According to our original plans, we would have visited another country on another continent as a holiday, but as time passed, unfortunately, we had to realize that we didn’t have enough gold nuggets under the bed and the scratch cards hadn’t changed our life significantly either. Hence, we put the greatly admired Malta on top of our holiday destination list. I will tell you honestly, I didn’t know anything about Malta except for what we had heard about it from others, like –Oh, you’ll really like it! – and that was it. All right, I had heard about the Knights of Malta, too, but that was as far as my knowledge went, so I felt obliged to start digging into the blogs and travel books for information on Malta.

Geography

This tiny archipelago is the ninth smallest country in the world and it lies in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, 90 kms south of Sicily and roughly 250 kms from the Tunisian coast. There are three inhabited islands only, and the biggest one is obviously Malta. On this 316 square kms, more than four hundred thousand residents live, and more than a million tourists visit year by year. The next in the row is Gozo (Għawdex), which is a fourth of the main island. It lies north of its biggest brother, Malta, and its population is around thirty thousand. The next and last island is the inhabited Comino (Kemmuna). You can find this tiny piece of island halfway between Malta and Gozo. Its territory is 3,5 square kms and the number of permanent residents is four. However, there are two hotels on Comino for those who just want to relax. Besides those, three other elevations are worth mentioning, but I will shortly talk about Filfla only. There is a bird sanctuary, which was opened in 1980 to save the remaining bird population, which had been thinned by poachers. Thus, the island was closed because of the birds. Nevertheless, if I am not mistaken, you can still visit it, but you need a special permit to enter the island because it was used by English soldiers so there might be unexploded land mines as well.

The majority of Malta is covered by a limestone plateau without any mountains or rivers, with the highest point of Malta at 253 m. At the same time there are the high crags on the south side of the island, so you cannot really approach it from that side either. Most of the beaches are sandy (to the delight of the tourists) but there are some rocky ones, too. Summers are hot, and winters are mild, with little rain, and hot and dry air from the Sahara. In short, I can describe the climate of Malta as Mediterranean.

History

Since everything was given here for civilisation to develop, except for drinking water or natural water supplies, the ancient people of the island seized this opportunity. As we have learnt from history books, the first dwellers came here around 7000 years ago from Sicily. No doubt, there are a few temples made from stone and a few graves under the ground that were built around 3750 – 2000 BC. The most famous one lies in Traxien, where we can find the Ħal Saflieni’s hypogeum (hypogeum = cavity underground) which is a part of UNESCO’s world heritage. This cave is a mystery as well because there are more than twenty rooms on three levels.
We hadn’t known anything about this before embarking on our trip. Therefore, unfortunately, we had no chance to buy any tickets because they had been sold out two months in advance. If you want to see this specific cave you have to make sure you book your tickets well in advance

I cannot move on without mentioning the temple of Ggantija. The legend says this temple was built by a giant lady (the word means almost the same). This archaeological site is located in Gozo, and I am going to tell you about my experience later.

After the “stone builder” culture arrived with the Phoenicians around the 9th century BC, then the Carthaginians took over, and from that point on, Malta became a strategically important place. Let’s remember the first and then the second Punic Wars. Well, if you are not sure about them, here are some hints. The war of The Roman Republic with the Carthaginians affected Malta, too, but the very first time they just forayed. However, for the second time, we can talk about a total Roman influence which impacted the entire island. Later on, they supported most of the cities and boosted life on the island. During that time one of the most important things that happened was St. Paul’s shipwreck in 60 BC., and through his being there, the introduction of Christianity to the islanders. There are two theories regarding his life there. The first one says he used to live in a cave in Rabat city from where he spread the word. The other theory claims that he did live in a cave by choice, but because he was kept as a prisoner. Either way, it is a fact that there are more than 700 churches (dotted )around the islands and more than 96% of the population is Catholic. So much so that divorce has been allowed as recently as 2011.
After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5^th century, the Byzantines became the controlling power, and they were followed by the Moors, who reigned until Roger 1^st brought the island under Norman control in 1090. Then there was a short period of Spanish dominion, but finally, the German-Roman Emperor, Charles V., gifted the island to The Order of St John of Jerusalem. After the long independent period (during which they survived a couple of Turkish attacks as well,) Napoleon came and broke through the defence in 1798. He made a big mess and introduced new reforms as well that weren’t appreciated by everyone there. Then the British troops approached the island in 1800 and we can call it a British colony from 1814 to 1964, when Malta gained independence, but still recognized Queen Elizabeth. A decade later, Malta finally became a republic, and in 2004 joined the European Union.

Knights

As I thumbed through my guidebook, I found many clear-ish mentions about the knights and their past that hadn’t been that obvious to me, so I thought I’d write some details about these mysterious men.

