Travelled: Only by scooter, the Hymer is up on ramps and hooked up to electricity.
Visited: Mellieha, Malta
Stayed: Camping Malta, L-Armier, โฌ21.50 pd, all the usual services. N35.99484, E14,36686
We have fallen into the campsite lifestyle here at Camping Malta. In the caravan behind us our English neighbours are great fun and we chat each morning and evening about whose-who in the campsite and things to do around Malta. In front of us a young German guy in a converted van, has good english and we have the odd chat mostly about how sun-burnt he is.
Whilst you can easily walk along the road to the next beach, walking anywhere else is difficult. The local limestone near the coast is weathered into an irregular moonscape of jagged rock and hollows.
Out for an early walk around headland, a balmy 28ยฐ at 8am.
Looking back at Camping Malta.
As we carefully walk we discover Coral Cove. A collapsed sea cave only 200 metres from our site. Vince tells us people have drowned here and itโs very dangerous if a swell developes.
Looking along the coastline, the water is clear but the rocks jagged.
Our neighbours tell us the nearby town of Mellieha is well worth a visit so we decide to start our Malta exploration there.
We find the old town of Mellieha on top of the hill as you would expect. Itโs a steep climb on our little scooter but we soon find a parking spot near the Parish Church of Our Lady of Victory.
Not sure who this fellow is but he has pride of place in Mellieha.
Across the courtyard and a level below the Parish Church stand the Sanctuary a stopping place for pilgrams since medieval times.
A quick look inside the Sanctuary, we were surprised to find a several people sitting around, but then again it was quite cool in there. Then again it is claimed that St Paul, stopped here and blessed this place.
We eventually find a tiny tourist office and the girl provides a map and recommends a couple of things to visit.
We go on to visit the Air-Raid Shelter museum, โฌ2.40pp.
It was constructed to provide shelter during WW11 built within a couple of months. At 12 metres below ground level and 500 metres in length it was the largest in Malta. Nice and cool down here, lots of photos and some memorabilia from the 1940โs.
Lastly, we walk down a long flight of stairs to the Grotto of Madonna. Built within a deep cave. A small spring tickles on one side, it is reputed to have the power to heal sick children. A bit spooky and your hot and sweaty after the 50 steps back up to ground level.
So we have done the old town, we scooter back to the Hymer for a swim. Our neighbours John and Linda ask do we want to go with them back into Melleiha for dinner tonight ? Their Lexus handles the road from hell much better than our scooter.
A last photo of the Church, as we walk to the restaurant. I had the pan fried rabbit, excellent.
