towels...
 |
| The lounge/kitchen, our bedroom and en-suite |
The next morning my sister contacted the apartment manager who said it wasn't their fault that plug adaptors kept on being stolen, and that we wouldn't need the TV either as programs were only in Maltese!! Complete bollocks as English is also a language spoken and taught in Malta, lots of TV programs are in English and the largest source of tourists come from England!
My sister replied that she would put a review accordingly and half an hour later 3 plugs were delivered, but we never got instructions on how the TV functioned. We were unable to connect our Netflix either...
Friday 12th June - the apartment was located just two blocks from a bus stop and the jetty from where the ferries departed to Gozo, Blue Lagoon and even to Sicily.
We took a bus into Valletta (€2 each) and about 15 minutes later we alighted in the city.
 |
| Tritton's Fountain, outside the City Gate |
Everyone was rushing to the top terrace of the Upper Barrack Gardens to get a spot for the midday firing of the cannons. (free admission, at 12pm and 4pm Monday to Saturday). For €3 you can enter the battery platform for a closer look at the cannons and museum. The place was packed already, and only Jose and my brother in law managed to snake in and see the cannons! The rest of us just sat somewhere to the side.
It was over quickly and then we joined the throng of people while clutching our bags, and eventually we were out of the Barrack Gardens.
 |
| View of the cannons |
 |
| Our view from the side of the building |
We walked around looking inside churches and other buildings.
Church of our Lady of Victory - the first church built in Valletta in 1566, by the French nobleman, Grand Master Jean Parisot de Valette following the Siege of Malta.
 |
| Sculptures in Valletta's city centre |
Auberge de Castille et Portugal - built between 1741-1744 in the Baroque style by a Portuguese nobleman, the 68th Grand Master of the Order of St. John, Manuel Pinto da Fonseca (1681-1773), designed to be an imposing structure and now considered the finest building in Malta.
After Malta became a Republic, in December 1974, the Prime Minister's office was moved to this building. It was restored between 2009 and 2014.
The doorway is flanked by columns which support the coat of arms and bronze bust of the Grand Master Manuel, and in front of the entrance are two canons now used for decoration.
Manuel also built 19 storehouses (Pinto stores) and a church at the Marina, now a hub for cruise liners and a venue with retail outlets, restaurants and bars.
Due to aerial bombardment during WWII, the area was restored, but just the facades of the stores remain. The doors with the different colours symbolise the different types of goods stored in them - yellow for wheat, red for wine, blue for fish and green for agricultural products.
Pinto also built the first printing press in Malta at the Magistral Palace of the Grand Master in 1756 and the former town of Qormi was granted the status of city as "Città Pinto".
His reign as the 66th Grand Master of the Order of St John from 1722 until his death in 1736 left a large legacy across the Maltese islands, but he also incurred large debts for the treasury of the Order, leading to bankruptcy!
Nearby, the Manoel Theatre - built between 1731-32 by another Portuguese Grand Master - Antonio Manuel de Vilhena, remains one of the oldest working theatres in Europe.
 |
| Manoel Theatre |
 |
After some walking around in the heat it was time to stop for lunch at "Anglo Maltese" restaurant. Although Malta has some typical dishes like Rabbit Stew or Bragioli, their cuisine is shaped by their history as the Kingdom of Sicily during the Middle Ages, then British influence from 1800 until independence in 1964. But I found that in all the restaurants we ate the Italian style of food was very much present with pastas and pizzas served everywhere.
 |
| Prawns with Pasta, Fish with salad and Lasagna |
Malta's buildings are mostly built with their local pale limestone, with the only burst of colour coming from the enclosed wooden balconies (gallariji) painted in blue, green, red or yellow and the front doors and window shutters in matching or contrasting tones.
 |
| Old Mint Street - leading to the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel |
After dinner we got on a bus to the next town - St.Julian's, for a nightcap.
Once a sleepy fishing village, now the entertainment hub of the island, with restaurants, pub and busy nightlife.
 |
| A stall selling local sweets - "kannoli" filled with ricotta cheese and nuts |
 |
| The family behind the Love sign |
 |
| Spinola Bay - World Cup Fan Zone |
 |
| An Australian restaurant by the bay in St Julian's |
We walked around the bay then sat down for a drink, and ordered a pizza to share.
Near the tables one angry duck quaked and quaked, later I noticed the Mother duck with 3 little ones. Near the water a lovely statue of a fisherman giving a cat a fish.