So, this independent organization was originally founded as a Hospitaller order, supported by the Benedictines around 1070 in Jerusalem to help the pilgrims (other sources give a different date, though). Later, they broadened their “profile” (if I could say that) with military skills that remained with them after the First successful Crusade (1099). Moreover, that became their main activity from then on. But as the Muslims became stronger, the knights couldn’t stay any longer, so they needed refuge. They founded a new home first in Cyprus, then in Rhodes, and then they strengthened their troops and prepared for the coming battles. It was for nothing because Suleiman I and his mighty army annihilated the Christians. Further difficult years followed when they alternated dwelling in Italy and France. In the end, they were invited to live in Tripolite and Malta, which they accepted, albeit they weren’t very pleased with it. The only condition was that they had to send a falcon to the King of Spain (and later his successors) every year by All Saints’ Day. From that time on, they called themselves the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Malta, and Malta was recognized as a sovereign state.
There weren’t too many residents nor were there too many forts either, so their new home wasn’t very suitable for military purposes. Although pouting and sulking (dissatisfied with their lot, they started socializing (integrating) with the locals, which didn’t go very well until the Turkish enemy showed up on the coast. Thus, they were forced to cooperate. It didn’t result in great friendship at all but later, it helped them to fit in more smoothly.

When they took their oaths, the knights pledged their lives to guarding the church and helping ill people. In addition, vows of celibacy, poverty and obedience were compulsory for those who joined the order. Their creed was: do not fight with any other Christian countries; never get into debt, and never retreat in a battle. There was another criterion that the person must be a true Christian, born an aristocrat, and donate a large amount of money to the order. The membership was for life and their properties and wealth were given to the order after their deaths. The obtainable ranks were: chaplain, and serving friend, and the honorary ranks were: Knight of Magistral and Knight of Honour.
The knights were organized into teams by language and nationality, and therefore they were divided into eight groups: Auvergne, Provence, France (they are the same nowadays), Aragon, English, German, Castilian, Italian (each of them with their own buildings). One of the greatest masters was Jean “Parisot” de la Valette, who – after they had chosen him to grandmaster – fortified the defence against the Osmans. After they had defended the island, the capital was named after him.
Over a 200-year period, when the island was governed by the knights, 28 grandmasters built a hospital of very good quality and many churches, residencies, and many other architectural masterpieces, (most of which are still to be seen today). Obviously, this sumptuous elegance is still visible around the area.
Indeed, there were shortcuts even in that historical period – there are a few rumours about how a few knights managed to stay rich. Some sources state that moral decay was one of the reasons the order fell apart. However, given that the organization wasn’t the same as the famous/notorious Knights Templars, though (suspiciously?) there are many similar historical roots in their past, it is a fact that the order still exists as a state without territory and international entity…

Now that we have fair amount of historical and geographical background about Malta, let us see how our holiday went.

The Trip

We arrived at Stansted Airport sometime in the late afternoon, which was the first time that we had been there, as well as it being our first trip with Ryanair. We found the ‘pre-check-in’ machines that weigh the luggage and print the label really useful.
Having taken care of our check-in, we strolled through the endless shopping mall and had an ice cream before we arrived at the gate. Since we had arrived early at the gate, we spent a lot of time standing in the queue, which made “someone” say that we could have looked at more shop windows instead. We were good customers, but the boarding wasn’t as smooth or quick as we had expected. The conclusion is that Ryanair is not better than any other low-cost airline (e.g. Wizz Air).
Although we had three tickets, we couldn’t sit next to each other, but at least we were in front of each other. I had a pleasant chat with my elderly neighbours who had travelled to Malta several times, and Anna had a good time with her seatmates as well, even though she didn’t actually understand anything. At least she was smiling and nodding kindly.
The biggest difference between a regular trip to Hungary and one to Malta is in the number of people and how much alcohol they consume. Here the passengers drank properly. There were two to three mini-bottles of wine or beer in front of many of them. Some people had gin or whisky; nevertheless, it was the same number of bottles.

After the landing, our first impressions were superb as there was free water and clean bathrooms. Those are not big things, but they do have an impact on how you feel when you arrive in a new place. Sometime later not everything was that pleasant, but that was mainly our fault. Thus, I would like to share my experience with everyone about insurance when renting a car. Usually, an offer on an airline’s webpage to buy car insurance via them is not worth taking. Why? Because in order to do that, you will need a credit card with a thousand Euros credit, or a debit card with a 1,000-euro deposit on it (as was our case). Besides, using the airline channel doesn’t give you an advantage because you can perfectly take care of the insurance when you rent a car, and it does not even take longer. Plus, the car rental staff will know exactly what kind of insurance you will need. We learnt our lesson after the kind and helpful Hungarian receptionist explained it to us. We had no credit card, and therefore, we had to pay for our insurance in two instalments. Unfortunately, those details are written in small print at the bottom of the advert, and as a result, several other passengers made the same mistake, besides us. That was it: there was nothing we could do about it, we were excellent customers for that company, for sure!

At last, we received our car (a Peugeot 107), whose boot was big enough to stick our suitcase in. One of the many British customs is driving on the left, but the driving culture in Malta is a mix of the Mediterranean and the Near East. I read in one of the blogs that to give way to other drivers is a sign of weakness, and after 10 days of driving there, I can agree with that. Even though I was lucky enough to experience some politeness, honking your horn is as natural as the use of the indicator, so you must be ready for any sudden events at all times! I have to mention that the quality of the roads leaves a lot to be desired, but seemingly they continuously work on it. Having said that, those who have been trained on Hungarian roads won’t be that shocked.

