I was enchanted by Malta from the very first moment we walked out of the airport. It is a country of sandstone; it seems as though it was completely disconnected from our society of high technology & constant contact, as though it was lost in time. We were driven in an old shaking-cab to our hotel through Northern African-feeling streets surrounded by gorgeous Baroque and Neo-classical buildings. I felt so out of my element, & I couldn't have loved it more!
This is a view of Valletta from the Lower Barrakka Gardens; specifically, on the right is the Memorial Siege Bell. The left is a view of the harbor & that incredible blue water! At the Memorial Siege Bell was a beautiful monument to all the fallen soldiers of WWII. A plaque read:
"At the going down of the Sun
And in the morning we will remember them"
This is a line from Laurence Binyon's "For the Fallen" which is a beautiful & tragic eulogy which everyone should read! (Not being subtle, click the link, then come back to finish this!)
We went to a beach at Xemxija Bay (Also known as St. James Bay) which was your typical beach -- sunny, sandy, clear water, relaxing -- but Malta also had beaches like I'd never seen before!
Across from our Hotel outside of Valletta, in Sliema, were the beaches pictured above. It is one massive rock which the waves beat over & into. I had never, nor have I since seen anything like it. As college students we did the only thing which seemed right: we ran onto them! We hopped over the rocks and into the pools which were created from thousands of years of water washing over the marble smooth rocks. The waves crashed around us & we screamed with delight as the warm water washed around our legs. It was unbelievable, I felt so alive!
We (Lauren, Myself, & Sari as pictured above) went to get our favorite books, & sat a for a few hours reading, soaking in the sun & the sound of the waves crashing, as well as that incredible view. It's a unique memory which I would love to go back to; you should definitely consider it for your bucket list!
The next day we took a day-trip to the Medieval city of Mdina, in the center of Malta. It was an hour-long bus trip through the heart of the country which in & of itself was such a perspective change. The countryside was fields & fields of barren land, inhabited only by stone walls & cacti.
What buildings we did see were far off & bunched tightly together -- one of the things you see in very 'warm' cultures. Mdina is a walled city which is believed to have been founded in 700BC!! It had the same sandstone colored walls, buildings, & even bridges which the whole country seemed to be built of. There was even a bridge with a gate to get in! I was enthralled! Walking down the tiny streets seemed as though we were in a dream, we all stayed quite as though we may wake the sleeping city. The streets were all small, each building touched--connected to one another, & lamps on wrought iron extended above the doors. Stone balconies hung high above our heads, & vines ripe with flowers clung to the walls.
We passed a small jewelry store, & couldn't help but go in. After speaking to the lovely owner for some time, I had set my eye on what I would find out was the Maltese Cross. This is a very recognized symbol for Malta, which can also be found on the Maltese Euro; though when we were in Malta, they still had the Maltese Lira, which were so incredibly deflated that it cost about 10 Lira for a dinner out for three - including wine! The Maltese Cross, she told me, is said to symbolize the eight points of courage for the Maltese Knight:
Bravery
Contempt of death
Generosity
Glory & honor
Helpfulness towards the poor & the sick
Loyalty
Piety
Respect for the Church
I Loved the idea, & bought myself a white gold & crystal necklace which I still wear on a regular basis; it's delicate & meaningful, my favorite style!
We continued to wander through the city, & eventually came upon the boundaries of the city: a tall wall which dropped abruptly about 100 ft and looked over the countryside towards Valletta. Naturally we climbed up to see the view!
It was breathtaking. I believe we sat for 10 minutes without uttering a syllable....then we started speaking & didn't stop until the after the sun went down. Staring out at the iconic countryside, speaking with your friends, enjoying the sun & breeze -- it was perfect. We didn't even realize how much time had gone by until suddenly we saw the lights of Valletta off to the left. Our trip to Malta was filled with unreal moments, & realizations about what friendship is.
Memories with friends are timeless & impossible to put a price on -- cherish yours!
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