2010 August - Malta

Ghar Dalam Cave near Birzebbuga

In Maltese it means ‘Cave of Darkness’ and is located outside of Birzebbuga they have found here bones of elephant, hippopotamus, deer and bear from different ages.

It is said that the cave is about 144 meters deep but for visitors only 50 meters is accessible for visitors. The cave is open all year from 9 am till 5 pm and last admission is at 4.30 pm. A ticket for adults costs 5 Euro and for children 2.50 Euro. 

They accept Euro<26 card. More information you could find here:
http://www.heritagemalta.org/sites/ghardalamcave/ghardalamcaveinfo.html
And if you are looking for some information about caves in Malta, see this website:
http://www.showcaves.com/english/explain/Maps/index.html

For me this cave wasn’t interesting but maybe you will find here something for you.

We tried to find the Bronze Age Village but we found only a cross and a nice view.

Dingli Cliffs

One day we decided to go for a walk from Dingli to Blue Grotto, all way is about 15 km. long. 

We started in Dingli, a small village on the south of Malta (there is a direct bus from Valletta). The cliffs are huge and majestic. Near the cliffs there is a road and there isn’t any footpath so we walked on the cliffs or on the road but there weren’t many cars. 

We had a break near a small chapel called Madalene near the Radar Station which looks like a big ball. The road doesn’t go all way near the cliffs and we needed to visit the Laferla Cross. 

This place is amazing here we met there a chameleon and from the Laferla Cross there is an awesome view on almost all Maltese Islands. We had luck because probably in Zabbar was feast and we saw some fireworks on the sky.

From the Laferla Cross there are Stations of the Cross to Siggiewi but we decided to visit once more the Blue Grotto and at the end of our trip we went to Zurrieq to take a bus to Valletta.

2010 July - Malta

Comino - Blue Lagoon

This time with our friends we visited the island of Comino. The smallest island where normally tourist can go and where is the Blue Lagoon – the famous blue beach. 

In the summer times all weekends there are crowds of people wishing to spend a day on this haven on the earth. To get to Comino we went to Cirkewwa and got a small boat. Near the ferry there is one company, but the better option is to walk about 100m and find a company called ‘Paradise’. 

They have the smallest but the fastest boats and on the way back they will take you near small caves. Between Comino and small rocks projecting from the sea is the Blue Lagoon. Rocks have something really amazing. There is a tunnel to the another side. 

The tunnel is about 10 meters long and part of it is dark but when we were swimming there it was a breathtaking moment when the sun rays intersected water. For snorkeling or diving the Blue Lagoon isn’t a good place but this tunnel or many rocks around are just glorious. Malta is a really safe place but when you have many people from different parts of world it’s better to keep an eye on your belongings. 

 

Comino hasn’t got a sandy beach, there are some sunbeds or people sit on the rocks. On Comino 4 people live for good and in summer time there are hundreds people a day. There is one hotel open only in summer time and one tower. Comino is also good for a small walk and there are many places for yachts.

The Feast in Msida

This time we had luck because we didn’t know that on the day before the ‘Festa’ in Msida there will be such interesting and strange events. 

Near the big round about is marina. In a special place was a wooden beam, approximately 30 degrees steep and very long about 15 m but I am not sure. The wooden beam was covered with something very slippery and at the end of the beam was a flag. 

The man started from marina and run on the wooden beam trying to get this flag. Usually they finished in the middle of it but when the beam dried they were able to get closer and closer to the flag. 

I don’t want to know how painfull when they lost balance. 

Parasailing

There are few places where is possible to do parasailing. We decided to visit St. Julian’s and had a tour and a view from the top.

This takes about 20 min and it is in pairs but the boat takes 6 people at once and the trip takes an hour. You sit in a special bib and where everything is ready you slowly go up. Everything is really easy and the felling is awesome. There isn’t anything what could upsets you. 

The boat has a special platform from which you start and end. If you touch water with yours leg it is only because instructor wants to give you some exciting moments.

Fireworks in St. Paul’s Bay

Once more about ‘Festa’. This event takes place usually for 2 or 3 days with the main parade on Sunday. 

The most important is that they prepare to ‘Festa’ long time before it and city in which is the next feast is lit by blue lights 2 or 3 weeks before. When the town prepares itself to the feast everything all around changes. There are many colourful decorations, the church has special materials on the walls on the feast day the streets are lavishly decorated with banners, flags, large, richly decorated, wooden statues of saints, the angels of paper pulp. The whole thing is illuminated by lamps,  even the facade of the church and the heart of the church bells are decorated.

This time we decided to see the ground fireworks and the occasion was in St. Paul’s Bay. Near the tower and near the St. Paul’s church there is a square where were big constructions of the ground fireworks. 

What was really strange that everybody could walk near these fireworks but when the event was beginning to start the square was surrounded and people stayed in a safe distance. 

The constructions usually were on high wooden poles and all fire equipment were on wheels.  

The fireworks were amazing. 

When they started everything were moving of course they started the small one at the beginning and then bigger and bigger ones. It’s looked like a big blue wheel with many smallest ones red, green and sliver.