Valletta Malta

Valletta as seen from Sliema

I had a good breakfast at my hotel lots to choose from. I handed in my keys so they could move my luggage to my new room.  My hotel was a perfect location right on the Strand, I knew I made the right choice.  I was right across from Valletta and I had to walk about 15 minutes to reach the ferry to Valletta. I got a ticket and hopped on board it and took off in minutes. The trip from Sliema was short about 10 mins and I was busy snapping photos as we crossed. I had been advised by my friend Laurie who had been there in March that there was a shuttle van that would take me up to near the center of town for one euro and save me the long up hill walk, thanks Laurie.  

Monument commemorating the Great Seige of Malta 1565

some of the many statues on the corner of a buildings

St Francis Assisi Church

interesting heads around the statue

ceilings 

I still had a bit of a walk into town uphill but at least the worse part was a ride. I was early but it was already getting crowded but then it dawned on me if was a Saturday so maybe not the best day to visit.  I came across St Francis Assisi Church and had a look around.  I continued on the main street where lots of shops were towards the end I crossed a bridge and then I found a beautiful fountain The Triton Fountain  the water was not running and I since discovered it was being restored. It was just outside the gate of Valletta and a short walk further on a pretty little place Maglio Gardens it was really starting to get hot and I had to sit a few minutes but that sun beating down walked trying to find a tree to sit under to no avail so I crossed the street and walked under some trees towards  St Publius church it was beautiful to look at but sadly it was closed so I could not look inside.  

Maligo Gardens

Maligo Gardens

Independence Monument 

The Triton Fountain 

St Publius Church in Floriana, Malta

atop St Publius 

on the door

I then headed back towards the bridge to Valletta passing the Independence monument. The uphill climb to the Upper Barrakka Gardens was worth it for the views of Valletta and the Mediterranean Sea. I walked slowly down and I was starting to get  a bit hungry and being Saturday  a lot of little cafes were set up outside. I saw one with a menu that I liked but it was packed outside, I finally found the actual place was around the corner walked in and it was hot in there, the poor waitress had to walk back and forth between there and tables outside.  I continued to walk headed down hill, and I mean downhill to a little church that I saw in the distance I was looking with my zoom lens (which was becoming very handy and could see a woman try to get in so realized it was not open and went no further. 

Antonio Scirtino's Les Gavroches depicting three Parisian street urchins

I started in search of something to eat and down one area I finally found a place Moo's Kebab I walked in ordered and sat at a table outside where I managed to knock my coke over such a mess, but got napkins and cleaned it up. I continued up and down some streets and came across Our Lady of Mt Carmel I went inside and looked around. When I came out I decided it was time to head back to the ferry but I had to wander some streets and I just could not recall. Luckily I met a couple traveling with the woman's mother so I followed them and finally found the ferry, I had to wait a bit but finally one came.  I then arrived back in Sliema and headed to my hotel. I was then given the key to a new room and also told for my inconvenience I could either have a taxi ride to the airport or a meal at another hotel. Since I had already a shuttle booked I choose the dinner. I then went up to my room and I was totally shocked by the size of my room. I also had a balcony with an amazing view of Valletta and I sat outside on my balcony a bit to enjoy. GOT TO LOVE IT!

The typical facades of Valletta

view from my balcony

Not quite what I planned a day in Loutsa Greece

My last morning in Croatia it was raining and so instead of taking a walk near my hotel I stayed in my room and checked out when I had to and then I walked to the bus station and I was lucky as the rain by then was just a few drops. I got on the bus and then back to the airport for my destination of Athens. I had one night to spend before I took the plane to Malta. I had planned on staying at a hotel in Port Rafina and have a day by the water, I booked a hotel Avra Rafina it seemed a really nice hotel. Well that was the plan but about a week  before I was to leave on this adventure I realize I did not have a print out for the hotel and I went to the my computer found the booking link in my history and when I clicked on it I got a shock, the hotel reservation said cancelled. I began to check all over the internet for the hotel and then I finally found an email for the hotel imagine my shock when I received a reply the hotel was gone out of business. Yes they did and it was sudden and I was so shocked I was not informed but attached was a email explaining. Now I was about to head over in a few days and I rushed to find some place else to stay.  The places in Port Rafina all had bad reviews so I started looking for places nearby and also not far from the airport. I finally found an airbn that offered free airport transportation. I booked this place.

They did pick me up at the airport as promised and then I was taken to my room it was a cute little place and I had a bathroom kitchen and bedroom. It was however remote and down a road and I was quite leary of spending the night there on my own. I made the reservation to go back to the airport the next evening and despite the booking saying free transportation and the woman actually saying it I was told there would be a small fee of 15 euro and of course I had no choice but to pay it.  I survived the night but when I went to open my suitcase which was on the floor near the door to outside it was full of tiny ants that had got in crackers I had sealed and put away. I was freaking, most were on the bag so I threw that out and took everything out and shook them.

saw several of these tiny shrines on my walk

I then decided to walk to the beach which was suppose to be about 5 mins away but was more like 15 minutes. There was a cute little church so I went inside. Then I set off in search of taverna that were suppose to be 15 minutes away but they were close to 30 mins. I walked along the water and finally got to town. I was in a supermarket and decided to get something sold at the hot deli picked what I thought was a piece of beef on a roll and imagine my shock as I sat on a bench by the water to have it and it was liver I tried to eat it but after a few bites nope. I was lucky I was near several eating places and found something else.  I then walked into town looking around saw ice cream but was informed that was not sold this time of year.

