Drew and Meg's Malta Holiday

They're here!!!

Drew graduated from USC, moved out of his apartment, dealt with a bike reflector ticket and caught a flight to Dulles (with assistance from his grandparents) where Meg met him, as she arrived from Hartford after finishing her sophomore year finals, saying goodbye to Wesleyan friends (some graduating seniors) and moved out of her single dorm room (with assistance from Aunt Nancy).  Together, they flew to Munich and down to Malta.  Andrew and I were at the Luqa Airport waiting for them to be expelled from the arrival’s sliding doors and into our arms. 

For 12 days, Drew and Meg recovered from their semesters’, (Meg arrived with a cough, cut up foot and pink eye.  But I don’t think walking the night before her departure in the pouring rain had any impact on her health. Right.) and followed their parent’s Malta history tours. Best of all, they reclined in a variety of Malta's edgewaters.

Hypogeum domed rock ceiling of chamber on deepest level. Photo from Heritage Malta website as no cameras are allowed.

Sleeping Lady Statue (about 5 inches long.)

As for Malta’s history tour, the Hypogeum with its Golden Tourist Ticket (booked a month out but Andrew had ordered tickets in March) was appropriately their first stop. The underground rock-cut burial chambers are set in three levels.  The oldest and top level dates back to 4000 BC, with the deepest level dated 2500 BC.   From this ossuary, 7,000 human remains were excavated. The site was found in 1902 as the cistern for a residential block was being excavated. (For a tour go to: http://heritagemalta.org/museums-sites/hal-saflieni-hypogeum/.)  Highlights of the site are the red ochre (ochre material from Sicily) spiral designs, the domed solid rock ceiling on a chamber in the deepest level, and the small statue of the Sleeping Lady found in the middle level.  

Walking in Tarxien.

Tarxien Temples.

After the hour long guided and audio headset tour with 6 other visitors, we walked from Paola to Tarxien to the 4 temples built in 3600 BC to 2500 BC.  The Tarxien Temples were found in 1913 by farmers tilling the field and consists of megalithic (big rocks) housing structures with a number of apses (chambers) off the central area. In addition to the raised board walk that allows you to look down on the megalithic walled structures, the self-guided tour includes carved rock designs, coupled holes in the rock that were likely used to hinge doors in openings, large skirted women statues and a number of spherical rocks that were  used to move the large rock walls into place. (http://heritagemalta.org/museums-sites/tarxien-temples/.)

Streets of Mdina.

We then jumped Drew and Meg in to Malta’s Medieval period with tours of the walled city of Mdina and the Palazzo Falson, which was built in the early 13^th century and presents historical objets d’art (my favorite is a neff- a sterling silver model ship/galleon that is placed on the dining table that contains salt and other condiments)  attractively presented  with a high technology head set that describe each room with a click to a transmitter.  (http://www.patrimonju.org/Gallery.aspx?id=114407&subId=114405.)

Interior of St. John's Co-Cathedral.

Marble mosaics tombstone flooring.

We walked a few blocks up the steps from our flat on Battery Street to the Co-Cathedral in Valletta and presented the Knights of St. John’s domination in Malta (1530-1798 AD). The interior of this monument to the Knights, especially their Grand Masters, overwhelmed me again.  The ceiling and many of the chapel paintings by Mattia Preti, the baroque details, the marble mosaic tombstone floor are unexpected after walking around the exterior of this so plain limestone building.  And then of course, there is the coveted Caravaggio painting of the beheading of St. John the Baptist.  

Gruesome Caravaggio painting of the beheading of St. John the Baptist.

As a family, we attended a talk on the French occupation of Malta in 1798-1800 (Napoleon stayed a block away from our flat during his 1 week stay on the island) which presented an economic collapse that unified all classes of Maltese, resulting in cannons firing on the Valletta forts occupied by the French. To wrap up the tour, we took many strolls along the Valletta fortress walls that still contain the World War 2 machine guns supports and bunkers and the ceiling less bombed out Opera House.

Ferry Landing in Gozo.

As for the water’s edge lounging, we borrowed a car from our Irish Maltese friend, Eilis, and caught the ferry to Gozo, another island in this 3 island nation.  Andrew had rented a 3 bedroom villa or farmhouse as they are called, with a pool overlooking a terraced canyon for 3 nights.

Rambling around the Citadel in Victoria, Gozo.

Meg acting up!

Dwerjra  Bay in Gozo.

Drew poolside at Dar-it-Tina Villa.

Meg on Ramla Beach.

We visited the Citadel located in the heart of the island, walked a few beaches (San Blas and Ramla),  but basically had family time with movies and poolside meals.  

Swimming to Cominotto from Comino.

Blue Lagoon, Comino.

View of the Blue Lagoon.

We caught a water taxi on a very rough Sunday over to the third island, Comino. Here we jumped in to the clear waters (but a bit chilly water).  Comino is number 31 on of the clearest waters in the world to swim before you die list.  Take a look at where number 30 is on the list! (http://dailynewsdig.com/35-clearest-waters-world-swim-die/.)

Peter's Pool.

Getting warmed up to jump back into Peter's Pool.

Once back in Valletta, we hit a beach on the far southeast edge of Malta, Peter’s Pool.  We went to the northwest end of the island the following day to celebrate Memorial Day ( a few days late) with our Iowa friends' at their Radisson suite in Golden Bay.

The Memorial Day Picnic Spot.

Drew and Meg left this afternoon on their journey to Torch Lake, to their grandparents and to their camp counselor summer jobs.

Through security and off to Torch Lake.

Andrew and I will gather up and head out Monday night for a few weeks in the Greek Islands.

Green Grocer in Valletta.

PAVI shopping trip.

As our time in Malta is drawing to a close, I feel we are just now starting to really figure out our lifestyle here. We are finding and using the green grocer, butcher and little grocery shops in Valletta. We now know about the express “X “  buses that save us from going through Hamrun on our trips to the airport or Pavi shopping center. We are getting used to living with less (even the 3 foot high refrigerator with 5 inches of freezer space.) And, we are not missing" the more" (although it would be nice to find some stationery on this island).

Our frig and bottled water, for drinking.

But, I am beginning to crave getting in a car and driving (on the right side) of the freeway up the coast to Laguna Beach for the experience of freedom, control, and the familiar (and independent of bus schedules.)

Memorial Day Hike in Malta.