Seemed like the simplest feat of all,
To unlock a door that shielded the walls-
Of my home, and its comfort.
'Twas like unwrapping in winters, a shawl.
As life's passing woes,
Added more painful lows
Behind that door, I stayed locked
Like in a pair of tight shoes, the toes.
But a breeze once let the door unlock.
Caring not, about so much as a knock.
It was then, I recall stepping out for a walk,
To observe and listen to nature talk.
The sea glittered, like gold from the sun
And many a hearts, the bird songs won.
That day I thanked the cosmos a ton,
And promised myself, never to shun-
From a feat that seemed the simplest of all,
To unlock the door, that shielded my walls!
Malta unlocked much else beyond staggering natural beauty, jawdropping architecture, and great food. My fondest encounter till date, remains to be with a selfless Maltese native, in the island of Comino. Like many others, he arrives there in his catamaran, early in the morning, from the neighbouring island of Gozo, sets up a food stall, and rents out his sun loungers to earn a living. Save for a luxury hotel, Comino is an uninhabited island. By day, it is visited by Maltese vendors and tourists. Without any temporary shelters like restaurants and shopping centers, I had nowhere to go, when the island greeted me with a downpour. "You can stand here, under my beach umbrellas. I won't charge you for this. Please be my guest", said a kind voice, as I stood there dubiously, with rain lashing my face. Reminiscing such instances always restores my faith in humanity. From him, I learnt about the hard lives of the locals and decided to buy the enticing, but exorbitantly priced pineapple drink, that I had earlier judged as a way of extorting money from tourists. It's the least I could do, besides relating this anecdote. On another occassion, I was hiking a coastal trail near Valletta, when, owing to the strong gusts of wind, my tripod lost its balance and found a stunning cliffside lookout, to get stuck at. Once again, the locals came to my rescue, almost risking their lives this time. Looking back at my time in Malta, it feels like I was served a very generous dose of kindness-an antidote to any unfair situation in my life!
THINGS TO DO IN MALTA
1. Spend a day or two in Valetta, Malta's capital.
a. Start with the Upper Barakka gardens that offer stunning views of the three ancient fortified cities of Vittoriosa, Senglea, and Cospicua, once ruled by the Roman catholic, Knights of Malta.
b. Crash one of the cute cafes for some Pastizzi, while exploring the steep
streets with baroque-clad buildings.
c. Chase sunrises and sunsets along the many waterfronts, and hike along the trail from the Golden bay to the Ghajn Tuffeiha Bay.
d. Visit the Blue Grotto.
2. Set sail to paradise on the most reasonably priced public ferries in all of Europe. The view over Victoria, Gozo's capital, is best seen from the ferry both during arrival and departure. So make sure to pick a nice seat!
a. Set aside an entire day each, for the Gozo and Comino islands.
b. In Gozo,
-Explore the imposing citadel, a center of activity since pre-historic times and later developed for military and administrative purposes, during the rule of several ancient empires like the Phoenecian and Roman.
-Visit the Ghasri valley, for its natural beauty. Beware of the jelly fish, if you decide to take a dip!
-Hike from the Ghasri valley to the generations old, heritage salt pans of Xwejni, which are in use even today!
-Hike to the Tal Mixta cave, that offers sweeping views over the Ramla bay. Weathered and moulded due to Malta's geographical location, are the many caves, which are a window into the past, as evinced by archaelogical surveys. If interested in pre-history, there are many megalithic excavations to explore around the country too!
-Time your return to Malta to catch a spectacular sunset over the Gozo skyline.
c. Watch out for the sea caves, on the exciting ferry ride to Comino.
d. Chill at the blue lagoon, and take in the vistas of the rugged mediterranean landscape from the various vantage points on the island.
3. Visit the silent city or Mdina, the erstwhile capital of Malta. Being sparsely populated and amid sounds of ones own footsteps or clopping horses, it is the best place to admire the Maltese architecture, while travelling back in time. The unique blend of Phoenician, Roman, and finally, the Arab cultures is palpable, starting right in the name which changed from Maleth to Melite to Mdina.
4. Visit Marsaxlokk, a bustling fishing village, where businesses were first established in the 9th century BC, upon the arrival of the Phoenicians. Soaking in history while taking in a sight of the vibrant Luzzu boats bobbing on the glimmering mediterranean bay, is a fine way to end your time in Malta.
HOW TO GET AROUND
Malta consists of three islands: Malta, Gozo, and Comino. Buy the Tallinja card for 3-7 days (depending on your stay period), to use on the public buses in Malta and Gozo. Comino can be explored on foot, after arriving by ferry. Tickets can be purchased at the Cirkewwa ferry port, that can be easily reached by public buses.
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