Initially, we assumed that Malta, being an island, would share Hawaii's temperate climate. In Hawaii, summer temperatures can reach 90 degrees, and despite the humidity, the Tradewinds make it bearable. However, Malta's climate is distinctly different. Here, temperatures also soar into the 90s, but there's no cooling breeze. Malta is a desert island, and we are counting down the weeks until the end of summer.
The intense heat has prompted us to put a lot of our sightseeing on hold. However, we had some free time on Tuesday morning and despite the heat we decided to drive to the Blue Grotto Lookout. We had seen pictures and were anxious to see it in real life. We located the lookout point on the map and we were on our way.
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| When we got there, a trail led from the parking area to this view. It was indeed beautiful, yet it differed immensely from the images we had seen of the Blue Grotto and we wondered if we were in the right place. |
It wasn't until we reached the end of the trail, that this immense natural wonder, the Blue Grotto, came into sight. It surpassed our expectations with its breathtaking views and crystal-clear blue waters!
Despite the sweltering heat, we made our way to the harbor to take a boat tour.
The harbor was filled with swimmers jumping into the clear blue waters. We also saw several groups of Scuba divers and numerous boats taking tourists on excursions. We promptly bought a ticket and waited for the next boat.
The boat tours are performed by boatmen in traditional Maltese Fishing boats that go in and out of a complex of seven caves. The views were stunning!
This is one of the most remarkable sights we have seen in Malta!
PDay - Wednesday
On Wednesday, the Sister Missionaries were invited to lunch with the RS President, so we thought we were off the hook with having to hang out with the missionaries this week. But then the Elders called wanting to go to a Napoli Pizza place in Sliema. We will pretty much do anything the missionaries want, so we immediately left to pick them up. After lunch, we decided to walk down to Amorino to get some Gelato. On our way, we ran into the sisters. They had finished their lunch and they were excited to go get Gelato with us.
We took advantage of the opportunity to capture this photo against the iconic backdrop of the Valletta skyline.
We've yet to find a restaurant here to call our favorite. However, the local grocery store occasionally distributes buy-one-get-one-free coupons for a buffet at the Salini Resort. Normally, I discard them, but this week, we decided to give it a try. It turned out to be fantastic; the food was delicious.
After dinner, we took a stroll along the seashore and enjoyed the glow of a beautiful sunset.
During one of our morning walks, we stumbled on to this impressive cemetery.
This week in English class, we had an activity where the students were to choose a topic from the board for dinner conversation. This exercise was successful with our Chinese students years ago, but it unfolded differently with this group. Rather than discussing the given topics, they shared their longing for family dinners. Being far from home is challenging for them. They come to Malta alone, seeking employment or learning English, hopeful for a better future. Malta is a cultural melting pot, with students from Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Pakistan, Portugal, the Philippines, China, and more. Their profound homesickness was palpable, and many tears were shed as they recounted their poignant stories and the struggles of being separated from their loved ones. Their stories deepened our understanding and empathy for their experiences. Additionally, it heightened our gratitude for the privileges we have in the United States, a land abundant with opportunities for personal and professional growth. The evening was enlightening and profoundly moving for all of us. We sure love these students!
We are grateful that our Branch President was finally able to return from Spain. He had to leave the day after he was sustained to pick up his wife and baby and bring them home to Malta. They had been waiting for months to get the proper citizenship papers cleared. Steve and the other counselor had been doing their best to run the branch while he was gone, but they weren't able to make any big decisions without him there. Steve is excited to finally have the branch presidency together and to have the opportunity to assist in reorganizing the branch.
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