Karen Gales Youngson: Sunshine and We Are Out

We had very strong winds last night. We thought we were out of propane. Poor George was over again and it turns out the wind is just blowing out the pilot light. He has never rented his apartments for this length of time at this time of year before. The issue of heating is somewhat of an unknown for him too. So within a week of our departure we now seem to have figured out how everything works. Bob is not happy with any of the showers, lol. Most people at this time of year are from Northern Europe, Great Britain and only here for a week or two. Like Canadians going to Mexico or Hawaii in January and February. So they don't really set up housekeeping like us.

We are an anomaly for him too. When he comes over we have so many questions for him about life in Malta. He says that usually when he picks up his guests at the airport he brings them to the flat, shows them the basics and then doesn't see them again until it's time to go back to the airport. I think he enjoys our conversations as much as we do.

We take our time this morning but are still out before 10:00. I have wanted to stop in Zabbar which is on the bus route from Marsascala to pretty much anywhere. I have seen a good sized Arts and Crafts Shop before we get to Fgura. Today we stop. It is much more a craft shop than an art supply store but I still manage to find something for my supply bag. A Kuretake paint brush, just like my Sakura water brushes, but these are filled with coloured cartridges. They are non refillable but still a novelty souvenir for me. The most interesting, unique thing in the shop was the wall of button containers. They are stacked, honeycomb style, with every colour imaginable. One button like those in the tube is attached to the front so you know what you are looking at. You just pull out the tube and take however many you want. Slick!

We are now waiting for a bus that will take us to Marsaxlokk. It is the hardest part of travel for Bob, the waiting and also the traffic noise. He's starting to miss his truck more and more. For me, I am a people watcher and there is a never ending supply of stimulation passing in front of me.

Ghodwa t-tajba.... Good morning.... A little Maltese language lesson from the Pastizzeria man where we got a slice of mushroom pizza. The way he says it, it sounds like 'buongiorno' in Italian, where some of the Maltese language originates. He gives us a few examples of salutations. But it is beyond me to follow or make sense of it all. It makes for laughter, a happy Pastizzeria man, and we can't help but smile too.

Two buses later and a smoke and coffee break by our bus driver and we arrive in Marsaxlok. Compared to our first visit to this colourful fishing village after Christmas, it is quite busy. I think there must be a few tour buses because there is an abundance of European and British people walking around. When we were here earlier there were no cafes set up on the walkway along the harbour. Today they are full and the prices are for the tourists. We know the bus we need to get us back directly to Marsascala and it happens to be sitting at the bus stop. It is a little disappointing that it is as busy as it is so we take our mini bus home. Bob manages to get some good pictures as we walked along the waterfront. Despite the tourists it is still a working fishing village.

It is an unbelievably colourful setting. It is stated in the travel brochures that Marsaxlokk has the most colourful fishing boats and harbour in Malta.

We are home before mid afternoon and the winds from last night and this morning are not so strong. We are able to enjoy the late afternoon sun on our back patio before dinner. I am still trying to capture the colours and movement of the sea and our harbour.