Winter Holiday in Malta

The more I read and researched, the more fascinated I became by this tiny little diamond-in-the-rough country in the Mediterranean, lying 90 miles south of Sicily and some 200 miles north of North Africa. I became captivated by the "Maltese trivia" I discovered, for example: did you know that in this tiny country, there are 365 churches, one for each day of the year? Or that Malti, the native language, is the only Semitic language that utilizes Latin letters? Or how about the local soft drink, Kinnie, a flavorful blend of bitter oranges and herbs, which to my palate is best over ice, with a slice of lemon?

As I began to explore the island, the prehistoric temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra awed me, more so due to the lack of crowds. Here were some of the oldest ruins on earth, and I could walk around them, touch them, photograph them... all without a single soul nearby.

Quick Tips:

Your next challenge is getting there. There are no direct flights to Malta from the United States--you must first fly to Europe, then take at least one more flight to reach Malta. The best connections I've found seem to be via London and Frankfurt. Air Malta does daily flights from London year-round, and Lufthansa does daily flights from Frankfurt.

To find out what's on in Malta when you visit, the Maltese tourism website is a great source of information: check it out at www.visitmalta.com. You can search for hotels, restaurants, events, countryside walks, and more.

Best Way To Get Around:

The hotel offers several venues for eating and drinking. Hotel guests are given the option of bed-and-breakfast, half-board or full board. Meals are served in the rooftop restaurant, which features a complimentary continental breakfast bar of juices, toast, rolls, tea, coffee, fruits and cold meats. Cooked breakfasts can be ordered for an additional charge: my favorite was the traditional English breakfast with eggs, sausages, bacon, beans, and grilled tomato. Guests opting to dine at the hotel can select from the table d’hote menu. If possible, try to get a seat near the windows for a marvelous view of the sea. For snacks and lighter fare, the Caffe Bottega on the ground floor is open 10am to midnight. The rooftop bar, next to the restaurant, became a favorite spot of mine to meet and mingle with other hotel guests.

If you need taxi service, directions, need your laundry done, or want assistance in arranging a day tour to Gozo, the reception desk at the hotel should be your first stop. The hard-working and helpful staff will find you a taxi, give directions, help with bus schedules, assist with tour arrangement, and in general do everything they can to make your stay pleasant and comfortable. I enjoyed my stay so much, I’ve already booked my return visit!

Email: joeabdilla@themarinahotelsliema.com or check out the hotel on the web at
www.themarinahotelsliema.com

The decor is a rather odd mix of quasi-Danish modern light wood tables and chairs and Chinese artwork on the walls. Combine that with some unusual Chinese pop muzak (played at a fairly unobtrusive level) and you’re a bit uncertain just what effect is being tried for. That aside, this place has a large outdoor terrace with a lovely harbor view. Though the February evening temperatures precluded outdoor dining, I nonetheless could imagine how pleasant it would be in summer. Service was unintrusive and sometimes just shy of neglectful, though I attributed this to the fact that there was basically just one waiter at a busy time. From other parts of the island, take any bus to the Sliema seafront, and then walk about 3 minutes.

There are several set menu options for well under 5 Maltese Lira (about $15 U.S.). On a given day, specials may include spaghetti with rabbit sauce, homemade fettuccini, chicken breast with ham and mozzarella, or fresh swordfish. I opted to order a la carte, selecting mushrooms in garlic and white wine for a starter, followed by grilled prawns. While you wait for your meal, you won’t go hungry: a plate of bruschetta, Maltese-style, and a dish of giant white beans are brought for you to munch. My appetizer of mushrooms was a generous portion, and freshly ground pepper added just the perfect touch. The prawns were grilled to perfection and the starter and entree were nicely accompanied by a glass of the house red wine. Service is pleasant and fairly efficient.

From other parts of the island, take any bus to the Sliema seafront, and then walk to just past the Marina Hotel and the church.

For a starter, I opted for bruschetta, and chose penne cartocchio as an entree. I enjoyed the bruschetta, which was two pieces of toasted bread with fresh-chopped tomatoes, olive oil, and fresh grated pepper. The pasta, though, was phenomenal. The dish is a mouthwatering combination of bacon, mushrooms, ham, garlic, and sweet peppers in a tomato cream sauce, topped with melted mozzarella. After this marvelous repast, I had not intended to have dessert, but then decided I couldn’t pass up the chocolate and orange mousse. A couple of glasses of red wine with dinner and a cappuccino with dessert put this at my most expensive (and best) meal in Malta at about 12 Maltese Lira (about $36 U.S.). But with the outstanding food, polite and efficient service, and cozy ambience, this is a great "splurge" choice on your Maltese holiday.

