Back to Manoel Island

Julie

We return to our familiar spot at Manoel Island, right in the middle of the chaotic mooring field. Luckily, “our” buoy from last time is still free. A little clarification about this “free” mooring field at Sliema and Manoel Island: most of the buoys belong to locals. They’re usually not too happy when tourists use their buoys: sometimes lines get damaged, which costs them an expensive diver, or they return from a trip to find someone else tied up in their place. In addition, there are buoys that were placed illegally (and thus belong to no one), as well as buoys owned by companies or private individuals who don’t use them in summer because they’re chartering. We’re on one of those now. As long as you treat the spot with respect, the owners don’t mind. Unfortunately, some boats ruin it for everyone, and some locals have already filed complaints with Transport Malta. So it remains to be seen how long this system will stay free or available. For now, we’ve been given confirmation that we can stay until the end of September and we’re very happy about that. It’s quite exceptional to be this close to the city, without stress and without costs. Once we’re properly settled in, we head to the shop for groceries. Later that evening, we decide to explore Manoel Island and discover that you can actually walk all the way around it. The next day we venture out further: via a detour we walk all the way to St. Julian’s and back. For lunch we stop at Angolo. Greg orders the ftira with steak and egg, while I go for Italian waffles with prosciutto, arugula and caramelized onion. Surprisingly tasty and not expensive, we’ll definitely be back. Afterwards we pop into The Adventure Shop. We don’t need anything, but I always enjoy browsing outdoor stores. Then we continue walking to St. Julian’s. Everywhere we see Belgian flags waving and we wonder why… After some Googling, we find out that St. Julian’s flag is identical to Belgium’s. Mystery solved. On the way back we follow the waterfront: along the salt pans people are sunbathing, and there are ladders everywhere leading straight into the sea. Malta keeps surprising us in a positive way. After that long walk we take a refreshing swim ourselves and finish the day with tapas on the boat. The next day starts off less great: I feel a bit unwell, so I crawl into bed early with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and a hot chocolate. The days fly by, and before we know it, it’s already September. Even though the calendar says so, with temperatures still above 30 degrees it feels like the middle of summer. Thankfully, the evenings cool off a bit. Meanwhile, I keep working my way through my Harry Potter marathon. On the 02nd of September, we take the bus to Mdina and Rabat, two of the oldest places in Malta. Mdina, also called the “Silent City,” was once the capital of the island and is completely surrounded by imposing walls. The narrow streets and baroque buildings transport you straight back to the Middle Ages. Just outside the walls lies Rabat, livelier, with charming squares, churches and Roman catacombs. In recent years, Mdina has become even more famous thanks to Game of Thrones, which filmed several scenes here. No wonder: walking through these streets feels like stepping into a fantasy universe. We like to alternate activity with rest, so on September 3 we take it easy. I perfect my cinnamon rolls recipe and must admit: they turned out SO good. Even Greg, who normally doesn’t really like sweets, couldn’t resist them. On the 04th of September, we take the traditional luzzu boat to Valletta for three euros per person. Our own attempt with the dinghy had failed because the waves were crashing too hard against the quay. I must admit I even felt a bit seasick on the crossing, but luckily it passed quickly once I set foot on solid ground. We begin our day in a spice shop that feels like stepping into another era: glass jars filled with herbs, seeds and nuts, retro scales and soap boxes everywhere. We buy sunflower seeds, ras el hanout, dried apple with cinnamon, all spice, and raisins. Afterwards we visit Fort St. Elmo and the National War Museum (€10 entrance fee per person). The star-shaped fort was built in the 16th century by the Knights of St. John and played a crucial role during the Great Siege of 1565. It was also strategically important during World War II. The museum tells the military history of Malta through the centuries and shows just how important this island has always been. Absolutely worth it, you could easily spend hours there. After our museum visit we eat at d’Office (Greg has fish & chips, I a modest frutti di mare pizza) and stroll around a bit more. Taking the luzzu back to our dinghy, we notice our feet are sore after yet another day of solid walking. But what a wonderful day it was. Two days later we visit The Three Cities: Birgu, Senglea and Bormla. By bus it takes us only half an hour to reach Birgu, where we lose ourselves in the narrow streets lined with beautiful houses full of flowerpots. In the marina, the Lady Georgina, an elegant British yacht with lots of woodwork, immediately stands out among the modern boats. We have lunch at an Indian restaurant: a vegetarian mixed platter with paneer, onion bhaji, naan and more delicious treats. Then we walk on to Senglea, but the heat is intense. In the Gardjola Gardens we find some relief with an ice-cold Coke Zero from a vending machine. Under an olive tree, with a light sea breeze, I lay my head on Greg’s lap and just stare up at the rustling leaves. We wonder aloud if we should continue on to the third city, but honestly, we’ve seen enough for today. It’s simply too hot. We hop on the bus back to Gzira and take our dinghy, waiting at the quay. Back on board, I curl up with our two cats.

Boat & Crew

El Burro

Swallow Craft Design Group, Swift 33

Gregory Ramis Ferriol

Owner

Finn

Pet, Male

Nelly

Pet, Female

Julie

Owner