Our flat was in Balzan, which is one of the Three villages and lies roughly in the middle of the island. It was the first time that our accommodation was reserved via Airbnb. Even though we knew the exact address of the flat, the navigation system did not work perfectly so we could not find the apartment. The fact that with a few exceptions, there are no house numbers in Malta but only names, made our case even more difficult. In addition, there are cases where there may be three houses in the same street with the same name.  We eventually arrived after a few extra kilometres, and we finally got into our two-room flat. The landlord had been waiting for us. He was kind and polite, but he was also a little aloof. The flat was tidy and comfortable, and they obviously took extra care of the cleanliness. That meant that we had to leave our shoes outside the flat. Besides, the lights had to be turned off when it was not used, and we had to tidy up and put everything back in the same place immediately after we used it. In any case, we went to sleep quickly because we wanted to be fresh the following morning.

First day: The Three Villages and Casino 

After a bit of sleep, as we woke up, Victor, who is a friend of the family we were staying with and who is already retired had arrived. He helps the owners to tidy up the flat, but we couldn’t imagine what he cleans every day. Having said that, he made a very youthful impression as he moved and spoke. I would have guessed him to be around fifty years old, but he was over seventy at that time. Maybe it’s because he has neither a wife nor children, and he has lived like a butterfly - just flying from flower to flower as he himself explained.
We found two sandwiches on the table, and we thought that they were ours because initially, we made our reservation with breakfast included. But luckily, we didn’t eat those sandwiches, as there were two young guys from the Czech Republic who were on their school trip for three weeks and the sandwiches belonged to them. They did not really speak English, but we could figure out what they were trying to say. Some days later we found out that our landlord had been sleeping on the couch in the living room. Well, those were the most interesting and weirdest experiences with the home-sharing application, and after all, we went there as guests…

So, all in all, not the best start to our adventures in Malta. In addition, the weather was not our friend, either, at least not with the rain in the morning. It is totally expected though, because October is one of the wettest months of the year there. It had been rainless for three months before that day, so the locals were welcoming the bit of refreshing weather.
Anna had discovered a nearby bakery, consequently, we could get some fresh bread, olives, cheese, and some chocolate milk, which gave us energy for the day. Going to the beach was not an option for that day anymore, and I had no fixed plans, either, therefore, we went to explore our area on foot.

As aforementioned (as previously mentioned), we stayed in one of the three villages called Balzan. The other two are Lija and Attard, by the way. To be really honest I had no idea which villages we passed through during our stroll. Actually, the whole country looks like one great city, which has a few areas with countryside-like houses with larger parks, and other fields are surrounded by bigger houses.
Anyway, back to our story, we were walking on Balzan’s streets and we were admiring the colourful, elegant balconies and the elegant knockers, and also the house’s names. We saw many little statues of saints on the ledges or looking out through the window. As there are different types of winds in Malta, we observed that there were double doors or an extra bulrush mat, which protect the house from the winds and great heat as well. As we were meandering along the streets with a medieval vibe, suddenly we arrived at San Anton Gardens, whose doors had been opened to the public in 1882. Originally, it was the summer residency of Grandmaster San Anton and is nowadays the prime minister’s palace.

Both at first impression and based on other experiences later on, it was undoubtedly the most enthralling spectacle of Malta. There are hundreds if not thousands of plants and shrubs, birds of all sizes, even peacocks among them, in the garden. There was a little pool full of turtles and an abundance of amazing huge trees, under whose shades one could have a pleasant rest, especially if the weather is scorching.
On the way back to our flat we stopped in a typical English café, which was on the main square, where we drank some refreshments and ate some brunch, and we planned our holiday program, too. As we were sipping our drinks the cool rain started pouring, which didn’t stop for hours. Finally, we decided to go home, whether rain or not, because we didn’t want to sit in a café all day?! We changed into dry clothes, then we ventured further because we had not seen the sea yet.

We ended up visiting the closest shore which was St. George’s Bay in St. Julian’s. By the way, everything was half an hour’s distance on average from our apartment, literally everything. The longest time that we spent in the car was roughly 40 minutes (oh, and we had to fill it up with petrol, too). We arrived at the beach just after sundown, where only a few people were resting because the weather was not good for swimming. It did not matter to us because we just wanted to gaze at the vast, sparkling, perfectly pure blue water. As we were staring at the endless view and the light, the salty wind was blowing in our faces - everything was just perfect. Then we walked barefoot alongside the shore until we noticed a huge casino.

None of us had ever tried this kind of gambling, so we decided to try our luck and play some, seeing as we were on holiday. The nightlife had just started when we sat down for our first round. We probably spent most of our time next to the blackjack table, which was certainly a new experience for us. Luckily, there was a Hungarian croupier who gave us some good advice. Despite our clumsy first attempts, we had a good time, though the “classic” slot machine was a bit more profitable for us than the card game or the roulette table. We were standing next to the table with the little wheel where some of the guests had staked roughly the same amount of money (or even more) as our budget was for the whole week in one round. Fortune was not on our side that night, but from a different viewpoint, we could say it was like a long museum visit. The Dragonara Casino was owned by Sciclune marquis, and this building had been their summer residence. His personal residence was where the first casino tables were set up. After the tiring casino experience, we rambled through the Paceville streets, which has become the main nightlife hub in Malta in the last few decades. The nightlife was spreading its wings as the twilight came at the foot of the skyscrapers. Despite being the off-season and also a weekday, the streets with vivid neon lights were filled with people. We visited a really nice place, where you can create your own sundae like you build your sandwich in a Subway shop, but here you do not have to worry about asking for a little bit of more this or that. You can add as many toppings as you want, or you can pour the chocolate sauce on the top of your sundae tower. In the end, you put it on the scale, and then they calculate the price of this sweet concoction. We were lucky again as there was a Hungarian couple who ran the place so we got a discount. After a short chat, we went home to rest and sleep because the next day we wanted to go to the beach.

