Marsasakala & Medina

Long walks around Malta have been keeping us sane in the midst of stay-at-home orders, teleworking, video meetings, and all things Covid.  Malta's lock-down has been strict, but has not gone so far as to prohibit people from enjoying the outdoors, in groups of 3 or less. Pictured above is Spinola Bay near our apartment; and below are the cliffs extending between two lovely fishing villages, Marsaskala and Marsaxlokk. More photos are linked here. 

We also visited Mdina recently, Malta's most ancient city, and practically had the place to ourselves. Click here for photos.

Celebrating Drew's Birthday and a Virtual Spring Break

It has definitely been a Spring Break to remember, but hardly in ways anyone was expecting. Drew celebrated his birthday in the midst of his first global pandemic. Click here some photos of Drew through the years. Happy Birthday buddy! 

The kids were able to connect over Spring Break, both virtually and briefly in person. They have been finding appropriate ways to entertain themselves in this time of social distancing. Thank goodness being outside is still okay. Click here for photos.

Speaking of the outdoors, spring is a lovely time for countryside walks in Malta. Click here for photos from a hike we did along Dingli Cliffs last weekend. The day of our walk, it felt like summer was near; the next day, the winds and rain blew in. 

Yesterday, we walked from Sliema to Valletta and back along the harbor. The streets of Valletta were eerily empty. Picture below is a view of Sliema's harborside waterfront, as seen from Manoel Island, where we discovered an elaborate, all-inclusive duck village. The Maltese are very passionate about stray animal care. Click here for photos.

Here is a link to what's going on in Malta related to COVID19. The island took early and aggressive measures as Italy was becoming a virus hot spot.  So far, those steps are serving them well. Sending good wishes to our friends and family around the world to stay healthy and safe. 

More Gozo

We spent another lovely day in Gozo this weekend - one that included a coastal hike near Hondoq Bay; more amazing takeaway pizza from Maxokk Bakery; and stops at Ramla Beach, the Marsalforn Salt Pans (pictured above), and the Citadel with our colleagues Isy and Richard. Click here for photos.  

In response to COVID19, Malta has closed schools for a few weeks, is requiring a 14-day quarantine for visitors arriving from any country. Church services and large events have been cancelled, many tourist sites are closed, and there is a strong push for social distancing, but we decided a day outside in the sun was a safe, responsible way to enjoy a beautiful weekend. We were thermal scanned before getting on the ferry and given wrist bands to wear indicating we had been screened. Gozo was a bit quieter than usual, but not deserted. 

Click here for a few photos from a quick visit Pat made to DC and Portland earlier this month, just ahead of all the travel bans. What a difference a week can make. We remain hopeful that everyone's collective efforts to flatten the curve works.  

Malta, North and South

This weekend we explored points north (Gozo's Dwejra Bay and inland sea) and south (Marsaxlokk, Marsascala, and the Delimara Peninsula). Click here for photos.

Dwejra Bay (top photo) on the west side of Gozo, Malta's northernmost island, is famous for the Azure Window, a natural sea arch that was featured in Game of Thrones a few year back. The window succumbed to a storm in 2017, but the area is still lovely. 

While in Gozo, we also stopped to see the Ggantija Temples and Ta'Kola Windmill and had pizza at everyone's favorite spot, Maxokk Bakery. The rave reviews we've heard about Maxokk were completely accurate. It was delicious. Finally, as the sun was setting, we squeezed in a quick but very scenic visit to Gozo's recently refurbished Citadel.  

Marsaxlokk and Marsascala are neighboring fishing villages along Malta's southern coast. Sundays are markets days in Marsaxlokk, which draws crowds of locals and tourists alike. In between the two is Delimara Peninsula where it was a busy day for donkeys, goats, and container ships. We also visited the Ghar Dalam Cave Temples and learned that hippopotami once lived on Malta. It was during the Ice Age, when there was apparently a land bridge between Malta and Sicily. 

Carnival Malta

Click here for photos from the first day of Carnival Malta 2020 in Valletta. The festivities will continue through Tuesday, with the parades becoming more elaborate each day and local schools closed through Tuesday for the holiday. We are fairly certain there is not a single child in Malta who is not in costume this weekend, not to mention many adults. We have not yet tried it, but the Maltese treat of choice for Carnival is Prinjolata Cake, pictured below. 

Rdum il-Qammieh Hike

Friends/colleagues got together for a hike along Malta's northwestern coast on Presidents' Day. The weather was mild, the company was good, and the views were amazing. Click here for photos.

A Day for Ships and Shipwrecks

St. Paul's Shipwreck Day marks the unexpected but faithful visit of St. Paul to Malta in/around 60 A.D., when the boat he was sailing was caught in a storm and wrecked off the Maltese Coast. St. Paul went on to become the Patron Saint of Malta, and the commemoration of his shipwreck a national holiday. Valletta got very dressed up for the occasion.

In the bit of irony, the U.S. Navy vessel, Mount Whitney, docked in Malta just in time for St. Paul's Shipwreck holiday. Click here for photos of the ship and the holiday festivities that took place around Valletta today. It seems St. Paul may also be the patron saint of confetti. 

Meantime, in other part of the world...  Click here for photos from a recent trip Drew and Grace made to Bellingham to visit Emily; and here for photos from Pat's recent trip to the Philippines, where he managed to get a few dives in between work commitments.