Saturday 13th - We started the day with a 1 hour boat tour of Valletta and the Three Cities. Interesting to see the city from the sea, but after a while it was all starting to look the same.
We first went past Fort Manoel (built by the Portuguese Grand Master, Antonio Manuel de Vilhena), a star shaped fort built in 1723, located in Manoel Island just across from Sliema, with Valetta on the other side.
 |
| Fort Manoel |
 |
| Fort St Angelo, near Birgu |
 |
| Defensive bastions in the Grand Harbour |
On our return to Sliema we had lunch at Takris, a Maltese Bistro - bread with dips, Octopus salad and Bragioli (slow cooked beef in red wine).
After lunch we caught two buses (about 45 min) to Birgu, also known as Vittoriosa, an historic fortified city across the harbour from Valletta, one of the Three Cities. It was a beautiful area, very quiet, narrow cobbled streets, churches, a fort...
 |
| (clockwise from top left) Victory Square with statue of St Lawrence, Freedom Monument (by the flag), traditional houses, Annunciation Church, boats in the marina, Birgu Fort |
It had become quite hot and we retreated into a Cafe to have some ice-creams. My Dad was complaining of the heat and wanted to go back to the Airbnb, so my sister and brother in law ordered an uber and left with my parents.
Jose and I walked around a bit more through the narrow alleys, admiring the well maintained buildings and clean streets.
 |
| Clockwise from top left - 13th century Gothic window at Norman House (North street), narrow cobbled alleys, the War Museum of Malta |
Back to the seaside and for €3 per person we crossed to Lascaris Wharf in Valletta in a traditional boat (dgħajsa) - as it would be quicker to get a bus back from there.
We spotted a tiny Cafe/Restaurant - The Harbour Club - with a lovely outdoor esplanade, and we sat there having a drink. Eventually Jose decided we should take an Uber rather than taking a bus.
We had a quiet evening at home as everybody was tired from lots of walking and the heat.
 |
| Sign board re boat transfer |
 |
| The marina at Birgu, the Laskaris Wharf at Valletta, the little ferry boat departing to Birgu |
Sunday 14th - We took an early Fast Ferry to the island of Gozo, taking around 75 minutes (including a 15 min stop in Buġibba. It cost €8,50, but on the way back we discovered seniors only pay half.
 |
| Fast Ferry to Gozo, views from Mgarr Harbour to Church and Fort |
On arrival at Mgarr Harbour in the capital of Victoria, we were accosted by lots of people selling tickets for the various Hop-on/Hop-off buses. We got a ticket for €150 for the 6 and the bus took off shortly.
Our first stop was at Ramla Bay - a 10 minute walk to the beach.From what I had read in the "Visit Gozo" website, it describes it as Malta's finest beach!
"Ramla Bay is widely considered Gozo’s, and arguably Malta’s, finest beach. Known locally as "Ramla il-Ħamra" – the Red Sandy Beach – this expansive stretch of red sand offers a stunning and unique coastal experience."
Well...did we get a surprise! A beach full of stones in the sand and the sea, warmer waters than in Australia for sure, but highly disappointing. We hired 2 chairs and an umbrella for €14, so my parents could stay in the shade. We only wanted to be there for 1 hour maybe, but we didn't manage to negotiate a better price. When we left we offered the chairs to a family sitting behind us.
Our next stop was The Cittadella (or Castello), is the ancient fortified city on top of the hill which was inhibited since the Bronze Ages. Entry to the area is free, except the Museums.
On the Cittadella's main square (Cathedral Square) we have the Cathedral of the Assumption, which was built between 1697 and 1711, on the site of another church. To the right side of the church are the Law Courts, still serving as the judicial building since the times of the Knights of St John, on the left is the Bishop's Palace, which serves as the administrative seat for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo.
On the right side of the stairs stands a bronze statue to Pope John Paul II, by local artist Alfred Cauchim erected in 2006, commemorating the anniversary of the Pope's historic visit to Gozo on the 26 May 1990.
From the ramparts of the fort you get a 360 degree view of the island of Gozo.
From the fort we stopped for coffee and snacks at one of the open-air eateries at Pjazza I-Indipendenza, from where we walked to the next hop-on/hop-off stop.
Another notable stop in our bus route was the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta'Pinu, also known as just Ta'Pinu, which was inaugurated in 1920. It's located on a hill near the village of Gharb.
