Living in Malta

So we have had an interesting week settling into life in Malta. Thought you might be interested in some of the quirky things we have experienced.

We went to the movies on Saturday Night and half way through the movie the picture froze, lights came on and we had a 15 minute intermission, I think intermissions went out in the 70's in Australia.

We also took a visit to the medical clinic(all is well), given a number and sent to the waiting room, as each patient came into the waiting room they checked your number until they found the one that was just before their own number , thus they knew who was due to be seen before them. The doctor never called a number everyone just went in in the order allocated. They also didnt need our address or telephone number so chances of getting a follow up are remote

We have been catching a number of buses but today the driver was smoking (directly under a non smoking sign) and using a mobile phone while the bus inspector was sitting next to him.

The post office doesn't sell envelopes - you have to go to the stationers for them, and the post office closes at noon everyday.

Meat is quite expensive here, most cuts cost the equivalent in Euro as we pay in dollars, except for Pork which is quite cheap(they grow their own) Most other foods are quite reasonable. A Cheeseburger served on a plate with chips and salad cost me 2.9 euro which equates to about $5.25 and an omlette with chips and salad just $7.

Weather is still quite cold and the Maltese say this is very unusual but when the heat comes it will come quickly - basically they really only have 2 seasons, summer & winter. Roll on SUMMER

Easter in Malta

Easter in Malta probably the most imortant religious festival of the year On Friday morning we followed the Maltese tradition of visiting 7 churches -we went to valetta with some family members to do this as there is about 19 churches in Valetta so it is easy to get to 7 of them

Friday evening was the Good Friday processions when the statues representing various stations of the cross are taken from the church and paraded through the streets along with brass bands playing funeral music

The statues are very heavy and it takes 8 -10 men to lift them - they usually only walk about 100 metres before they take a rest - the whole procession walks for about 3 kilometres through the streets of Valetta and takes about 3 hours. Amazingly people actually go in a lottery for the priveledge of carrying a statue

Easter Sunday we went to see the procession of the ressurection which is another statue carrying procession but this time just 1 statue and a couple of bands that walk through the streets for a few hours before running into the church at noon.

Sunday afternoon was spent with family at a traditional Maltese restaurant wher the offers on the menu included rabbit, octopus and horse. John had rabbit but I just had a steak (beef) as I don't like rabbit

On the right of the table are Margaret, Dominic, France, Melita, Tizianna,Dorianne with baby Luca, next to her is her husband Mando, John and Tony you can barely see

The proud grandparents France & Melitta

Bangkok

On the way to Europe we spent 5 nights in Bangkok- it was very hot 36 deg and sticky at least 90% humidity - did the traditional things like visit temples and the floating market but we were certainly glad to get back to the hotel each evening

The crocodile wrestlers were amazing sticking their arms down the crocs throat after opening the 'flap' at the back of their throat, and even putting their heads in the crocs mouth - they may only have been fresh water crocs but to hear their jaws snap when they closed their mouths was really scary -glad we don't do this for a living

Malta Week 1

We arrived in Malta just a few days before Easter - we have a great apartment which is almost as large as our apartment in Oz, it is very clean and tiled throughout, I think it will be great in summer as it is very open plan and picks up a nice breeze from Balluta Bay just down the road, pity it is freezing cold at the moment- Malta is having a very long winter and it is only 14 degrees today

We have a short walk to the water only about 500 metres all down hill - that means it is all up hill on the way back- we should come back thinner.

The picture to the right shows the view from the balcony with the large dome on the horizon being the cathedral in Valetta

It has taken us all week to get the internet connected and we are still working on getting cable TV I don't think we have talked to each other this much in the last 35 years.

Stay tuned for the Easter celebrations