On a personal note ...

I have just returned from a most wonderful week in Malta. It was my first visit there and I loved it.  I stayed in Mellieha Bay in the north of the main island. 

I thought the pond would be full
of fish but instead it was turtles

My room was on the top floor

Feeding the birdies on my balcony

The hotel had THREE swimming pools and beautiful gardens with lots of places to sit in the shade

DID YOU KNOW:

Malta is one of the worlds smallest

yet most densely populated countries.

I spent Friday in the capital Valletta, the smallest capital city I've ever visited.  Super easy to find your way around because it's built on a grid system of narrow streets.  My first port of call was the RAF monument.

DID YOU KNOW:

Malta has one of the world's

oldest universities -

established 1592.

What no one told us was, we were entering a local holiday weekend and the place was packed with a million tourists (maybe a slight exaggeration).  

Valletta is filled with old as well as new, and occasionally
bizarre sculptures, this was one of my favourites.

DID YOU KNOW:

Malta consists of three inhabited islands

- Malta, Gozo & Comino.

Comino has only 3 permanent residents.

On Saturday I joined a trip to Gozo - the 2nd largest island. 

On route we visited the Blue Lagoon which lies in between the smallest island of Comino and its tiny neighbour Cominotto

Our day was really full  ... visiting the neolithic temple ruins at Ggantija

Then on to Dwejra Tower and a lovely boat ride amongst the caves and coral.

 Oooooohhh I really don't think we'll fit through there!!

Zoom in to see the crocodile shaped rock
laying across the top of the cliff.

DID YOU KNOW:

Malta has 365 churches!!!

Ta'Pinu Sanctuary               or the Church of Miracles

And finally, the capital city of Gozo - Rabat or Victoria.

Sunday morning I went to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk (pronounced marsa-schlok) on the southern tip of the main island.  Here you find the traditional, colourful Luzzu fishing boats and their weekly market all around the edge of the harbour.

The market was full of fruit and veg and fish, traditional Maltese lace and the usually plethora of tourist tat and market detritus.

Last portal of call on Sunday was a boat ride around the Blue Grotto

 

The strip of white buildings on the far side of
the water is the Mellieha Bay Hotel.

On Monday I puffed my way up the hill in the heat to the Red Tower.  The views were fantastic!

DID YOU KNOW:

Malta, as a nation, was awarded the

George Cross in WWII - Britain's

highest civilian honour for bravery.

6,700 tons of bombs were dropped on

the nation throughout the war.

It was soooooo good to jump in the pool when I got back to the hotel ...

DID YOU KNOW:

The islands of Malta have featured in

the films: Troy, Gladiator, Popeye

and Captain Phillips; as well as

the TV series Game of Thrones.

Now I get to put another pin in my map ...

country no. 33 :-)