Dear readers,
Sorry for the delay. My brother paid us a surprise visit and we were “busy” enjoying the summer heat, the beaches and each other’s company. Now I’m back with weekly updates... enjoy!
Let’s kick off with a few follow-up notes:
1) The signposting issue at the garden: after yet another argument with two idiots who claimed they were “environmental wardens”, we contacted the local council again and ten days later, there they were: brand-new signs allowing our black beast into the garden, free to chase birds, scare off cats and poo and pee under every tree. Gizmo’s thrilled!
2) The waste collection problem: our bags are still picked up a little later than usual, but we work our way around that by putting them outside around noon, the best way to get rid of all the cockroaches invading the pavement...
3) Yet another fault: yesterday Melita broke down, not GO. The times are changing.
Now I’d like to offer you a full immersion into the secrets of Maltese summers.
Usually I go abroad, but this year I’m staying on the rock for lack of funds, courtesy of our new sofa, which SHOULD be delivered next week (one week before the agreed date, wow!).
Maltese summers are hot and by hot I mean boiling. Last weekend the temperature went up to 41.5°C. Since we don’t have A/Cs yet, I sought refuge in the shops round the corner and I ended up buying a DVD player. Hot weather = recovering economy.
The beaches are always packed, everywhere. The only way to avoid crowds, is to arrive on the beach at around 8 am at the very latest and leave around noon. As many people stay out late in the evening, they’re not so keen on waking up early. This “trick” resulted in many great mornings in Paradise Bay, Riviera, Golden Bay and Saint George’s Bay with my professional snorkelling set (that’s right, I spent more money on useless gadgets Andre’ refuses to be seen with).
Festa’s! Fireworks! Fried food! Maltese summers are all about partying, celebrating religious feasts, walking in the middle of the road holding fried dates in pastry (yuk) and admiring fireworks every night (and even during the day strangely enough). My brother didn’t get that. Neither do I. But let’s face it: the atmosphere is magical.
Al fresco dining, either in fancy restaurants (not this year) or on the balcony, surrounded by mosquitoes I try to repel with stinky citronella sticks. To no avail. The food, in turn, is mouth-watering delicious: home-made sushi, pasta with fresh octopus, tasty vegetable wraps... A good excuse to get rid of the scales.
It’s difficult to describe these great vibes. Malta is truly wonderful in summer. The travel guides don’t lie: Malta, my rock, truly rocks!
Showing posts with label beach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beach. Show all posts
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Amy’s SUMMER ABC for tourists travelling to Malta
A – ALCOHOL. “Language students” (a.k.a. kids who tell their parents they desperately need to learn English in an English-speaking country, but really just want to party in the Med) think it’s ok to get pissed every night and leave cans all over the streets, shout, sing, walk in the middle of the road and… did I mention get pissed? Well kids, it’s NOT ok! I was young once too, but please have some respect!
B – BEACHES. Keep them clean. I don’t particularly enjoy walking on pieces of glass, used condoms and pizza slices. Thanks for your understanding.
C – CISK, our beer. It’s pronounced /tsjisk/. At least TRY to pronounce it correctly.
D – DIVING. I’m too scared to try it, but if you’re a fan, make sure you do it safely. We’ve already had far too many accidents this year – and it’s only June.
E – EXILES, a great beach with a nice atmosphere in Sliema: not to be missed!
F – FREE. Nothing’s free in Malta. If they tell you it’s free, there’s a catch, so beware!
G – GOZO. No trip to Malta is complete without a stopover on our sister island. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity...
H – HOTELS. Their rates are very competitive, but why not try something different, like a farmhouse with a pool or a house of character overlooking Grand Harbour?
I – INTERNET ACCESS. Not bad, but not spectacular. Power cuts and internet malfunctions are quite common, especially in summer. Be prepared!
J – JELLYFISH. There’s plenty of them this year, so be careful. A “Friends” episode suggests peeing on the skin to relieve the pain caused by a sting, but I suggest sticking to ammonia pens.
K – KINNIE, the best drink in the world! Try it!
L – LEFT. We drive on the left. Most of the time anyway.
M – MDINA, definitely worth a visit. Remember it’s called “the Silent City”: try to keep it that way, that’s part of its magic.
N – NAP, as in siesta. Many shops close between 1 and 4 pm. Why not have a little nap while waiting from them to open? That’s what most of us end up doing when the heat becomes unbearable.
O – ODD. While walking around in Malta, you might discover lots of odd sites and scenes. Keep you camera handy.
P – PASTIZZI: you can call them “cheesecakes” as well. Available with ricotta or pea filling.
Q - This is a glottal stop in Maltese, but if you’re not sure about the pronunciation, don’t stay in Qrendi or Qormi, but find accommodation in a locality you can pronounce!
