Malta!

For Spring Break this year we went to Malta… 

Go big or go home, right?

Well, actually, we are going home, back to the states in just a few short weeks… our time in Germany is coming to a close. So we decided to go out with a bang.  I had heard from a few friends how great Malta is.  I was attracted to the fact that it is a small island with lots of history, culture, kids activities, and beaches so you didn't have to drive very far from one destination to the other.  And it's sunny.  What's not to like?

We were able to get really cheap tickets out of Zurich.

Overall the trip was very good.  

Here are some of the lowlights/things that were hard

1.  Food.  Keeping my family fed and happy is always a thorn in my side while traveling.  That's why I would love to do with a cruise with the kids, because as Ben says "they spray food in your face all day long." No worries about where your next meal is coming from.  Since we flew to Malta I didn't pack any snacks or food whatsoever.  We were completely dependent on what Malta had to offer, and for picky eaters like Caroline, that prospect can be very dismal. The tuna sandwich with green olives they offered on the plane was a bad start of a continual trend.  Of course Caroline didn't like any of the snacks… Malta's versions of granola bars, crackers, etc. were just too different for her.  We stayed in apartments so no breakfasts were provided.  The first place we stayed at didn't even have a grocery store nearby.  I felt like every night I had to go out foraging for food.  Restaurants were expensive, groceries were hard to come by and expensive in the heart of the old town, and there wasn't much fast food/street food like you find in other places.  So, we did cereal and toast for breakfasts, usually ate at a restaurant for lunch, and then either ate leftovers or did something really simple for dinner…. always eating in because the kids are trainwrecks at that time of day, and the last place you want to be is in a restaurant with them. So, basically the kids lived off cereal, pizza, and chicken nuggets the entire week.  When we travel to Israel in a few weeks I'm going to be better prepared… every place I've booked includes breakfast and I plan on taking a jar of peanut butter and some healthy snacks.

2.  Driving in Malta.  We debated about renting a car or taking public transpo everywhere.  We opted for the rental car because it was so inexpensive and we wanted the freedom to come and go as we pleased.  Well, driving there was stressful because obviously we were unfamiliar with the place and we forgot to pack our GPS  (too cheap to pay the 10euro/day to rent one) and the big clincher was you had to drive on the left hand side of the road, in the right side of the car (UK style).  Oh, and it was a clutch.  Ben adjusted alright, but he did keep drifting over to the left side and I always had to yell at him to not hit the curb… or a parked car… or a person!  We used google maps on his phone so I was his navigator while he drove… and I'm sorry, but I guess I'm just not that great of a navigator.  More often than I'd like to admit we missed a turn or took the wrong one because I couldn't read the map right… there were way too many roundabouts!  So, yeah, Ben lost his cool a few times... just being honest.

3. Not as scenic as I thought it would be.  The guide book talked about how lovely spring time was with all the wildflowers in the countryside and all… well, it seemed to me that everything was DEAD.  The land seemed so parched and colorless and as we drove around the island, it just wasn't all that scenic/beautiful like so many places we've been to in Europe.  So, I looked up average rainfall in Malta, and of course they receive very little, but I guess this last rainy season was the lowest amount of rainfall on record in 95 years… so hence the lack of vegetation/color. I guess we've just been spoiled with the greenery further north, which we pay dearly for with rain all the time. Sigh. You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Ok, so for the good parts

1.  Sunshine!  Except for a couple cold windy days, we had sunshine and temps in the high sixties and low seventies.   And it was so bright!  We were not used to all the sunshine… had to have sunglasses on constantly! It was a welcome change from the dismal cold days we've had for so many months in Germany.  

2.  Spending time together as a fam…   Now that the girls are a bit older, they were pretty much champs on this trip (except for Caroline constantly whining about food).  The girls walked without complaining and even James did pretty well even though he was on Ben's shoulders for a lot of the time.  This was our first stroller free trip! And diaper free!   Of course, that will all change again in a couple months :)  But the girls were happy on the trip, they loved Malta, and enjoyed most everything we did.  They kept saying, "I love Malta!" and "I don't want to go back to Germany." We kept an itinerary, but were also relaxed about it and moved at a relaxed pace.  Happy kids=happy mama.  