Second day: Valetta

Well, we would have gone to the beach had we stuck to the script. We had already seen some thunder and lightning the night before, and later it started to rain as well. There was nothing we could do about it, so we spent another day in the city. The morning routine was the same as previously but this time it was my turn to visit the baker, which was a little shop where the furnace was powered by wood and they had been baking bread there for over a hundred years. Many kinds of splendid bread are made there. Our favourite one was a round-shaped loaf which tasted really delicious.

At this point, I may say that if someone is looking for a culinary adventure, Malta is not the best destination. However, seafood, and rabbit (which is the national dish) can be found in many places and the selection of bread was impressive, too (one of their most famous being ftira, a ring-shaped, leavened, Maltese bread). However, I think the dominant flavours and dishes are similar to Italian cuisine, so I can wholeheartedly recommend all of their sandwiches and pastries because they are excellent.

We went to Valetta, which was the European Capital of Culture in 2018. We just caught the rush hour in the morning, but the journey was not longer than twenty minutes. The first beautiful view was seen from the street which was the Porte des Bombes triumphal arch. As we went through the double-arched gate, we entered Floriana, which is the suburb of Valetta. Then we left our car in the car park next to the Saint Publius Parish Church for the day (only 3 Euros). Finally, the massive cultural trip started with the church that I mentioned earlier. Some carpenters were repairing a door at the doorstep of the church, and they let us pass without an entry fee (I don’t know if there is a fee, but we had a free pass.). We looked around the colossal building, and then we walked across the square where Pope John Paul II had preached twice, as had Pope Benedict XVI some years later. This is one of the interesting facts about the Pjazza san Publiju and this is also the largest square on the island. In addition, it has 76 bell-shaped underground silos, which were sealed with mortar and stones thus they provided emergency food supply when it had been needed until World War II. The idea and the implementation had come from some of the grand masters in the 16^th century. According to the travel guide, there are similar underground granaries in different places on the island too.

At the beginning of our tour, we climbed up to a terrace to reach the Upper Barrakka Gardens which overlooked The Grand Harbour (one of the biggest natural harbours in the world). You can read a lot of information and reviews about it. Indeed, the view of the harbour, the sea, and the garden is breathtaking, but they were not that big a deal for me compared to the previous day’s experiences. After a short look around, we turned back and went to the city centre, which was only a stone’s throw away. We were amazed by one of the most ornate buildings in the city, which was the Castille et Leon Auberg, which is the residence of the prime minister’s office. It was built in the Renaissance style in the second part of the 16^th century but later some baroque style was added to the pleasing palace facade. Apart from that, four other knight headquarters still remained intact, but the rest of them look less noticeable among many other Renaissance and Baroque buildings.
We were walking closer to the main road of the city, Republic Street, where we saw the ruins of the antique Opera house which was being restored. The building which looked like it could have been an ancient Roman venue, was actually built at the end of the 19^th century and was hit by a bomb in WWII. Historians had been arguing about the fate of the building: rebuild it or keep it as it was. However, the building was still used for performances, etc., as construction progressed. Right next to it lies the new House of Parliament which is markedly different in its modern structure, design and volume. We had a short break on the patio of the opera house where we ate some fresh pastries as well (I strongly recommend them!). After the refreshment we strolled towards the main street where we saw the National Museum of Archaeology (Auberge de Provence), then we arrived at the Great Siege Square where you can find many vendors touting the wares.  Here you can also find the Great Siege Monument. Though it was under restoration, we were able to have a quick peek. On the opposite side, you can see the Courthouse, which has enormous columns. Just a stone’s throw away is St John's Square where St John's Co-Cathedral is situated, and which seems like a fort at first sight. At this time, we could only admire this building from the outside because there was such a long queue; everyone wanted to see the biggest church in Malta as it is one of the finest examples of baroque architecture in the world.

After a while, we made our way towards Republic Square where there are many cafés with patios and restaurants that offer great opportunities for exhausted tourists to relax. We could also see the famous Cordina café where you have to wait a bit if you want some freshly made ice cream. This historical building was used by the Knights as a treasury, and later, in 1837, they converted it into a café and since that time it has been open to the public. The luxurious patinated marble wall covering, the opulent gold surfaces and indeed, the wide range of desserts on offer all contribute to the magnificence that is Cordina’s flagship cafe. From this spot we can see a somewhat grumpy statue of Queen Victoria and behind her the National Library of Malta.  Although entry is free of charge, there is not much of interest to see. No doubt, that we can touch history in the air and it has a visible sign in the great reading room where there are many of the knights’ notes, maps, codes, and similar objects of interest, the most important ones are in a cabinet. Among other objects, is the papal bull, which was issued in 1113, but there are also some manuscripts from Charles V and Henry VIII just to mention a few famous manuscripts.

