When in Malta…
Malta is in the European Union, so it uses the Euro. Many people speak English, so getting around or asking for directions is generally not an issue.
The Maltese love eating out, and like in other Mediterranean cultures, food is intrinsic to the way of life. Don’t miss out on trying the local “pastizzi” – a pastry puff filled with either cheese or peas (my favourite). They cost between 30 to 40 cents each and are delicious,quick and easy when the hunger pangs descend upon you. Due to its closeness to Italy,Italian cuisine is everywhere and generally very good. I had many wonderful meals at The Oasis on the Sliema waterfront, which offered a yummy pasta dish of the day with a glass of wine for the grand price of €4.99!
One must not leave Malta without trying Kinnie – the local soft drink made from bitter oranges and spices. If you enjoy beer, then try the local brew called Cisk which is light and frothy, but also quite potent when you least expect it. Maltese wines are quite lovely too, with a citrusy feel to them.
The national dish is rabbit – indeed, if you are lucky, you will spot brown rabbits hopping quickly into burrows around the island. You can try it as a stew, roasted a garlic, wine and tomato sauce; or as fried chunks with chips and salad.
The local pigeons and sparrows have grown adept at scavenging, and most are bold enough to fly onto your table or by your feet, cajoling you to throw a crumb or two. Beware though, once you throw a crumb at a seemingly lone sparrow, another twenty might appear out of nowhere.
Every Sunday, the fishing village of Marsaxlokk becomes a bustling hive of activity with its fish market and seafood restaurants. The local families drive there for a lazy day out and the sense of community is palpably in the air.
Perhaps derivative of their Italian connections, the Maltese do like to dress up for an outing. What I found disconcerting was men not washing their hands after using the loos. I don’t know about the women but I used my anti bacterial liquid a lot more than normal.
I stayed in the wonderful little Marina hotel on the Sliema waterfront. Staff were very friendly and helpful. The location was excellent as it was a few steps away from the Sliema Ferries terminal, bus stops to St Julian and Valletta, and flanked by both McDonalds and Burger King (not necessarily a good thing, and both feature the slowest fast food service I’ve ever experienced), and lots of wonderful restaurants. A large local supermarket is around the corner, so we could hardly complain. Furthermore, the terminal for the hop-on hop-off bus that I used for much of my sightseeing was right in front of the hotel.
I flew British Airways in Club Europe with the Sliema Marina Hotel as part of a package (£220 per person).