Today was a strange day. We didn't have much of a destination in mind so took the bus into Sliema and went into Tigne Point Mall to see if there were any after Christmas sales. The prices are so inflated in this dense tourist area that nothing was a bargain. I bought a sweater for €8 and I'll see if I really like it or not.
I really like it. It's warm in way that my wash and wear shirts aren't. It's looser rather than clingy and let's the air move through my clothing. I'm all about being warm right now. Layers upon layers, lol...
Limoncella, good for a shot or two but that is it for me....have had my "shot " for this year.
This will always be one of my favourite scenes. The skyline of Valleta. It will probably be like my love of doors and I will have many pictures from different angles and different lightings.
We decided to go over towards the west passed Mdina and Rabat to the Craft Village. One thing is for sure....never believe what one bus driver tells you about bus numbers and how to get somewhere. We were told to get the 202 or the 203 but were not told in which direction. After about twenty minutes we knew we were going in the wrong direction. So we get off and then wait for another bus. This is our view hoping the dark clouds won't rain on us as we wait again in St Julians.
After a half hour the same bus comes back on its return trip. It is only about 7km to the village but it takes us almost two hours to get there. It is a bust! There is a little village of really old Qonset hut type buildings with all things touristy.....it looks like someone has been to Quartzsite and brought a container back and now charges €10 for a string of Quartz chips that I would have paid about 25 cents for in Arizona. We have been on so many buses today we are starting to have drivers for a second time.
HSBC Bank is the bank of Malta. It's quite funny to see the logo on every corner in every town. If it's not a full banking branch then it is either a bank machine or what they call an Express Bank Center. Here is Malta's Loomis truck delivering a container of something ....maybe they just insert a bank machine canister full of money into the machine. One thing is for certain every Maltese man, woman and child has a cel phone and uses bank machines.
We are home, a quick supper...Bob had a pork steak and I had Lampuki, the Maltese version of a dorado or mahi, mahi, depending from where you are eating it.
We have a 'dining room table' but as you can see from this picture I have taken it over for my painting place. I have to keep my glass of paint water away from my wine glass or bad things will happen. As was expected I have way more supplies than I really need but who knew....it's always nice to have choices. I really am using most of what I have and then I have back up if I run out of pens or paints.
A few of the most common surnames, Gauci, Debono, Vella, Zammett, Agius...I was told by Mr Debono, from the War Shelters, that the family names are all old and they have a family crest belonging to each one. Going back hundreds of years the villages were so isolated that a whole village would have the same name....I don't think it reflects inbreeding but more the survival of the surname. Our apartment landlords are Gauci's and Debono's.
Tonight we were discussing how we feel after being here for 3 1/2 weeks. We are very comfortable in our apartment and have settled in to the routine of walking for our groceries and traveling by bus for our exploring. From my point of view it would be crazy to try to drive here. Just being on the wrong side of the street is confusing enough to catch a bus and drivers are very aggressive on one hand but passive on the other....I have not seen any examples of road rage like we would experience at home. People stop anywhere, put their flashers on and buses go around. They park facing the wrong way, don't stop at stop signs, back up wrong way on a street to get a parking space. It's crazy but it works for everyone. Today the bus couldn't make a corner because someone had stopped in the street to visit with people in front of a corner market. The bus driver honked and the fellow ran out waving and moved the car. Everybody's happy.
I may have a European gene or two in my blood bank because I love the attitude, the fast and slow pace of life, the mix of cultures. I just have to remind myself to keep looking at my surroundings and not starting to take it all for granted. Love Malta:)
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