Recently, the 4s and 4i classes had the privilege of going on an 8-day trip to an archipelago in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast: Malta…known for historic sites related to a succession of rulers including the Romans, Moors, Knights of Saint John, French and British!
Our journey started on Wednesday the 17th of May with a 2-hour bus ride to Munich International Airport. On arrival, our luggage was checked in, and some of the girls heaved a sigh of relief that their bags were within the weight restriction. When boarding time arrived, we could barely suppress our excitement to start our adventure to Malta.
On arrival in Malta, we were picked up by a bus and immediately transported to our hotel.
After settling into our rooms, everyone gathered in the lobby to explore the town of Sliema. Dinner followed at the Surfside Restaurant, which is where we ate every evening. With an amazing atmosphere, it also had a gorgeous view of the ocean, as well as a rock beach below. Following our delicious meal, we walked to a small ice cream parlour, not knowing that this treat would become a ritual almost every night.
Our second day in Malta started with lessons at the NSTS English Language Institute. The group was divided into 3 different classes, depending on your proficiency level of English. I was placed in the C1 course, and our teacher was called Ray. Anticipating the course, I was nearly convinced that Ray could not teach us a lot, but I was astonished by the amount of wisdom, his knowledge about history and the eloquent capabilities he apprehends. Ray enhanced our English linguistic skills, by teaching us several idiomatic phrases. Additionally, he taught us about the rich history of Malta, as well as various other topics, like the humble life of Ikea’s founder, Mr. Kamprad, or a story about how dangerous it could be to eat fugu (a Japanese pufferfish.) Once school was done, we wandered through the streets of Sliema until we reached The Point Shopping Mall. Having a bit of free time left before dinner, we decided to go swimming at the rock beach below our restaurant. Dinner and the nightly ritual of ice cream followed.
Day number 3 began with more lessons at the NSTS Institute. Thereafter, we drove to the EUAA (European Agency for Asylum) in Valletta. Here we learned about the function of the agency, as well as how they have helped several people, who have been in difficult situations. Following our time at the EUAA, we explored the city of Valletta, before heading back for dinner. To our amazement, we were surprised with boat trip instead of a bus ride back to Sliema!
Our day came to a close with another wonderful meal at Surfside.
The fourth day started with a trip to Mdina. Mdina is known as the “Silent City”, because once it was not the capital of Malta anymore, it became a virtual ghost town. Joe, our tour guide, accompanied us through this ancient walled city and explained the various types of Norman and Baroque architecture. We also visited the Mdina Dungeons, beneath the medieval palace, where corporal punishment in cells and passageways took place. Just outside of Mdina, we toured the Catacombs in the town Rabat. Our final activity on this day, was visiting the towering Dingli Cliffs with panoramic ocean views, where it almost felt as if the wind was going to blow us away.
The next day, we took a ferry to one of the neighbouring islands, Gozo, where we admired its extraordinary buildings. Later we had the unforgettable experience with a spontaneous boat ride to the Blue Grotto. On the way back to Sliema, we stopped for a quick swim at Ramla beach. Bowling after dinner, ensured the most memorable evening!
On day six in Malta, we toured the capital city, Valletta. Our tour started with a short, informational movie about the history of Valletta. After this, we strolled through the main road of the city, where most of the famous shops and restaurants are located. Additionally, we visited the Upper Barrakka Gardens, where we saw the canons firing at 16:00.
Day 7 started with us admiring The Megalithic Temples and was followed with swimming at the Pretty Bay beach. On our last day, before heading back to the airport, we visited the Esplora Science Centre. Due to our flight back to Salzburg being delayed, we arrived home much later than expected.
Visiting Malta has been an unforgettable experience with everlasting memories. We will forever treasure the closer friendships and spectacular scenery of this historic jewel.
We would sincerely like to thank Ms. Simon, Mr. Moser, Ms. Enhuber, and Ms. Waldl, who accompanied us, and ultimately thank everyone who has made this trip possible.
Gabriella Franz Kumpf, 4s