After the old documents, our next destination was St. George’s Square where we found the Grandmaster's Palace and the Palace Armoury. As we entered the palace we were amazed by the beautifully painted ceiling, gilded decorative columns, armour, and the enormous paintings mostly of the Grand Masters. We only had access to a few rooms, but we were allowed to see the Sun King’s gift in one of the dark tapestry rooms, and the ten large tapestries which presented the theme of the Great East Indian. The Ambassador's Room was once busy with delegations, and the huge State Dining Room is decorated with paintings of English noblemen. Nearby, of course, you can see the throne room, too. The top council of the Johannite Order used to hold its sessions there, and in front of the throne, you can see a balcony from Rhodes.  Later the building was the house of parliament until 2015. However, there were many rooms, which we were not allowed to visit, so the vibe was a little bit mystical and mysterious - at least it was for me. We went downstairs where there was a really interesting exhibition with 6000 pieces of military weaponry on display, including cannons, pistols, spears, and armour – a must-see for history buffs. A major part of the exhibition was from before the 17^th century which perhaps had been used by the knights. Because the weather was quite hot and dry, we didn’t spend that much time in this venue.

We headed back to look around the National Museum of Archaeology where you can see even more and more artefacts, the most significant being a statue called The Sleeping Lady. The scientists still argue about the tiny mellow lady who could have been a priestess, a ritual sacrificial symbol, or even a healing amulet. Anyway, we admired the Venus of Willendorf-like carved statue.
After the afternoon rush hour, we visited again the co-cathedral because we wanted to see it from inside this enormous limestone church. It is called the co-cathedral because in 1816 Pope Pius VII gave this title to both the Mdina and the Valetta Cathedral. The amazing baroque style is noted for its gilded wall and frescos, which capture the visitor’s attention from the very first moment. Underneath the marquetry marble floor are roughly 400 knights and grandmasters resting in peace and, indeed on both sides of the nave one can see eight graves decorated with gold and adorned with fabulous sculptures belonging to the eight nations. I can’t go on without mentioning two very important paintings on display by Caravaggio: The Beheading of St. John the Baptist (361x 520 cm!), and St. Jerome. The master painter painted those pictures during his almost one-and-a-half-year sojourn on the island of Malta, and he also painted a portrait of Alof de Wignacourt, which, uniquely, was the only work signed by the artist.

After the churches and museums and other obligatory sights, we wandered the streets of the city and saw – from the doorstep – the Carmelite church (The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carme), then we walked along the beach, back to the Triton Fountain in front of the city gate. It was slowly getting dark, and we could see the city wrapped in the evening light which was a fitting end to an exhausting day of sightseeing.

At night, ready to rest, we started to watch the old Popeye movie which had been filmed in Malta in 1980 to get an idea of all the film’s locations, which we also visited over the next few days.

Day three: Mdina, Rabat

Because we had gone to sleep early again, by 7 a.m. the next morning, we were walking under the wall of Mdina (pronounced Medina) ready to discover this really tiny, yet romantic settlement. In a little café opposite a car park, we ate the most delicious croissants of our holiday and some truly tasty ice cream, too. Then we were among the first paying for the horse-drawn carriage sightseeing tour, where we could not bargain because the fixed price of 35 Euros was written in capital letters on the board, but after wrangling, we got so much more that the ‘fiacre’ (carriage) named karozzini took us as far as the town of Rabat for the same price.

Although I had read about the history of these two cities and how they became one, I couldn’t imagine how that must have looked just from reading about them.  As they say, seeing is believing and it was only when I was there that I could get the picture. There is a fort (Mdina) which was built on a four-hectare site and which hides within it a small, crowded settlement forming an independent city of roughly three hundred inhabitants. Only the local inhabitants are allowed to drive their cars; this tiny metropolitan has been nicknamed The Silent City.
Many carriages were waiting for their first customers, and we were the first. The carriage ride lasted around half an hour and during the trip, we received some interesting information as well. Moreover, our driver also took us to Rabat for a bit.

After the trip, we discovered this precious, old pearl on foot. We saw the baroque-style twin of the earlier mentioned co-cathedral, The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Paul, and behind it the archbishop’s residence. We learnt that the crosses on the top of the cathedrals are double, and triple on the top of the basilicas, and the “regular” churches only have one. Well, I do not know if these rules apply to all the buildings in the world or only the local ones, but I am sure that there is only one cross on the top of Esztergom’s Basilica in Hungary. Whatever, the point is that the indispensable pomp, shine, and wealth were seen here as well. Next door there is the Cathedral Museum where there are many statues made of silver, coins, manuscripts, vestments, and other church supplies and to my great surprise, in a separate room, there was a Dürer engraving exhibition. Nearby (though this expression has a slightly different meaning in this city and even on the island), could be found the St. Peter's Monastery, where Benedictine nuns have been living for centuries under very strict rules. Currently, only four nuns are living in seclusion within the walls.

