National Aquarium of Malta

Instead of visiting Valletta today we toured northern Malta by car ending up at the aquarium in the afternoon. The dull, overcast skies and brisk to gale force easterly winds didn’t show the island at its best.

We had a coffee watching the breakers and windsurfers at Mellieha Bay then drove on to an equally windswept Armier Bay overlooking Gozo and Comino. We didn’t stay long.

Lunch was at the Bay Square Cafe at Miracles Beach before heading off to the aquarium. An interesting place, well presented and informative, with a serious and somewhat depressing message about what humans are doing to our ocean and it’s resources.

Todays blip is of one of the traditional Maltese fishing boats, known as a Frejgatina, complete with the eye at the bow which has been a symbol of protection from ancient times which is said to be a legacy from the Phoenicians.

Barbara and David returned to the apartment so we went for a walk along the coast through the town of Pembroke which was a thriving military area from 1850s to 1979 when the last British troops left the island. Much of what is left is derelict although some new developments have been taking place.

The most interesting aspect of the walk, apart from passing a desalination plant, was crossing an extensive limestone pavement complete with all its own unique habitat.

My impressions of Malta remain in the balance, I was expecting something rather more uplifting than we’ve seen so far. Perhaps it’s the time of year or the weather?

However, the day ended well with a fine dinner at a nearby Sicilian restaurant