Manoel Island / Sliema / Valletta

Julie

On our left we see the old city of Valletta, on our right rises modern Sliema, and straight ahead lies Manoel Island. Sailing into a city is always a special experience, but here it feels a little different because of the striking contrast between old and new. Greg had already been in touch with Pete via WhatsApp. He was going to point out a buoy for us near Manoel Island. As soon as we enter the bay, Pete appears in the distance in his small dinghy, enthusiastically waving at us. We follow him, relieved that we don’t have to figure out on our own which buoys are available. The mooring field is well organized, but you need to know where you’re allowed to tie up. Pete directs us to the large blue buoys. The ropes and the chain are so strong they could easily hold a fifty-ton boat. We’re given both a bow and stern buoy, so we are firmly secured. Pete warmly welcomes us and explains where we can leave our dinghy and where to find the nearest supermarket. Once we’ve tidied up the boat, we head out straight away. With the dinghy we’re in Sliema within two minutes, and after a short ten-minute walk we’re already at Lidl. After shopping we quickly eat something on board. Then Greg drops me off so I can explore the city. Later he picks me up again and we chat a bit with Pete in our cockpit. Greg takes out the grill and makes hamburgers. The next day we walk all the way to Valletta along the impressive waterfront. We wander through narrow streets, admire the stately buildings and settle down at a terrace for a refreshing drink. For lunch we choose The Drunken Dumpling, although to be honest it didn’t quite live up to our expectations. Afterwards we stroll along the city walls, enjoying the views over the water. Valletta has so much more to offer, but we’ll save that for another time. The heat becomes unbearable, so we take the ferry back to Sliema. A one-way ticket for two people costs five euros. Back on board we immediately seek out the shade. On the third day I leave early for a coffee bar to upload episode twenty-five of our YouTube channel, Sailing El Burro. Mobile data here is limited and expensive. In Spain and Italy we always had three hundred gigabytes available. Such a plan doesn’t exist here, so we have to adapt. I don’t really mind. Less data also means less endless scrolling. An occasional trip to a bar with good wifi is a fine compromise. Around noon Greg comes to pick me up. While I was away, he went to get diesel at a nearby gas station. The price surprises us: only €1.21 per liter, a big difference from Italy where we still paid €1.90 (with service). We hear Tunisia is even cheaper. In the early afternoon a thunderstorm suddenly rolls in. We can’t even remember the last time it rained, so it feels almost festive. The boat gets an instant free rinse. That same evening we discover the enormous three-story Welbee’s supermarket. We’re amazed at what they have. Later that night another storm arrives. Greg lies half-asleep in bed, clearly enjoying the spectacle, while I hide under a sheet with the cats. On Sunday we head out early to the laundromat. A wash cycle costs eight euros. With two full bags of clean laundry we return to the boat feeling satisfied. By evening we move our boat to another mooring. The next day the fireworks festival at Manoel Island will begin. The previous edition went wrong and the island even accidentally caught fire. On Monday morning at nine o’clock we’re ready for the first bangs, but nothing happens. Even half an hour later it’s still quiet. No problem, since fireworks don’t interest us much anyway. Later in the day we hear that it will only start at six in the evening, but that too turns out not to be true. Only two hours later the first explosion finally sounds. From just two hundred meters away, every blast reverberates through the hull of our boat. Nelly bolts in fear, Finn retreats to the bed, and I try to calm them down. The fireworks aren’t even beautiful, just deafeningly loud. Since it will go on for three days over the weekend, we decide it’s better to move to another bay. On Wednesday we take the dinghy back to Valletta. It’s such a joy that we can leave it almost anywhere without any problem. Today we want to visit the gardens. We first walk to the Lower Barrakka Garden. It’s a small but charming spot with colorful flower beds and a stunning view over the Grand Harbour. In the middle stands a monument in the form of a Greek temple, dedicated to Sir Alexander Ball, the first British commissioner of Malta. We then climb further to the Upper Barrakka Garden. The view there is even more impressive. We can see the Grand Harbour, the iconic Three Cities, the cruise ships and parts of the city itself. We also discover the tall Barrakka Lift, which connects the gardens to Lascaris Wharf. For just one euro you can make a return trip, ideal for anyone who prefers not to tackle the many stairs. After our visit we have lunch, pick up some brochures at the tourist information center, and stroll back to our dinghy that patiently waits for us. We take another loop around Manoel Island and end the day relaxing on board. We spend our (for now) last evening here with a barbecue together with Pete. We move our things over to the rocks on Manoel Island, where other people are also enjoying food and good company. The next morning we cast off early, just before the fireworks are set to begin again.

Boat & Crew

El Burro

Swallow Craft Design Group, Swift 33

Gregory Ramis Ferriol

Owner

Finn

Pet, Male

Nelly

Pet, Female

Julie

Owner