R – ROADS. I’ve blogged about it before and I’ll keep repeating it until the ADT does something about it: potholes, bloody potholes. Drive SLOWLY and keep your eyes on the road surface!
S – STUDYING. Many come here to study English, but very few succeed. Choose your school carefully and attend your lectures. It’s very easy to get trapped in the party lifestyle Maltese summers are famous for…
T – TOURIST OFFICE. It’s in Valletta, next to City Gate and offers lots of information, including brochures and free maps. Check it out!
U – U-TURNS. The Maltese are not the best drivers and U-turns are their favourite manoeuvre, so careful if you rent a car!
V – VALLETTA. Discover the magic of the “city built by gentlemen for gentlemen”. Wear comfortable shoes (you’ll understand why once you get there).
W – WAVES. When they’re high, they’re REALLY high and DANGEROUS. This one goes out to those who think they can swim when the MET Office tells us not to: they’re not joking! Our armed forces are very busy intercepting illegal immigrants, so please do not distract them.
X – it’s pronounced /sj/ in Maltese. Remember this once and for all when trying to explain you’re looking for the bus to Xemxija, Marsaxlokk or Ta’ Xbiex!
Y – YACHT MARINAS. You don’t need to have a boat to enjoy them: Portomaso is the place to be for a glass of wine or a romantic meal overlooking rich people’s yachts.
Z – ZEST in Spinola Bay. It’s rumoured to be the best sushi restaurant on the island. Haven’t tried it yet, but I’m tempted to do so very, very soon!
B – BEACHES. Keep them clean. I don’t particularly enjoy walking on pieces of glass, used condoms and pizza slices. Thanks for your understanding.
C – CISK, our beer. It’s pronounced /tsjisk/. At least TRY to pronounce it correctly.
D – DIVING. I’m too scared to try it, but if you’re a fan, make sure you do it safely. We’ve already had far too many accidents this year – and it’s only June.
E – EXILES, a great beach with a nice atmosphere in Sliema: not to be missed!
F – FREE. Nothing’s free in Malta. If they tell you it’s free, there’s a catch, so beware!
G – GOZO. No trip to Malta is complete without a stopover on our sister island. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity...
H – HOTELS. Their rates are very competitive, but why not try something different, like a farmhouse with a pool or a house of character overlooking Grand Harbour?
I – INTERNET ACCESS. Not bad, but not spectacular. Power cuts and internet malfunctions are quite common, especially in summer. Be prepared!
J – JELLYFISH. There’s plenty of them this year, so be careful. A “Friends” episode suggests peeing on the skin to relieve the pain caused by a sting, but I suggest sticking to ammonia pens.
K – KINNIE, the best drink in the world! Try it!
L – LEFT. We drive on the left. Most of the time anyway.
M – MDINA, definitely worth a visit. Remember it’s called “the Silent City”: try to keep it that way, that’s part of its magic.
N – NAP, as in siesta. Many shops close between 1 and 4 pm. Why not have a little nap while waiting from them to open? That’s what most of us end up doing when the heat becomes unbearable.
O – ODD. While walking around in Malta, you might discover lots of odd sites and scenes. Keep you camera handy.
P – PASTIZZI: you can call them “cheesecakes” as well. Available with ricotta or pea filling.
Q - This is a glottal stop in Maltese, but if you’re not sure about the pronunciation, don’t stay in Qrendi or Qormi, but find accommodation in a locality you can pronounce!
R – ROADS. I’ve blogged about it before and I’ll keep repeating it until the ADT does something about it: potholes, bloody potholes. Drive SLOWLY and keep your eyes on the road surface!
S – STUDYING. Many come here to study English, but very few succeed. Choose your school carefully and attend your lectures. It’s very easy to get trapped in the party lifestyle Maltese summers are famous for…
T – TOURIST OFFICE. It’s in Valletta, next to City Gate and offers lots of information, including brochures and free maps. Check it out!
U – U-TURNS. The Maltese are not the best drivers and U-turns are their favourite manoeuvre, so careful if you rent a car!
V – VALLETTA. Discover the magic of the “city built by gentlemen for gentlemen”. Wear comfortable shoes (you’ll understand why once you get there).
W – WAVES. When they’re high, they’re REALLY high and DANGEROUS. This one goes out to those who think they can swim when the MET Office tells us not to: they’re not joking! Our armed forces are very busy intercepting illegal immigrants, so please do not distract them.
X – it’s pronounced /sj/ in Maltese. Remember this once and for all when trying to explain you’re looking for the bus to Xemxija, Marsaxlokk or Ta’ Xbiex!
Y – YACHT MARINAS. You don’t need to have a boat to enjoy them: Portomaso is the place to be for a glass of wine or a romantic meal overlooking rich people’s yachts.
Z – ZEST in Spinola Bay. It’s rumoured to be the best sushi restaurant on the island. Haven’t tried it yet, but I’m tempted to do so very, very soon!
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