3. All the cool places… more to come!

 Our fist day exploring Valletta was one of my favorites.  Valetta is a beautiful and unique city… perched up on a hill overlooking the harbor.  I absolutely loved the Upper and Lower Barrakka Gardens that we visited… stunning views and the kids just ran around chasing each other and having a ball.  We also took one of those lame tourist trains that take you around to all the sites… hands down James' highlight of the trip.  He LOVED that train and threw a huge fit when we had to get off.  He asked for it over and over in the subsequent days.  As we explored the beautiful alleyways of Valetta with their top-heavy, colorful balconies, we stopped for ice cream and the kids played in a splash-pad fountain area.  They had so much fun.  Ahhh, so nice.  

On the steps of our apartment

View from our balcony

Upper Barrakka Gardens, my favorite place in Valletta:

Chasing pigeons, a favorite pastime

The fortification protected by the Knights of St. John. 

Wandering through Valletta… fun town!

The fountains were a HUGE hit

Lower Barrakka Gardens:

Walking back to our apartment:

The next day was Sunday and we went to the one and only very small branch in Malta… it is part of the Rome, Italy mission.  I love little branches!  The members are like a close-knit family (with all the drama and bickering that comes with a family too)… they were all so kind and welcoming.  Lots of missionaries, including a senior couple.  It was fast and testimony meeting and the spirit was so strong as this very diverse group shared their feelings about God and the restored gospel.  The branch leader said he has never seen so many kids attend church… our kids made 8!  I also like branches because your presence really makes an impact… you feel more special, kind of like celebrities or something,

After church we went and explored the nearby walled city of Mdina.  Beautiful city but a cold and windy day!  Did not dress appropriately for the weather and we froze!

A wedding taking place in the church… can you see the bride and groom at the alter?

The playground right outside the wall was a huge hit!  

James holding up the line

Then we went to visit the coastline, also not far because nothing is far in Malta.  These are the Dingli Cliffs, the highest point in Malta. 

This pic was taken just moments before Emily fell really hard on some rocks and got scraped up on both knees, both elbows, and her hip.  Needless to say, we were done for the day.  She howled as Ben carried her all the way back to the car.  Poor Em!  At least she didn't break anything.  By the way she was screaming you would have thought so!

The next morning we took a boat ride to the Blue Grotto… a beautiful place with caves and azure water.

That afternoon we went to a fishing village, Marsaxlokk. We ate ice cream, did some shopping at the outdoor market, and enjoyed the views of the bay.

That night was our last in Valletta… so we went back to the gardens one last time… loved that place!

The place Napoleon stayed when the French invaded

The next morning we left Valletta for another area of Malta, but first hit up St. John's Cathedral since it was closed the first time we tried to visit.

Then on we went to St. Paul's Bay.  On the way we stopped at the Malta Marine Park… ok, huge let down.  First, it took us an hour to find it.  Had a hard time finding it since it was such a rink-a-dink tiny hole in the wall.  And it was hot.  And the entrance fees were expensive.  BUT, the girls had fun watching a dolphin and sea lion show, and also going to a reptile show where they got to hold snakes.  That was cool.  James just jumped on the little trampoline the entire time.

No fear, this girl

After settling into our new apartment, we went to the beach at Paradise Bay the following day.  This was my other favorite day.  Perfect temperatures, sunshine, relaxing little bay… it was crowded but we carved out our own little space and that's all we needed.  The water was freezing but the kids had a blast wading in it anyway.  This is what a vacation is supposed to be like!  We spent five hours here… I would have stayed longer… so relaxing and fun to be with the kids.

Em even went swimming!  Super cold!!

We spent our last day at the nearby island of Gozo.  It was another cold, windy day.  And it was a pain getting around the island… google maps took us off-roading… you should have seen where we ended up!  Only ATVs should have been on the roads we were on.  Was glad we made it out alive!  Highlights of this day included the Azure Window and a delicious lunch at a picturesque little restaurant.  One of the very few positive dining experiences the whole week!

Taking the ferry, yes, I'm seasick. 

The Beautiful Azure Window

Em looks thrilled, right?

Random place we stopped at to eat… so fun!

The kids played in the booth for most of the two hours we were there.

Some other sites of Gozo:

This beach was awesome but it was way too cold and windy to stay long.  

Skipping Rocks:

And that's a wrap… we flew out the next day!  I was very happy to come home.  Very happy to be able to prepare our own meals and work out of my own kitchen… something easily taken for granted!