We had another stop or two of not much interest and decided to take the next hop-on/hop-off bus back to the harbour to catch a ferry back to Valletta.
 |
| The Point shopping centre - across from our Airbnb, with a very handy supermarket |
 |
| Sun setting, photo taken from the steps from the street leading to the shopping centre |
 |
| To the right of the steps Valletta city centre could be seen |
 |
| Sliema's local church - Parish Church of Jesus of Nazareth |
We had a nice dinner was at "Opa" Mediterranean Restaurant.
 |
| Chicken gyros with chips, Meatballs, Tiramisu in a cup |
Monday 15th - It was very hot and my parents opted to stay home. The rest of us took a bus to St. Julian's, about 15 min away to go and enjoy a beautiful beach we had seen on our evening visit a few days before.
 |
| View of St Julian's Bay when we alighted from the bus |
The Balluta Bay beach looked paradisiacal, flanked by the Neo-Gothic Carmelite Parish Church. The tiny beach had lifeguards, sand instead of pebbles, was already packed, but had steps all the way to the street level where we could sit.
As we sat down on the steps my brother in law noticed that a pipe on either side of the beach spewing stuff onto the sea. He asked the lifeguards about it and they asked him where he came from - he said Portugal. So they replied "Well I wouldn't swim here if I had the Portuguese beaches! LOL
Well, we were out of that beach pretty fast! Funnily enough just 3 days later that beach was closed for swimming for a few days due to sewage overflow, making it the 17th beach closure since May!!
That beach as well as St.George's Bay, further down the coast of St. Julian's, consistently record the highest levels of E.coli and bacterial contamination! Gross!!
 |
| Balluta Bay with the Church across the street |
The lifeguards had suggested the paid pool next to the beach and that is where we
headed. It was clean, not too busy, water was great.
I had arranged to meet up with João, a Portuguese friend of ours who we first met in Perth and who had a few years ago moved to Malta. He's now married with kids!
After our swim we headed to a restaurant across the street and that is where we met our friend. We later walked along the promenade and stopped at a bar for a drink and his wife and 2 kids came to meet us.
 |
| View of the bay from the pool |
 |
| Pasta and more pasta! A Pina colada for me and meeting our friend and family |
After we said our goodbyes we walked home along the promenade. Dinner at home and an evening walk along the seafront before bed.
 |
| Seen along the promenade to Sliema |
Tuesday 16th - We took a bus to Rabat & Mdina, two closely connect historic towns in the center of the island. Rabat (Arabic word for suburb) is more of a residential suburb. The adjacent town of Mdina, also called the Silent city or Walled city was Malta's fortified former capital.
 |
| The walled city of Mdina and the domes of St Paul's Cathedral |
After alighting from the bus, we started with a visit to the Wignacourt Museum and Grotto in Rabat. (€5 for adults and €3.50 for students/seniors).
 |
| Wignacourt Museum |
The building , a former residence of the Chaplains of the Knights of St. John, inaugurated in 1749 by Grand Master Alof de Wignacourt (1601-1622).
We started underground with a visit to St Paul's Grotto, believed the be where in AD60 the Apostle St. Paul founded the first Christian community in Malta.
There's also a complex of WWII shelters with two main corridors and about fifty tiny rooms where circa 350 people could take refuge during air raids.
On the first floor is the exhibition space with the art gallery with works by Maltese and European artists, maps, coins, prints, books and Christian relics.
 |
| 2nd from right is the portrait of the Portuguese Grand Master Manuel Pinto da Fonseca |
Time to walk around the old town...
The Collegiate Church and Basilica of St. Paul located in the main town square (San Pawl Square), across from the Museum and atop St Paul's Grotto.
Ornate archway erected for traditional Maltese Summer feasts dedicated to St Paul or St Joseph.
 |
| Colourful balconies, windows and doors |
Time for lunch at Bottegin Palazzo Xara, an historical building in one of Rabat's
narrow streets, which had a big outdoor dining area. Food was again very much Italian style, our waitress was a lovely African lady who was funny and efficient.
After lunch we walked to Mdina, crossing one of the gates into the walled city.
 |
| The walled city and the Greek Gate |
 |
| Me standing at the Greek Gate (on the left) |
 |
| Quirky areas of Mdina |
|
Jose and I in front of a pretty house Palazzo Vilhena - also known as the Magisterial Palace, was the residence of the 66th Grand Master of the Order of St John in Mdina, from 1722-1736 - another influential Portuguese, Antonio Manuel de Vilhena (1663-1736). Built between 1726 and 1728 by French architect Charles Francois de Mondion and is one of Malta's finest achievements in Baroque architecture. During the 19th and 20th centuries it was used as an hospital - Connaught hospital. Has been opened to the public as the National Museum of Natural History since 1973.  |
 |
| Arch leading to Vilhena Palace's forecourt. The entrance door to the palace, in the niche, representation of St Paul, patron Saint of Malta |
Upon his election, Vilhena was instrumental in commissioning the French architect De Mondion to rebuild Mdina's fortifications and entry gate, damaged by the 1693 earthquake. The medieval municipal administrative council (Università), was demolished to give way for the Grand Master's Summer Palace.