It was a bit of a walk back to the place I was staying and I finished packing and awaited my pickup for the airport. The flight over was good and I arrived in Malta in the evening and then I went to the desk to book a shuttle to my hotel I was lucky in that there was one leaving in a few minutes and there was only one other person. It was about 30 min drive to my hotel. I was happy to see it was a nice hotel.

Day tripping to Bosnia Herzegovina

Next up was Bosnia Herzegovina  another country that was on my list, and being so close to Croatia helped.  I was walking around Dubrovnik and found a tour Elite Travel down an alley way. I liked that this tour was by van so I booked it, instead of by bus.  The  girl working there was from Bosnia and we talked some about it and she arranged for me to have the later pickup from my hotel.

I was picked up at my hotel at 7.30 am which meant I was able to have breakfast at my hotel and the van had only 3 other people a couple from Ireland and a man from Tyrone Northern Ireland. The tour guide gave his name but then said you could just call him David, I was able to sit right up front with him and I liked him from the start. I also enjoyed his accent and his pronunciations like the word Valley pronounced Velly.  The drive was amazing and with a beautiful day traveling through Croatia along the Adriatic Sea  the scenery was good  and our guide filled us in with interesting bits of history on Croatia.  We then had to cross the boarder (one of 3) into Bosnia Herzegovina into Neum a coastal town it has a small resort area and it is the only part of Bosnia Herzegovina that is on the sea, and then traveled a small distance and then we were back in Croatia. We made a quick stop in Mogorjelo in Croatia where the ruins of a Roman Villa was excavated. 

Kittens or ruins

 

We continued on until we were back in Bosnia Herzegovina and finally our first stop was a small Turkish town Pocitelj, which is a historic Ottoman Village. We only had 30 minutes to explore and with good intention to make the most of this tiny town I spotted some baby kittens, it was too hard to not stop and take photos as they were posing so sweetly.  Out guide pointed out a castle that was high up on the hill and the Irish couple we able to made the treck to it. Pocitelj the town was  built in the 14th Century and included a castle, and mosques and Turkish bath.  Gavrakanpetanovic house built in the end of the 1600. The town became a National Monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After a quick goodbye to the cats it was time to leave.

Kula the Castle/Fort in Pocitelj

Mosque

Gavrakanpetanovic house

Onwards to Mostar which was the highlight of the tour we first had a tour with a local guide Boris and he walked us to the old town which is on the Neretva River the Old Bazar Kujundziluk is there and it was a Turkish market.  It was small area and very crowded and we continued walking through it to the very famous Mostar Bridge, which was built by the Ottomans in the 16 century. I read later that the original stones were recovered down the river by Hungarian Army divers.  The guide took us down below the bridge and we were lucky in that the time we stood there we were able to see two men dive off the bridge. They have professional divers that will jump after they have raised 20-25 euros that is used for the maintenance of the bridge. However we were told for centuries men have dived off the 21 meter bridge to impress the local girls.  Our guide also said occasionally people die doing this the water in not very deep and lots of rocks around.   The bridge was destroyed during the 1990 conflict and was rebuilt in 2004. The guide also pointed out buildings in the town where bullets remain from the war as a reminder of what has and could happen.

the shallow water 

Mostar view from the Bridge

reminder of the war

After we had several hours to ourselves the 4 of us were walking together and suddenly we lost the Irish couple the man from Northern Ireland was walking with me for awhile I think he was worried to leave me on my own and was trying to keep an eye on me. I told him I would be okay and he finally left to get a bit of lunch.  I walked back to the bridge to see if from above and it was hard as it was very slippery the and I was worried I'd slip and fall so had to be careful and hang on even standing still was a challenge. I held on for dear life as I attempted to take some photographs. I was going to get something to eat but got so busy looking and then finally saw ice cream too hard to resist *so what else is new. I sat and had it on a bench and did my one of my fave things when I travel people watch. I then walked around the market area looking at the beautiful lanterns and watched a man  creating his art.  The Irish man found me again he seemed relived and then we ran across the couple so we walked together a few minutes and then they needed to look for souvenirs to take back home.

 I set off in search of toilet and finally asked someone and they pointed out where one should be and nothing asked someone else and sent me off to another spot and nothing. By now I was getting thirsty and also needing to find one I decided to head back to where we were suppose to meet up thinking maybe there was maybe Id find a toilet there and sure enough in a restaurant. I then walked to the meetup spot and met the Irish  man  again and then we were looking for the Irish couple and spotted them then we had to find our guide and he was looking for us and I said we are all here. 

It was time to head off to our final destination of Medjugorje the tiny town where the Blessed Virgin Mary has been reported to have appeared to 6 children in 1981. The Vatican has not recognized this apparitions.  The guide dropped us off and we had 40 mins we were dropped by the church and really there was not much to see. I think the Irish couple were disappointed as they thought that we were going to visit the actual spot but the guide told us it was up on a hill that we could not walk to.  I walked to the end of a cemetery there and saw the cross in the distance marking the spot of the apparition. You can actually make the climb to the top if you have the time I then came across the the Risen Christ statue that people were walking around chanting and some were climbing and rubbing it with tissue.   I asked the guide later and he told me about it. Apparently the statue started leaking fluid from one of the knees and some people say it is oil while others say that they have seen blood. 

 I wish we had time to stop in the village as it looked cute and more interesting. It was time to head back to Dubrovnik and we once again crossed boarders 3 times. this was a total of 6 boarder crossing our guide said we were very lucky that there were not lines at the boarders and we made a quick crossing sometimes if can take an hour to cross one. I was able to get a passport stamp which of course was something I was very happy to get. I was also happy that I now have visited 4 countries that were once part of Yugoslavia. 

beautiful stations of the cross

 

Pilgrims rub the statue

Outdoor altar of St James church

boarder crossing