a sunday on malta

IMG_3382

although moses absolutely makes our little family ten million times better, it was pretty awesome to spend some baby-free time with my one and only. ian is sincerely my best friend, my deepest love, my true companion and my favourite person. he somehow simultaneously drives me completely crazy and makes me so crazy happy. our marriage is haaaaard work in a lot of ways, and undoubtedly the most difficult thing i have ever navigated – but i am consistently blown away by how much security, happiness, sweetness, and fun it has offered me -- and the challenges have stretched me in hugely positive ways. i love my husband and i love us together. 

and i especially love us together adventuring in malta!

after that dreamy saturday on gozo and comino, we spent sunday on the main island of malta at church and then exploring cities and the coast.

IMG_4621 IMG_8918
^^ it was wonderful to join in on the services of the small branch of the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints in the town of mostra. i never knew what a maltese hymn book looked like until i saw one that sunday! :) ^^
IMG_3264
^^ 15 august is a holiday in malta – the feast of santa maria – so lots of the streets we drove or walked down were decked out with flags and garlands. i love that kind of stuff! ^^
IMG_3268 IMG_3271
after church, we set out to find a traditional boat that we could ride around valletta’s grand harbour on. it was a total fiasco that included a big ole spousal fight, a boat crash (seriously!) and the realization that we had paid for a ride around the opposite side of the city from what i really wanted to see form the water (valletta’s domes and steeples). ugh, not our best couple of hours.
IMG_3270IMG_3278IMG_3280
but! we still saw some pretty scenes and eventually figured out how to get on a boat that would afford the expected views (although we had to go with a crowded ferry instead of a charming colourful rowboat :) )
IMG_3285IMG_3300IMG_3299
we walked through the narrow, atmospheric, hilly streets of valletta for a few minutes before leaving the capital city. a very unique and cool place!
IMG_3303 IMG_3323IMG_3306 IMG_3313
^^ there are traditional british phone booths sprinkled around malta and gozo. it was fun to see a little hint of home while on a little island in the mediterranean sea! ^^
IMG_3311
we stopped by the ancient city of mdina and took a stroll through its charming streets. it was so quiet and felt so magical!
IMG_3360IMG_3350 IMG_3339
and then we ended our day at the “blue grotto” (see the first picture in this post) at sunset. it was the perfect finale to our trip. so so gorgeous and peaceful.
IMG_3365IMG_3388

we definitely need to go back to malta. we barely even scratched the surface of its intrigue and beauty and culture and wonder. but we had a really great trip, just the two of us.

Comments

  1. Lovely photos! :-)

    These days, in particular, it's refreshing to hear a realistic perspective on marriage...the great along with the not-so-great. Thanks for your honesty!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The boat ride was not worth fight about. Why not laugh about it instead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. this comment made me chuckle. of course i agree that it's not worth a fight and it's best to just laugh about it ... but life/marriage doesn't always work that way ;)

      Delete
    2. Nothing is ever worth the fight - doesn't mean that fights don't happen. My husband and I had a falling out about using the last of the milk last week - obviously later we laughed - though not in the moment :)

      Delete
  3. What a beautiful, beautiful place and I love what you captured in these photos. I also am really grateful to have read the full picture of your day. I adore your adventurous spirit and zest for life and seeing that with bits of hard parts makes it even more amazing and relatable (along with me being in my early 30's with a one and a half year old). Thank you! Happy Sunday :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment