Anne Visits Malta

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Intro and welcome:

Dear Blogger: Thank you for visiting Annevisitsmalta.com, I created this blog for two reasons. First, I wanted to introduce bloggers to the island of my birth, Malta, a small country in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. There was a time when no one knew about Malta but with recent cruising it has become a popular stop. The second reason is that this blog accompanies a book I recently wrote Return to Malta. It was suggested that photographs here are a much better choice than photographs on the printed page.

I am not an accomplished computer person and as such, I have made a mistake that, I am told, I am unable to rectify. I started the blogs with an introduction and continued, until I was finished. The problem is that now, as you see my blog, you end up starting with the last entry and continue until you get to the first.

It makes more sense to start with the beginning so I’m asking you to please scroll down to the end and start there. I have contacted WordPress to see if they can fix this issue but in all this time I have received no positive answer.

I know you’ll enjoy this journey through Malta. Thank you for stopping by.

Anne Pflug

Hal Saflieni Hypogeum

Photos taken from Heritage Malta brochure. No cameras allowed on the premises. — Rock cut imitation of architecture in the Main Hall

6000 year old underground cave paintings

The Hal Saflieni Hypogeum is the oldest underground burial site in Malta. At 6000 years old, it is considered older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids. Malta has many of these old structures but this Hypogeum is the only underground burial site. It is located in Paola, very near the Tarxien Temples I discussed in the previous blog.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, this is one of the “must see” prehistoric structures in Malta. More information is included in Day 5 of my book Return to Malta, available from Amazon.

Photos are taken from the Heritage Malta brochure. Cameras were not allowed inside the structure.

This blog annevisitsmalta.com enhances my book Return to Malta by visiting most of the places mentioned in the book with color photos. The book is available through Amazon and other book stores.

Be sure to visit my other blog: annepflugcom.wordpress.com

Tarxien Temples

photo by Patricia Pflug

On my last trip to Malta, Thanks to my daughter in law who is interested in archeology, I visited areas in Malta that I had not visited before. I was very surprised at what I learned.

The Megalithic Temples in Malta are the oldest in the world. Would you believe, older than Stonehenge; older than the Pyramids. Yes! The Tarxien Temples are especially important to me because when I lived in Malta, as a child, I lived within walking distance to these temples and we used to play there, not realizing the importance of the structures. Only recently, in the last 50 years or so, have they been “discovered” and protected and enclosed with ramps added for clear viewing.

These prehistoric temples, and there are quite a few, were built during three distinct periods approximately between 3600BC and 700BC and are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

One more reason to be proud of my Maltese heritage.

Be sure to visit my other blog: annepflugcom.wordpress.com

70 years apart

Baracca Gardens, Valletta, Malta 2019 70 years ago, as a child before we emigrated to the States, my mom and her friend took us to the Upper Barracca for a last view of one of Malta’s beautiful gardens.
70 years later, I took my son and his family to the same place. It’s amazing that not much has changed. the trees are bigger but the statues are still in the same place.

I’m the big kid. We were wearing grey flannel slacks, red sweaters and white blouses. We had no color photography in 1949.

Be sure to visit my other blog: annepflugcom.wordpress.com

World War II Shelter

On my latest visit to Malta, I had the opportunity to explore, once again, the shelters where we survived World War II. Our shelter was just across from our house, in Tarxien, and, as soon a we heard the air raid sirens, meaning bombs were on their way, we would rush out and go down into the shelter. We were lucky, we had a private area in which to spend our time. In fact, that room was where my sister Mary was born, amid bombs coming down as they did daily for two years. Thankfully, the shelters saved our lives as they were hewn out of rock and pretty safe to survive in. It was a long time ago but I still remember that time clearly.

Be sure to visit my other blog: annepflugcom.wordpress.com

The Miracle in Mosta

This bomb landed in the center of an already famous church in Malta during World War II. The Maltese people are sure that it was a miracle considering the many bombs that fell during the war and all of them exploded, creating great damage to this little island. The blog titled “The Church Ceiling in Mosta” shows exactly, in the ceiling, where the bomb entered the church.

Miracle or not, it was an amazing occurrence, one that was not repeated again.

Be sure to visit my other blog: annepflugcom.wordpress.com

A Different View of Sliema

photo by Anne Pflug — The Sliemofa few tourists see.

Sliema from a rooftop gives one a completely different view of Malta. Not much older architecture; no churches dominating the skyline but solar, air conditioning and construction cranes. This is the newer Sliema with continuous building for the tourist trade. I hope this is just a rare and not to become common view of Malta.

This blog annevisitsmalta.com enhances my book Return to Malta by visiting most of the places mentioned in the book with color photos. The book is available through Amazon and other book stores.

A Break from Sailing

Halfway through our cruise around Malta, the Fernandes dropped anchor for our sumptuous lunch as well as for a quick cooling dip into the sea. We relaxed here and prepared to board the smaller boats that would take us into the caves of the Blue Lagoon. Also, once anchored in the secluded bay, many spent time swimming, snorkeling , sunbathing and otherwise enjoying relaxing on the spacious decks. It was a continuation of a lovely day.

This blog annevisitsmalta.com enhances my book Return to Malta by visiting most of the places mentioned in the book with color photos. The book is available through Amazon and other book stores.

Be sure to visit my other blog: annepflugcom.wordpress.com

Ready for the cruise around Malta

It was a beautiful day, just right for a cruise around the island of Malta. We boarded a Turkish gullet, The Fernandes, and were very excited to spend this gorgeous day at sea. We picked up the schooner in Sliema and were soon on our way, northward towards Gozo. It was a perfect day.

This blog annevisitsmalta.com enhances my book Return to Malta by visiting most of the places mentioned in the book with color photos. The book is available through Amazon and other book stores.

Be sure to visit my other blog: annepflugcom.wordpress.com

The Church Ceiling in Mosta

During World War II, a bomb fell through the dome of this church but did not explode. The Maltese people thought it was a miracle and neutralized the bomb and now have it on display. If you look carefully, you will see where the bomb had fallen through and where the dome was repaired. If you divide the decorated dome into quadrants, you can see the ‘not so perfect’ repair job in the upper left quadrant. I have a feeling that it wasn’t repaired perfectly so that all who look up can see this evidence of this miracle.

This blog annevisitsmalta.com enhances my book Return to Malta by visiting most of the places mentioned in the book with color photos. The book is available through Amazon and other book stores.

Be sure to visit my other blog: annepflugcom.wordpress.com