Tuesday 13 March 2018

Malta Off the Beaten Trail is a series of articles about the less accessible areas of the island for which a sturdy pair of walking shoes and a degree of physical fitness is usually necessary.
It all started when the Azure Window collapsed into the sea and I realised that our son, who had seen the Grand Tetons, had never visited one of the most-photographed places on the Maltese islands. I knew then that we could not take the natural wonders around us for granted any longer and needed to get off the couch and start exploring. In the absence of the much more famous Azure Window, the arch at tal-Hamrija seemed a natural, if smaller, next-best choice.
Getting to the Congreve Memorial is fairly easy, it’s a downhill walk along a paved path that is accessed by taking a left at the Hagar Qim Temple Complex carpark towards the Mnajdra temples. (Since this route by-passes both temples, there is no need to pay an entrance fee.) A few metres before the path ends at the Mnajdra temples, an unpaved path through the garigue veers left. Take this path and make your way over the rocks and patches of soil, paying attention to the vegetation as it is mostly protected, to the Congreve Memorial.
Congreve Memorial
The Congreve Memorial is dedicated to a former Governor of Malta, Sir Walter Congreve. During his life, Sir Walter developed a deep affection for Malta and its people and his wish was to be buried at sea between Malta and the tiny islet of Filfla. After his death in 1927, his request was granted and a memorial in his honour was erected in this spot.

Thursday 8 March 2018

March has made its debut and it will bring with it longer daylight hours and warm breezes. For those who love summer, March is a promise that the crazy season is on its way. It is a month that fills me with bursts of unexpected energy, fuelled by the sudden fierce winds that will send clouds scudding crazily across the sky.  Truth be told, March is one of my favourite months and I always make sure that there are some things for me to look forward to:
  • Our trip to Rome.
Rome is definitely one of my favourite cities in the world and I’ve already visited 4 times, the last time being in 2003 for our honeymoon. This is the longest time between visits and I can’t believe that 15 years have passed since my feet last walked on the cobbled streets of the Eternal City. Hopefully, we will pack as much sightseeing as we can during our 5 day visit, which is why I am always on the look-out for insider’s tips and Natalie Kennedy’s blog An American in Rome is a wonderful resource for all sorts of information about the City on Seven Hills.
Malta & Italy 2003 082

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Sincerely, Loree. Theme by STS.