On the side of the city wall, there is the famous Fontanella Tea Garden, where we rested and enjoyed the view. Then we continued to wander the streets entering a few gift shops where we also got acquainted with the world-famous coloured glass. Later, we left the city through the Mdina Gate and visited the Roman House (Domus Romana) which is on the right-hand side as you exit. I went in alone because Anna wasn’t interested, as she put it, in a pile of old rocks; she just wanted to bathe in the sea. To be honest, she wasn’t wrong because the partly reconstructed residence with mosaics and stone rubble was not that intriguing to me either. The large garden filled with ruins from the Roman age did not convince me either that this venue could be an unmissable attraction. This is a good place for ancient history fans, but I suggest you give it a miss.

We headed towards Rabat’s centre where the enormous catacomb system had been built in the 4^th century and was used until the 9^th century. The most famous and the longest are the St. Paul's Catacombs and St. Aghata’s system.

Early Christians believed that the dead should not be buried, but this contrasted with the Romans who cremated their dead as dictated by Roman law. The Christians in Malta integrated the habits of the Palestinian Jews who dug huge labyrinths and carved family graves in the walls. We saw a few benches on the passageway and altars. We also saw some frescos on the graves.

It felt a little creepy to be surrounded by the dead as we walked around. There were smaller and bigger contiguous spaces and graves with multiple levels and routes developed by the early dwellers. We were close to St. Paul's Church, which is one of the oldest churches in Malta. Ergo, it was obvious that we were going to visit its chapel which is one of the most beautiful buildings in the country, and which is underneath the famous cave where the shipwrecked Saint Paul found shelter – it is not clear that he did it of his own free will. (To Anna’s greatest sorrow, the church was closed for 2 hours because of the siesta, so we had to miss it.) Instead of the church visit, we had an authentic brunch because we tried the pastizzi which is a pastry filled with ricotta cheese, or mushed peas, and we also tasted the bittersweet national drink Kinnie. I had read a lot about this particular drink, but after we tasted it became obvious to me that one of the elements of the tonic, ‘kinin’, gives it its name and taste. I did not reject it after the first sip, but I did not drink any more, either. Well, your mileage may vary…

The weather was merciful on that day, though there was some rain and wind, but it was alright. Despite the weather conditions, we still drove to the Blue Grotto (Blue Cave) to check if we might be able to visit it, but they were not open at all. We took a short walk on the coast before we headed towards home but we made one more stop at the Dingli Cliffs. The cliff coast stretches to the West from the Grotto where the steep rocky shore drops into the water below and the endless view of the sea gives the perfect combination that is worth a visit. Though the weather conditions were a bit harsh; we were looking around in a hurricane mixed with rain and the temperature was around 7 degrees Celsius, so we decided to not stay any longer.
In the evening, we watched some more of the Popeye movie we had started the previous day and soon fell asleep exhausted.

Day four: Finally bathing!

After our regular bakery visit, we started a bit later and we were at the Blue Grotto at 10 am, waiting in a queue in front of the ticket office, which never opened! It was then that that a “local diver” recommended that we call the office before going because sometimes they did not even open because of the weather. We saved the phone number and went to the beach instead because if we had not been able to bathe, it would have had unpredictable consequences and life would not have been worth living, i.e., Anna!  Luckily, everything was alright and we enjoyed a beautiful day on the Golden Bay beach. The long sandy bay, the great waves and the hot sun made everyone happy. As the Sun got higher the beach became busier but there was still enough space on the beach and in the water for everybody.

After we had been bathing all day, we went to visit the little, bustling city named Mosta on the way home where we were able to see the Mosta Dome. This huge building is seen from almost everywhere on the island. It has a nearly 39-meter-wide dome, which makes it the fourth biggest unsupported dome in Europe and in size. Only St. Peters’ Basilica and Istanbul’s’ Hagai Sophia surpass this 19^th-century masterpiece modelled on the Pantheon. I just got in before it closed (yes, I was alone again) because we did not have enough change and there was no option to pay by card. I was standing there with a great feeling of inner peace; I just adored this enormous place for a few minutes.

That night we had an invitation from an old friend of mine from university who was living there at the time, to go to a concert at the Hungarian Republic Bar in St. Julian party town.  The bar was presenting a free Ganxta Zolee and The Kartel (a famous Hungarian band) which was an amazing coincidence! My friend was curious about where we had been on the island and then proceeded to take my phone and marked around 11 places worth visiting.

Once again, thanks, Poki!

After the concert, we went home to rest because we needed energy for the next day too.

Day five: Gozo

We were waiting for the ferry at around 8 in the morning in Cirkewwa’s harbour and the parking area was crowded not surprisingly as it was the weekend. We did not have to buy any tickets on the outward journey because they assume that you will be returning sooner or later therefore you have to queue only once; this is really practical. We had to wait with patience to get inside the huge ferry’s belly, but once we had boarded, we were soon on our way to the capital of Gozo, Victoria. Before the British governance, they called it Rabat. The island had been renamed by Spanish which means joy; however, the natives like to call it Ghawdex (pronounced Owdesh).

The soil there is more fertile because of the blue clay and therefore, there is more arable farming activity. The inhabitants are environmentally conscious, and they have a better road infrastructure as well.

