Mediterranean's Best Kept Secret; This is MALTA.

The Group

Just got back from a 6-day semi-spontaneous trip to Malta with two friends of mine from Lausanne, Jenna and Daria. We have been back now for 7 days and the only question we keep asking each other is: "When are we going back to Malta?" This should give a little idea as to how our vacation went on this one-of-a-kind island.

First impressions are everything in my opinion and my first impression of Malta as a culture-rich country with almost no poverty, welcoming locals, cheap (delicious) food, and beautiful scenery was lasting. One thing I hadn't realized until I went to Malta was how much I missed the ocean. Granted it's the Mediterranean sea, not the Pacific, but being a California native with only the lake to comfort my ocean withdrawals here in Lausanne, you can probably see why it was so nice to be near a body of salt water with waves again.

Beach near Calypso's Cave

Words describing Malta: stunning, heart-stopping, majestic, moving; basically a place like no other I have ever been to.

How we came to decide to go to Malta is a story in itself. One of the girls I traveled with has a friend studying in Spain and she mentioned to my friend how she wanted to visit Malta. We would find out later that this friend of Jennas' made a mistake in her message, wanting to visit Morocco not Malta. Also her plane would end up being cancelled and she would never make it to Malta. But despite this and despite not ever meeting her, I feel compelled to have to thank her for basically creating our Malta trip.

Famous Fungus Rock at Dwejra

I'll admit, when Jenna asked me if I was interested in going for vacation there, the first thing I did as the typical north American was "google" Malta. Of course I had heard of it before, but what I didn't know were some key essentials such as geographic position (south of Sicily), language (Maltese and English), and what I would discover when I got there, little things like they drive on the other side of the road. Trust me when I say, Maltese cab drivers do not appreciate when a tourist trys to get in on the right side or driver's side of the cab; they think you are stealing the cab!

The Azure Window

When we arrived we didn't know what to expect; we also didn't plan anything and just decided to wing it. The first day we took a ferry to the north island, Gozo and then ended up taking a tour bus (shameful I know, but to be fair it was my first tour bus) around the whole island. The next day we took a harbor cruise, seeing Valletta (capital city) and other shore sights.

By the end of the trip I think the three of us could agree that we had learned as much history about one country as we did about our own countries in our entire high school career. This small, densely populated island has seen it all from being ruled by Britain, Napoleon, Tunisia, ancient Greeks, Romans, Sicilians, and even the knights of St. John as well as being supposedly where St. Paul was shipwrecked and where Odysseus was held captive for seven years by Calypso.

View from our Hotel

Since our trip, we have noticed that we came and went at a good time because of recent events in Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt and with Malta being so close to North Africa, the island is now experiencing an influx of refugees and foreigners. And of course after the famed London trip, I would hate to get stuck on another island and have to experience every mode of transportation besides a plane! That's not to say, we did not have our share of trouble in Malta, but as usual with our trips, the good always outweighs the bad. As a young student traveling through europe I take everything with a grain of salt and look at the big picture which is to say: I'm going with the flow and having the time of my life.

Well until next time, au revoir!!

St. Julien's Bay in the Background

Gozo

St. Paul's Bay