He died in December 1736 and is buried inside St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta (which we didn't visit).
We caught an Uber van home, changed into our bathers and went down the road to the rock pools in Sliema. At night we had dinner at home.
Wednesday 17th - We took an early ferry to Bugibba, then a bus to Mellieha Beach in the north of the island.
At the beach we hired deck chairs, had a meal at the local beach restaurant - "Ventuno 21", then swam in the warm sea. The sandy beach appeared to be very popular, the water was very very shallow, only up to our knees :) but refreshing just sitting in the water.
 |
| Mellieha Beach |
 |
| My sister and I in the shallow water of Mellieha beach |
On our return by bus, a long 1 hour ride, we dropped our beach gear at home, had a shower, then went to a pub to watch Portugal-Congo (1-1) in the World Cup, where we had some snacks.
 |
| The crescent moon and Venus in the night sky over Malta |
Thursday 18th - Went for breakfast at a French cafe near the Airbnb where I had the worst Iced Chocolate ever! I don't drink coffee, so I either order tea or hot or iced chocolate depending on the weather.
This time the iced chocolate was most probably from a bottle of chocolate milk, then they added a few cubes of ice! And voila!!
Just before 11am we returned to the apartment to grab our bags and came down to wait for the Uber van we had ordered to take us to the airport.
Our flight was at 14,50h and we arrived back in Lisbon at 17,20h.
 |
| Flying over Lisbon - The Águas Livres Aqueduct, the Tagus River and the Monument to the Discoveries on the river |
Conclusions of our visit to Malta:
I found Malta to be very uniform, with the buildings all looking quite similar due to their cream colour. It can be pretty, but even my Dad kept on saying "I'm sure we've seen this" or "haven't we been here before?" as it all looked the same.
I loved Mdina and Rabat, they were worthy of a longer visit.
Beaches - I'm not much of a beach person, we have wonderful vast beaches in Perth that are almost empty, the waters are cold... but although I swam in Malta as the waters were warmer, the beaches weren't really worthy of a visit in my opinion, unless you don't have beaches in your country of course.
Weather - in June was already quite hot and humid, which was a bit of a struggle for my parents as we walked a lot every day.
Transport - was fabulous, frequent, easy to work out which bus went where, some routes were crowded, very, very cheap...you basically could travel for over 1h across the island and only pay €2! Even the ferry to Gozo at €8,50 for 75 minutes was a great price.
Construction - was a bit haphazard... don't know how they do it, but I saw many quite old narrow buildings where a couple of floors were being added on top in a different style altogether! The building were we stayed had 2 different types of construction...different colours, different balconies, unfinished balcony...
Comino - Malta's 3rd, tiny 3,5 square kilometre island with the famous Blue Lagoon. It was on my sister's wish list, but there were no direct ferries to Comino from Sliema, just booking an organized cruise lasting about 5 to 7,5 hours which included sightseeing around Malta's coast, Gozo and a few hours at the Blue Lagoon.
Recently the maximum number of people allowed at any of the 3 time slots (morning, afternoon or evening) in the island, had been cut down to 4000. You also need a mandatory visitor's pass which could be reserved via the Comino Visitor Portal
The infrastructure in the island is very basic, with minimal shade, limited toilet facilities, only seasonal food trucks... so we agreed that a visit wasn't worth it.
Waste collection - Comparing to other European countries, I think they were back in the 60's. They had 3 different bags for each type - general, recyclable and organics. We stayed 1 week and had instructions to leave bags in one of the balconies for the cleaning lady on our last day. During the week we were there we took the general rubbish out twice...but the other bags weren't full enough to be taken out on their due date.
Generally people living in apartments leave their bags outside the front door of the building, which I find unsanitary, they could have big bins where people would deposit their bags, and then these would be tipped over, weekly or so into the collecting vans. I just wonder when people go away on holidays for a month, days before they are due to put their thrash out, do they just leave in the apartment to rot for a month, as it's illegal to leave it out?
 |
| Bags outside the apartment building awaiting collection |