We did not waste any time and went straight to the Capital, and headed toward the Citadel which was built in the 16^th century to keep the city safe from the Osman, but when it was finished, the enemy had withdrawn. From there we went to the nearby Xaghra where we found the Ggantija temples which are some of the oldest prehistoric monuments built by men and it is assumed that these temples are older than the Pyramids and Stonehenge. The site was fenced, and there were two temples with little gardens. For us it was the least interesting place that we had visited; however, there were many stones gathered together and the buildings were very old.  That said, we were left cold by the vibe of the place. In fact, the weather was getting warmer and warmer as well, so we did not hang around to see everything on offer in the “museum”. We got into the car, and we drove by the Ta’ Kola Windmill which operates as an art museum, and we also saw the famous Pomskizillious Museum of Toys’ shop window. After a few minutes, we were on our way to Xagħra where you can see Ramla Bay and the Calypso cave, where we had the opportunity to savour the sublime beach which was dancing in the shades of orange and yellow; it was one of the most amazing sights of the entire vacation.
The locals are convinced that Odysseus had spent his forced years of rest accompanied by the nymph Calypso although there is no evidence that this ever happened. From there we headed towards Dwera’s peaks to see the place where the Azure Window used to be until its collapse in a storm in 2017. Despite this, tourism is still alive there.

The rest of the afternoon we spent in the Paradise Bay which has a terrace-like structure, and the rocky shore resonated with me. After a few hours of (sun)bathing, we went to visit the Saint Agatha's Tower which is better known as the Red Tower. We walked around this fort which was built in the middle of the 17^th century and where there is a chapel named after the previously mentioned saint. Anyway, the tiny castle is open to the public.  You just have to make sure you are there at the right time. We spent some time strolling around the tower, then we went home to rest after another busy day of sightseeing.

Day Six: Marsaxlokk and Popeye

Waking up early proved to be a good idea because at around 7 am we were able to find a free parking space close to the fishing village’s market which became really busy later on. So, it was Marsaxlokk (which means “port” and “southeast”, a warm winter wind blowing from the Sahara), a cosy village on a Sunday morning where you can buy both handmade cloth or fresh squid from the sea. If we had a good time with the carriage in Mdina then we couldn’t miss the opportunity to go boating. So, we chose a friendly ticket seller and a few minutes later we were on the sea on an amazing luzzo. The boats are painted with red, blue, and green colours from the ancient Phoenician times, with its tall prow decorated with an Osiris symbol. After the sea fun, we went to the opposite side of the bay where we found a little bathing spot called St. Peter’s Pool. This is a rocky beach where the tourists are warned by many signs dotted around this area of the slippery surface and falling rocks. However, it was quite busy at the time and the sea was wavy, too, so it’s not recommended to go sunbathing on the edges of the rocks in this weather. Don’t miss the opportunity to swim in the tiny pools carved out of the soft rock when you are there. There is easy access to the sea therefore you can try the tiny ‘rock bathtubs’ there.  Strolling alongside the coast we found the interesting Remarkable Stones nearby. I had not read anything about them before we visited the place, so I think they’re worth a mention. The huge pieces of rocks could have dislodged from the cliff by the weather, I don’t know. Who knows? It’s an interesting phenomenon.

As we were going to the Popeye Village, we dropped by the Blue Grotto for the third time but this time we chose to follow our friend's advice and view the Grotto from the top of the hill which we were advised was better than going inside.  We weren’t disappointed as it was a great view from there; however, we still wanted to see it from the sea level until we saw the crowded parking area which had been empty a few days ago. We did not even have a chance to find a parking space as there were already three buses in the queue, so we decided to leave. Instead, we decided to visit a town called Siggiewi and its beach Ghar Lapsi, which had been recommended to us by my friend, Poki. This hidden gem became our favourite spot right away because you can easily reach the open sea from the little rocky bay to go snorkelling, where the underwater sea life is fascinating. We were planning just a quick look around so we had left our goggles in the car, but there was a kind Italian gentleman who offered us the loan of his equipment, so we were able to see the treasures of the azure sea which were breathtaking indeed. We spent only an hour there then we went to the village, but it had been a good choice to pop by.

Finally, on our 6^th day, we arrived at the village in Anchor Bay where they had filmed Popeye - we had tried to visit the day before but it had been to0 late to enter the park.

We didn’t waste time exploring the film set. The seaside location is a scenic beauty; there are 17 wooden houses which were part of the original set of the 80’s film, Popeye, which launched Robin William's film career. There are many interactive programs for children and a “museum”. The ticket includes a free boat trip to the locations where they shot the sea sequences. We visited many wooden buildings on the beach including Olivia’s home and we also visited the major’s house, the bakery and the museum displaying the artwork from the comics on which the film is based. There are many options to relax in this place for sure. Malta has been the backdrop for many other films such as The Da Vinci Code, Gladiator, and Troy.

At the end of the day, we went to visit another sandy beach but when we had to cross a dirt road, we weren’t sure if we could trust the Satnav; however, we soon arrived at our destination.

One of the most beautiful sites on the island is the Ghajn Tuffieha Bay (‘the apple’s seed’) accessible via a long flight of steps.  I do not want to explain more now, but it was astonishing, a sight for sore eyes.

