Comino Hotel

I've just popped over to Malta for a day &amp; a bit (as you do!) to say a quick hello / goodbye to my parents (and bring them lots of goodies over for the last time in a while).<br><br>The weather is a little warmer than the UK, but not as warm as it's going to be in a week's time (ha ha ha).<br><br>Anyway, I'll keep this blog short so ciao for now!<br><br>Anita x

... war, as a spit fire pilot. He was given money, a new set of clothes and the offer to immigrate when the war finished. He turned Australia down as he was scared of snakes and NZ down as he was scared of the 14000 sheep that existed at that time. He wanted to just stay in Malta and has remained there ever since. He really liked us because NZer's were allies in the war and just before we left told he did not like the Italians who fought beside the ...

... without her. She speaks no English and I&#8217;m starting to envision the scenario when she is left behind. She didn&#8217;t want to come with us because she was tired after the Montserrat tour and she was already mad at Juju for bringing her. I run back to the cathedral where Juju last saw her and I come back without finding her. Somehow she just shows up a few minutes later. Later we head to a museum and into a theater to hear ...

I've spent all day exploring Malta and it is pretty amazing. Yes, I went where the tourists don't dare go and used transportation means foreign to them. There are actually five islands here, three are inhabited, and all together they are the size of Martha's Vineyard. Buy an all day bus pass for a few bucks and you can see it all. All this fun bakes under 90 degree humid sunshine about 50 miles from Sicily. I have always wanted to see Malta and I ...

... Pinu, waiting while we visited, and then taking us all the way back to the ferry. Gail and Bessie left the next day after spending some time in Valletta and stopping by the residence to check out my humble abode and the nearby bakery. We tried to go to Smart, but I forgot it was a public holiday - there are almost too many to keep track of. I spent the rest of Tuesday packing for my 16-day travel bonanza.

... have a few hours before nightfall, I walked straight down Triq Ir-Republika, the main street straight down the town. The Maltese language is Semitic (like Hebrew or Arabic) but written with Roman letters. Malta was given to the Knights Hospitaller by Charles V of Spain in 1530. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Ho spitaller Valletta has churches everywhere, as to be expected of a town ...

... bags and "carry-on" mini-backpacks so that we didn't have to check our luggage. We were told to arrive at the airport in Madrid at 7:15am and that we would be back by 10pm Tuesday night, and to bring our passports. That was it. Although rumors were flying around that we were headed to Malta, no one really knew the details. When we arrived in Malta at about 12 noon (after traveling about 2 hours via 3 chartered planes - each color coded ...

... and found that Bourne Ultimatum was showing, I know it was only a movie and could have been anywhere but the ads before it were in Maltese and there was an intermission! So I have now experienced the movie cinema Maltese style. I got out of the movie at around 4 pm which was the start of visiting time for Sister Christine. I went for a trek down the south part of Valletta and after a little bit of wandering I found her convent. I have to say that I am really getting ...

... but no dice. Al the other ways would cost even more and take way more time, so we had to drag ourselves out to the airport again, buy the tickets, and bus back to Valletta. First time I've ever paid for airplane tickets with a wad of cash, counted out several times to make sure it was right. 154.88 in Liri, which is around $450, for a tiny hop across around 200 km of water. Sigh. Well, at least we got the tickets and there won't be any major ...

... city. The cathedral was nice as well with marble lining. It was pretty similar to the one at Mdina except the two windows to the left and right of the centerpiece were not stained glass. But other then that it was the same. We then walked toward Gharb since there were no buses going. The buses on Gozo do not run as often as on the main island so you are SOL. This island can best be seen by renting a car ...