After wandering the seafront, I stopped in The Local, which sits on the road along the sea. Not surprisingly, fish is a staple on the menu here, but there are also Italian and traditional Maltese dishes. I decided to try mizet, a cold plate of Maltese specialties. My favorite of these was the bread, spread with tomato paste and olive oil and topped with sliced olives and chopped onion. There were several types of Maltese sausages and cheeses, olives, tomatoes, greens and a small helping of bean pate and Maltese crackers. The bean pate was my least favorite of the lot, but nonetheless I enjoyed my first taste of traditional Maltese fare. The Local/Xlukkajr Restaurant, Xatt is-Sajjieda, Marsaxlokk; phone +356 21 652 109.

By bus, it’s just a bit over 30 minutes from Valletta: take bus 27, which operates about every half hour between 6:30am and 7:30pm.

Though the ticket booth has no free pamphlets to describe the temple sites, they do offer for sale a small booklet, "The Copper Age Temples of Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra", with plans and illustrations by Professor Themistocles Zammit, one of the investigators of the site in the 1920s. In spite of some obvious inaccuracies I noted (for example, the temples lie on the south coast, not the west as the booklet states), the illustrations and information contained offer additional insight over what is found in the average guidebook.

The excavations at Ħaġar Qim were begun in the late 1830s, though the temple complex as seen today was not completely excavated until 1909-1910. At this time the surrounding area was explored as well, and the resulting finds of flint tools, stone and clay items and the like can be seen in the Valletta Museum. Further surveying and restoration took place: this was completed in the 1950s. Ħaġar Qim consists of three separate temples, the central being the best preserved of the three.

From Ħaġar Qim, follow the path about a quarter mile or so to Mnajdra, spectacularly set on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. Mnajdra also consists of the temples, the oldest of which is on the right and is aligned with the small islet of Filfla. Excavations began here in 1840, though the findings were haphazardly recorded. One of the unusual aspects of the central temple is its entrance, which is through a large window stone.

Although the original purpose of the two temple sites has not been determined, it appears that they were used for animal sacrifices and ritual oracles.

The sites are open 7:45am to 2pm daily from mid-June to the end of September; from October through mid-June, they are open 8:15am to 5pm Monday-Saturday and 8:15am to 4pm on Sundays. Closed public holidays.

Once everyone’s onboard, the fun begins. With a screech of gears, a belch of exhaust, and much bleating of the horn, you start off. Stops are not always announced like they are in the States, so ask the driver or a fellow passenger where to get off if you need directions. As you bump along, you’ll be amazed at the manual dexterity of your driver as he steers, operates the clutch, smokes a cigarette, waves to other bus drivers, gesticulates wildly, and yells at other motorists who block the road or otherwise impede his progress. If you’re sitting up front, you’ll have a clear view of all the near-death experiences... on second thought, sit in the back - it’s better if you don’t know. One day on the road to Mdina, we were headed down a very narrow lane with low stone walls on each side. A car started down the road toward us: soon, our bus and the car were at an impasse. Our fearless driver yelled out the window at the hapless motorist, and though my skills in Malti, the local language, are a bit rusty, I think the conversation went something like this:

Bus Driver: "Son of a swine, you’re in the way! Back up so I can pass."

Hapless Motorist: "Like I care, I have a hot date in Valetta."

Bus Driver: "Your date, like you, has the face of a horse’s rear end, and besides, she’s sleeping with my brother."

Hapless Motorist: "No way, if your brother is as ugly as you are."

Bus Driver: "My brother is a handsome, virile man, with his own casino."

The conversation went on in a similar vein for about 5 more minutes before the motorist decided that in the game of tiny car versus bus, he would lose. By this time, there were cars stopped behind him, so it was quite a spectacle as about five cars backed down the narrow road and out onto the highway. We were soon on the highway, bumping along once more towards Mdina.

If you’re going to be in Malta for an extended period of time, it’s also possible to buy day or multi-day passes. A 1-day pass is 1.50 Maltese Lira (about $4.50), a 3-day pass is 4 Maltese Lira, a 5-day pass is 4.50 Maltese Lira, and a 7-day pass is 5.50 Maltese Lira. Prices of individual rides vary from about 0.15 to 0.40 cents (Maltese).