After the bathing, we discovered the tiny peninsula next to the beach where you can walk around, although not too easily. We were lucky to be in the right place at the right time to witness the bright orange Sun disappear into the blue deep water. This was one of the most memorable moments of our vacation although it didn’t last too long, and we had to get back to the coast before became dark.

After we had seen the film’s location, that night we watched the end of the American movie, and we fell asleep with the good feeling that we had bathed in three different places on that day.

Day 7: The Blue Lagoon

We woke up for our last day which had been fully spent on Comino (Kemmuna). Our boat left the port next to Mellieha at 10 a.m. which circled around the tiny island and some of the passengers disembarked at Gozo, and then the rest of the people who just paid for the shorter trip continued to Comino. Thus, we went between Comion and Cominotto (Kemmunet) to jump into the clear, pure water that was the Blue Lagoon.

The coast is rocky everywhere and there is no shade at all, but we immersed ourselves in the sparkling sky-blue water snorkelling and swimming. It was fantastic! However, our schedule was tight – only three hours – before our boat departed. Fortunately, we had time for a cocktail served in a pineapple, and we also visited the smaller Cristal Lagoon to the south which was just a few minutes’ walk away. We jumped into the sea from the top of a very high rock and snorkelled to our hearts' content. Let this brief account of how we jumped off a 10-meter-high cliff stand as a testament to our courage. Although the jumps were recorded in high quality by a bunch of German tourists who were hanging around there, we hope everybody believes us without the footage, too. There is no doubt that after a jump of such magnitude, one rethinks the density of water and the concept of gravity. I would recommend visiting the small lagoon because it is not as busy as its blue counterpart, hence you can rest more if you wish to. The time flew quickly, so we ended up having to rush back to the boat because it did not wait for anyone.

After reaching the beach, we looked for a cosy restaurant where we ate some fresh fish and savoured some local wine. I have to say that this was the first time I had ever driven while under the influence of alcohol; however, it’s not an issue because there is complete tolerance, that is you can drink as much as you want, and you can drive anyway. Needless to say, there have been some drink-drive scandals that have claimed human lives, yet this hasn’t changed anything.

To make this day perfect we went to visit two yet undiscovered places which had been recommended by my friend Poki. The first one was the northernmost point of Malta where the Coral Lagoon is, which is a sheltered, natural pool near the sea. You can see through the round-shaped roof to the water which is roughly 15 meters deep where you can enter through a narrow gate. We only gazed at this interesting natural creation from on high, but I am glad that we saw it.

The next stop was the Mistra Bay where there is a little building called Fort Campbell which has been standing since 1653. This part of the coast is amazing in itself; however, the sun was going down, so we just enjoyed the view of the wavy sea for a short time.

The Journey Home

Our plane was taking off in the evening, so we had a whole day to complete the spectrum of attractions. First, we went to see the harbour of Birgu (Città Vittoriosa, “Victorious City”) which had been the headquarters of the Knights until Valetta was built, and this is part of the Three Cities of Malta (Vittoriosa, Cospicua, Senglea). We strolled around the old cosy streets and looked at the luxury yachts in the harbour. We visited an old church and then continued to Fort St. Angelo; however, we just walked alongside the castle as we were short of time. By the way, there is the Inquisitor's Palace and another four auberges of clans (France, Provence, Castile, English) in this area.

Finally, we went back to Valette to see the noble Casa Rocca Piccola from behind the door which is close to the Knight’s Palace. There is a real opportunity to travel back to the 17^th century in this fifty-room historical building. You can go through the house with a tour guide only because the place is still inhabited by the heirs, but we were able to see how they had lived in the past. We were taken through the dining room and lounge, and we were invited to touch the Marquis’s wife’s bed, which according to the legend brings fertility to women. The marque’s wife gave birth to nine children in that bed. After passing the living room and another dining room, we went down to see the enormous cellar. Allegedly there is a direct connection to the church which is on the opposite side of the street. What a mystery?!

All that was left for us to do before we embarked on our journey home was to say goodbye nicely and slowly to the shabby stairs, the colourful balconies, the huge variety of door knockers, and the oldest ever planned city in the world.  We said our goodbyes and headed to the airport exhausted but satisfied.

Before my closing words, more about the crosses.

The Maltese cross was first used by the Johannites in 1126 as their official symbol. The eight crosses were identified as the symbol of the knights’ salvation: “to live in truth, have faith, repent one’s sins, give proof of humility, love justice, be merciful, be sincere and wholehearted, and to endure persecution”. With time, the eight points also came to represent the eight languages of the noblemen who were admitted to the famed order. The four arms mean the four virtues: wisdom, moderation, bravery and justice.

It must not be confused with The George Cross which appears on the flag of Malta. The Maltese cross was given to Malta by George VI because the Maltese people had shown their heroism and self-sacrifice in the darkest hours of World War II. The cross is still the symbol of the Knighthood of Malta. The original George Cross can be found in the National War Museum.

It was a great trip with many venues some of which were breathtaking, colourful, or historical and some of them could have been scenes from a nature film. For those who are open-minded and curious to get to know more about different cultures, Malta is the perfect destination; however, if one is just looking for opportunities to go to the beach or go out at night, Malta is also a perfect choice – you get to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Thank you, Malta!

    P i c t u r e s . . .

Special thanks to Kata and Marcus!

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