Monday 4 March 2019

MALTA via SARDINIA AND PANTELLERIA


Wow that sounds impressive, island to island !!
It was cold, damp and cloudy as we took off from Bournemouth airport bound for Malta. Eventually through a gap in the clouds I could see land and sea and recognised the bay in the north west of Sardinia where I made my landfall to Sardinia in 2004, in fog.


There was still some cloud but I could make out the south east tip of Sardinia, 


and later the island of Pantelleria  set in a golden sea. 
In the distance I could also see the coat of Tunisia. Malta was bathed in soft evening light as we came in to land. 


Malta has been home so I always have things to do and people to meet on each visit. Highlights included lunch at the recently reopened vegan ANGKA Café at Marsa, and a chat with long time friend and owner Dr Lidia, 

and going with Connect Africa radio show co-presenter David Perry to visit Fr Dionysious  Mintoff at Peace Lab, Hal Far. 

David and I also met another day for a chat and discussions about future programming.
Then came the weekend of “the worst storm in Malta for 37 years”. We have spent plenty of times on the boat trying to keep us and boat safe in storms and did not need the adrenaline rush of going out to observe this one at first hand. A massive hail storm left the roads white with large pieces of ice and the temperature plunge to 5 degrees Celcius. The NE winds raged on for two days and nights uprooting trees, crushing cars, and sending breaking waves over coast roads and into buildings causing much damage.
Photo credit Kurt Arrigo.






A fish farm was damaged and hundreds of fish were washed up onto the road at Xemxija. Locals were risking their lives to catch them and some were later selling them at 2 euros each.
The apartment we rent is comfortable and has air-con with heating, but that blown air is not easy on the head and breathing after a time.

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