Malta is a small island totalling a mere 35 km in length and yet it seems wherever you look there something new to see. Some of the views are stunning and, due to its small size, many are set against a Mediterranean backdrop.
One of the first things I’ve noticed was the small cars. If you drive a Fiat Punto you have a medium sized car with many smaller cars being of the smart car class. I guess there is no need for large vehicles on such a small land mass. This doesn’t deter the youth from pimping their cars however this customisation amounts to no more than furry dice and a popping tail pipe. Many times I have been sat outside a bar or cafe and turned by head to see the big Harley Davidson approaching at speed only to see a Daewoo turning the corner at 15 mph.
As for food there is a large Italian influence with pasta and pizza featuring quite heavily on most menus. We’ve found some real gems here and feel quite sorry for the all inclusive guests who are missing out. Two of the most notable local restaurants are Duos (a beautiful red pesto risotto) and Mother Earth. If we ate fish the list would feature others. The award however has to has to go to Georgio’s cafe in Selima who make hot chocolate like I have never tasted before. It was that thick and creamy the spoon could almost stand up in it. Heavenly.
Buses feature heavily on Malta roads and are a fantastically cheap way to travel. There are 3 main routes and an all day ticket costs just €2.60 allowing you to visit many places on one ticket. This does come with an attached warning as the standing capacity is nearly double the amount of seats. Given the amount of bendy buses in operation and the poor condition of the hilly, windy roads, the ride can be quite interesting should you embark at peak travel times.
Malta is an island steeped in history, something we have only scratched the surface of. They have have been invaded, colonised and suffered near genocide at the hands of many nations including the Arabic nations, the French, British, Romans, the list goes on. One good way to delve into the history is to take a tourist ‘Hop on, hop off bus’. These colourful, open top double decker tourist buses visit all the main sights and come complete with a very good audio guide. When you get to somewhere you want to spend a little time, you just hop off, already armed with a basic knowledge and then hop on the next bus when you are ready to move on.
Religion is fairly strong here, the various icons being noticeable as soon as we set foot on Maltese soil. Malta is 95% catholic and has many churches, often dominating the skyline of towns and villages. On Sundays however, the churches on Malta are rarely full as the Maltese head for Gozo to practice their faith. Gozo is said to have more churches than native Gozitans.
The people here are really friendly and the Island is geared heavily towards tourism. English is the second language, something that helps us Brits. Many of the Maltese are multi-lingual. It has to be said that there is definitely a fiery streak in the Maltese psyche, something I have rarely seen but definitely there, particularly in the eyes of the women.
All in all Malta is a pretty nice place to take whatever you want from your time abroad and all steeped in the Mediterranean sun.