Linda is a year older than last year, but of course I am not
allowed to mention her age. However, as usual she did not want to celebrate in the UK, so I had been
tasked with finding a location. It was a difficult task, first identifying somewhere we haven͛t been
within flying distance for a weekend and then arranging it. I had to of course first visit alone to
check out the location was suitable.
So on Wednesday we left home and went to Gatwick airport as
we were staying overnight at the Hilton, prior to our early morning flight. We had to check
in around 6am and we were on time, so then it was through fast track security and to the lounge,
bacon rolls and coffee all round.
Our flight to Malta was on time, it took just over 3 hours
to get there. We were through passport control very quickly, (probably take longer post Brexit if
we are even allowed to go there) and then collect our bags and out into the warm sunshine! We had a
transfer to our room, it was now around 1pm (Malta is an hour ahead of UK) and we were able to check
in. As usual I had managed to get a good deal and we had a junior suite. Linda was very
impressed with this, it had a large bed, although without Mara in the middle, any bed is large and a separate
sitting area. There was a small balcony.
We unpacked and then decided to go for a walk and see the
town of Sliema. We had a
We walked for a couple of miles and then found another
coffee shop, Busybee, which was very apt after Graham’s sermon on Sunday about busyness and bees. We
stopped for a coffee and as there was no terrace had to sit inside. After, enjoying our break
we had to walk all the way back to the
hotel. We stopped at the supermarket on route to get a few
necessities like water and fruit.
After relaxing and sorting out our final bits we went for
another walk along the seafront and around the shops. We walked over 12 miles on our first day – the
target has been set.
Friday was Linda͛s birthday so she got to chose what we were
going to do, but then decided to leave it to me – so we went walking! It was a public holiday in Malta
to celebrate the immaculate conception and the Catholic Churches were open. It
was quite busy. We walked down town to the boat terminal so we could get the
boat across to Valetta. Linda hadn’t
been on the boat before so she didn’t know about the big hill in Valetta when
we docked, and I didn’t tell her as I did not want to ruin the surprise!
It wasn’t just one hill, but several as the city is built on
a limestone ridge, and there is only one way from the bottom up. We finally reached the top of the hill
and then walked to the entrance to the city. From there we walked back down the main street to the
north end. We stopped at Caffe Cordina which had been there since 1837, the service was so
slow, I am sure some of the customers had been there just as long. We did try the Maltese delicacy
a ͚honey ring͛ which is a circle shaped pastry filled with marmalade, honey and spices – very nice.
We then walked down hill to the Fort and because we had walked down hill, we had to walk all the
way back up to the entrance again!
We then visited the Waterfront, which was at the bottom of
the harbour and we could see the ͚ three cities͛ and we had a walk around the harbour area
looking at the decorations. After this we had to walk up the hill, via the Victoria Gate and steps to
the top and we were back in the central part. It was quite hot so we decided to take the ferry back
to Sliema, after walking back down the hill to the other side.
Our next stop was French Affaire so Linda could have her
birthday cake, it was her choice. We then wandered back to the hotel and I was going for a run, I did
offer for Linda to come too, but her words were "I am not running up and down hills!” – so I went
out on my own and did a four mile run along the seafront to the next town San
Julien and back.
We went out for an evening meal, Linda chose the restaurant
and it was an Italian one so she could have pasta, I had a nice seafood risotto. We then went for a
walk as Linda wanted to see where I had run during the afternoon, which meant a couple of miles
walk. However, on checking Google maps I found a short cut back of just 1K – so she was happy with
that. The streets are very quiet here, not many people out and about.
Saturday͛s weather was meant to be wet, but it never
materialised and was dry all day. We got the ferry into Valetta and walked up the hill to the bus
station. We then got on a bus to Mdina, the ancient capital of Malta, another walled city. It took about
half an hour on the bus and it was an interesting drive. We arrived at the city and had a walk
round, it was rather windy and so we had to put our gilets on! It was a small city and we walked all the
way around the ways, past St Paul͛s cathedral. It is thought that Publius (Roman Governor) was
resident here when Paul, unfortunately got shipwrecked here. We did keep our eyes out for any
snakes.
The name was originally Malet meaning ‘place of shelter’
from 1000BC but the Romans changed the name to Melita. In the 9th
century the Arabs changed the name to Mdina, the Arabic meaning for walled
city. The Knights of St John moved the capital to Valletta when they built
their city. They were a naval force and wanted to be near the sea. The
Cathedral was rebuilt in 1697 at the original was destroyed in an earthquake.
The two towers have a sculpture of a serpent and fire to represent Paul’s first
two incidents on arrival in Malta.
We found a nice coffee shop, which had an outside balcony
and so we could sit and admire the views. We then walked to Rabat to have a look at the
Christmas markets. We took the long way round, which included a nice hill for Linda and then
arrived, however the markets are only open during the evening so we just looked at empty stalls, even
Linda didn’t manage to buy anything. We stopped for another coffee and I had a traditional coffee,
which is coffee with spices and was very nice. We then walked back to the main walled area to catch a
bus back to Valetta.
We got off the bus just outside Valetta so we could look at
the shops and then I saw we could walk back to Sliema through the back streets, only a couple of
miles! The shops were good, but we didn’t buy anything and so wandered slowly back, up and down the
streets till we reached the harbour area. It was then a slow walk back to our hotel and a rest.
In the evening we popped out for a meal and a small walk,
needed to make sure we hit out 12 miles, which we did. There were people out running and their form
was terrible, I kept saying to Linda see those arms not moving terrible…. Linda
watched La La Land which was a load of rubbish, not sure how it won all those Oscars,
I fell asleep I was so bored!
On Sunday we were going to go on a boat trip, but it was
slightly windy and so to avoid any shipwreck scenes we took the bus, We got the
bus into Valetta and then to Marsaxlokk, a fishing village in the South. There
was a market there which we had a look around. It was a fish market where you
could buy fresh fish and watch them cut the heads of and descaled them –
interesting. There was also clothes and different types of food. We managed to
buy some bees wax which you can use on your face for €3 a definite improvement
from €300, I was so generous to Linda I bought her two jars. Hopefully it will
be a good investment. The weather was warm, so we we walked around in our
t-shirts laughing at the Essex snowy
scenes on Facebook. It was if the world has ended, we wondered if there would
be any Essex to come back to. There was a Costa in the village so we had a
coffee while waiting for the bus. A bus came, it had no sign to say where it
was going, but people were getting on it so Linda did and rushed to the back
because she wanted a seat, but we didn’t know where it was going. I just had to
buy a ticket and hope it was going in the right direction – fortunately it was.
It did the long route back to Valetta and was crowded so you
couldn’t see much. Back in Valetta I found some more hills to walk down and if
you go down, then of course you have to go …… however, not quite yet.
We got the ferry across to the Three Cities and had a look around there,
there were fascinating old buildings with hundreds of modern yachts moored in
front of them. It was very scenic but also looked crowded #noroom. We then caught
the ferry back and guess what yes we had to walk up some more hills and steps.
We then decided to walk back to Valetta for the exercise, we
were slightly down on our miles. It was only about 3 miles back and we made it.
We finally got back to the hotel around 7pm, we had been out for over 10 hours.
Unfortunately we were both just under the 12 miles so I did some intervals
sprints in the hotel room to get it over
12 miles and succeeded. Linda did the same.
We had to pack our bags, and on Monday we left at 9am for
our trip back to the airport and England…snowy weather here we come.
Over four days Linda did 101689 steps and walked 46.91 miles, I did
102437 steps and covered 54.35 miles.