My hosts are so lovely, I knew they would be. During the night there was so much rain, it woke me up. There really is something lovely about lying in bed listening to the rain, especially when it is so warm. Funny incident this morning. I was in the utility room with James looking for loo roles. No, let me tell you this story how it really was. I am in a tiny space with a gay man whilst a woman is trying to lick my flue! I said to James, blimey come to Malta and go home a lesbian. He laughed so much. I have to say the woman was their adorable dog, who for some strange reason, just want to lick me. I wish I could find a man with those skills. Moving on .......
I caught the bus to Mdina. This was on my list of places to visit. This place, the
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| Breakfast for less than 2euros |
quiet city as it is know, has been there since 1500 bc. Just take a moment to think about that. I started off my visit with a Rick Stein moment. The boys had told me about a place called the Crystal Palace, I did say to them by the time I get there it will be The Emirates or something similar. I could not believe my luck, the bus stopped right outside. Apparently, this place do the most amazing pastizzis - a local dish that trust me is not on the SW plan. I ordered one with peas (big mistake later on in the day, I know, too much information), one with ricotta cheese (amazing) a bottle of water and a tea with lemon. This cost me 1 euro 80 cents - bargain. The food was amazing and the boys were telling me later on when I returned home that the place does an amazing trade in the early hour of the money when the night clubs chuck out. I can see why.
I then went into the walled city of Mdina. It is totally stunning. I really liked it
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| Mdina |
there. Mdina used to be the old capital of Malta, and you can really see why. I would love to live there but I am reliably informed that I would have to have a small fortune to afford anything there. It is where they filmed some of the Game of Thrones. The light on the buildings was so beautiful and needless to say I took so many photos. I wandered around, as I do, and come across a convent called the Covent of St Dorothy. That is going to be my plan, to open a friends of friends of Dorothy home for old gays and there she is old St Dorothy and her 'girls' slap bang in the middle of Mdina. Only I could find that. I spent a couple of hours in the walled city, just walking around. It truly is a beautiful place.
I then decided to catch the bus back into Valletta. I am sitting to an elderly gentleman on the bus who started to talk to me in Maltese, I did not have a clue but I did get the impression that he was trying to be 'friendly'. I have seen a bit of this here if I am honest. There really is a thin line between friendly and
'friendly'. Anyway, he got nowhere with me and sat mumbling to himself for the rest of the journey. I got off at Valletta and got the next bus to Sliema. Someone in the know (the same fuck wit I mentioned yesterday had told me about Sliema as they were, at one point, thinking of buying something there) had told me about it. It was OK. It was full of British shops: Next, Wallis, Monsoon, Marks and Spencer - however what all these shops had in common was they sold clothes that I would not have recognised in any of them in London. Very strange. It was like a New Zealand moment all over again! I did not buy anything, well a pair of earrings and a notebook to keep my scribbles and
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| Mdina - such lovely light |
thoughts in until I can write them up. Sliema was very much like London; a giant building site but with the sunshine and sea. I did not see any single traveller but I did see a large number of British couples of a certain age. It is funny how some of them will look at you, some with a look of pity because I am on my own, others with a look of defiance as if to say why are you on your own. The one thing that travelling has taught me is, we are all alone, whether we are in a couple or single. Most couples don't talk to each other, one or both of them playing on their phones. At least I am not putting up with all that rubbish and I can choose what I want to do and when I want to do it!
I then went to find out about Malta's version of the Oyster card. Up until now, all bus fares have been 2 euros. However, for 21 euros I have a card now that lets me travel as much as I want. I got on the bus back to Valletta and started
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| Sliema |
talking to a Jet 2 rep (she was in her uniform). We got talking as two blokes pushed past us to get on the bus. I said it was good to see patriarchy alive and well and she said don't start me. Apparently, my gut feeling is correct. She said she will be glad when her season was up as she is sick and tired of the men's attitude. Interesting. We said our goodbyes and I wished her a good and happy life as I stayed on the bus to Valletta.
By now it was around 18:00 so I decided I was going to have an ice-cream for my dinner (as you do) and very nice it was too. I found a bar and ordered a beer and he presented me with two saying it was happy hour! So I sat there watching the world go by (still being looked at by some of the sanctimonious
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| Happy Hour! |
couples as I gave them a smile) drinking my beers and reading my book. It is so lovely to be able to sit out in the warm, evening air. I need to be living somewhere warm I have decided.
Went to the bus station to get the bus back home and saw a bus with a different number but to my destination. So I caught that one. Big mistake. By now my phone had 10% battery left on it and I did not have a clue where I was. All I did know is that the bus was going to the town where I was staying. This bus went everywhere in the darkness of the night. It finally arrived in my town but I did not recognise anywhere. I asked the bus driver and he said just walk down the hill. What you need to know is that it was pitched black and not a soul around. I walked down the hill for about ten minutes then looked on my phone at google maps (I had put in my new home address). I could not believe my luck, talk about someone looking over me. I was a few metres from my home. I laughed out loud. You really could not make this up.
I got home and my hosts and the dog (who is still licking me) were in. We sat
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Layla the licking dog!
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chatting for an hour. They are so lovely. They have given me some ideas for my trip tomorrow and places to see when I get there. We just sat chatting like we were old friends. I am having such a lovely time and today has been a good day.
As always, with my love x
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