Wind from the North

The wind rose noisily last night and is still blowing from the North so the waves are crashing over the breakwaters on both sides of the harbour entrance.

This morning I met two friends, Christina and Roger, who are visiting Malta from London, and showed them around the walking route outside the Valletta fortifications that has become a regular part of my life. Today it is dramatic and wild and we had to dodge flying spray at several points on the route.

We started the walk by taking the temporary metal steps that have been built at the side of the entrance to City Gate. This scaffolding structure is part of the Renzo Piano renovations going on at the main Valletta entrance and also the EU funded work around the fortifications. I wasn't sure where the steps went so it was an exploration for me as well as my friends but, as I guessed, it lead us down into the ditch outside the walls and from there it was easy to walk down to the Marsamxett side of Valletta. Once past the landing point for the Sliema ferry and round to Jews Sally Port we were free of the parked cars. During weekdays this whole stretch of ditch is used for the vehicles of the Valletta workforce.

The rest of the walk was wet, wild and windy and I was a bit anxious at times that my friends might be swept away by a freak wave. But we made it round easily past the bridge to the breakwater destroyed in World War 2 and the rusting mechanism for the harbour boom defense. From there, dramatic steps and metal walkways lead to the informal fishing village where there is a mural of C20 battleships on the rock carved out by the knights. We came up the steps at the back of the Mediterranean Conference Centre, formerly the knights hospital and from there it is an easy stroll to my flat for coffee.

I've written about this walk in some detail because I am scouting it for Malta Ramblers. I figured that I should start giving something back for all the pleasure I get from living in Malta so one of the things I'm going to do is volunteer to lead one of their walks. I admire the work they are doing in speaking up for the conservation of what is left of the Maltese countryside. Along with other NGOs, they are beginning to change the way people here in Malta think about how we use and abuse the countryside.

The photo that heads the post is of a Xlendi sunset. This weekend the Malta Ramblers are visiting this fishing village in Gozo and I'll be going over to join them on their Friday and Saturday walks. My older brother has also come to live in Xlendi so it will be good to spend some time with him as well. The photo was taken when I was over there for Christmas week last year.