Hi Everyone!
Thanks for dropping by.
This post will be a short one, but I’m gonna share it anyway because of what it represents…
As an arcade experience, it’s the equivalent of biting into a KitKat and discovering it’s chocolate all the way through. Or maybe that should be biting into a Malteaser, and finding there’s no honeycomb centre?
Why?
‘Coz this latest ramble is all about Malta.
Right. Now that we’re all here, can everyone who’s been to Malta please sit down…
Now, those of you still standing, can you point to Malta on this map?
What, no one?
Lol!
Don’t worry, until the beginning of this year, I would have been the last man standing. I’d heard of Malta, of course. Mainly due to it being mentioned in the Eurovision Song Contest. And I was aware that it was an island somewhere in the Med.
Turns out that the island of Malta is between Sicily and Tunisia.
If, like me, you live under a flat stone in the rain-soaked glens of Pictavia, Malta is the perfect destination for a blast of light, heat and culture in the early spring – just when you’re starting to think that the sun is never coming back.
When we departed Edinburgh airport at the end of March, the temperature was way down in single digits. Typically for that (or any) time of year, there was also standing water in the sky. On arriving at Valletta airport later that evening, however, it was dry and – despite being well after sunset – still a good 19°C. The next few days were mostly sunny, with the mercury nudging 23°C in the afternoon. For me, that’s Goldilock’s territory. Not so hot you’re going to be melting into your Sketchers, and not too cold to walk about comfortably without a jacket. Just right!
Although it’s a small island, Malta doesn’t have many beaches. Instead, it’s famous for its sheltered bays and harbours. Over the centuries, the millennia even, they’ve helped to establish the island as a nodal point in international trade and commerce. Its ports were expanded and fortified by a series of powerful incomers, including the Romans, the Moors, the Knights of St John, and the British. It’s all very Game-of-Thronesy, or Napoleony – if you’ve been to see that yet?
During the Second World War, protecting Malta from the Germans, and keeping it supplied through a fierce Nazi blockade were key to securing the Allied advance into Sicily, and then the Italian Mainland.
In short, Malta has a lot of history. It’s also very built up, and possibly the mostly densely populated country on the planet. To be honest, you wouldn’t want to be driving a car down there. But thankfully, you don’t have to.
The bus network is phenomenal, linking every part of the island with frequent services. For locals it’s also totally free. But even visitors only pay EUR 2 for all but the fastest express buses. That means it’s easy and cheap to get about. So, there’s no excuse for not seeing the sights.
I had really wanted to visit the Hypogeum at Ħal Saflieni – a multi-level, underground ritual complex dating back to 4000 BC. Sadly, even although I checked for tickets a month before going, it was already fully-booked until the autumn! Never mind though. I was able to take in Hagar Qim and Mnajdra instead, after a nifty little boat tour round the Blue Grotto.
It was also super easy to nip down to the Sunday market at Marsaskala on the SE coast, and in to the ancient citadel of Mdina in the middle of the island.
But there’s also tonnes to do in Valletta itself. There are museums, galleries, cafes, bistros and bars aplenty. There were plenty of places to eat, with the standard price for a good quality meal being about EUR 20 a head. Burgers and chips were cheaper, but the local specialities seemed to be rabbit, and octopus. Given the island’s location, it wasn’t too surprising to find out that there’s also a lot of Italian influence. If octopus isn’t your thing, there’s pizza and pasta on tap! Just as well, really. It’s easy to work up an appetite in Valleta. The gorgeous old streets are a pleasure to explore. There are also city walls to conquer, and gardens and parks aplenty where you can kick back and catch your breath.
If you get tired of walking there’s a massive lift down from the citadel to the water line, and a series of speedy boats to take you across to Sliema, and the other parts of the Three-Cities area.
Arkadia: Merchants St, Valletta VLT 1175, Malta.
One thing that there doesn’t seem to be in the ancient heart of Valletta, is a cheap supermarket. Yes, the city has several Lidls etc. but they’re all a boat ride or bus trip away. According to GoogleMaps, there was meant to be one very near where I was staying. The alluringly-named ‘Arkadia’ foodstore. I went looking for it on my first night, but couldn’t find it.
Was that just me being daft? Probably. In my defence, however, the main part of the building that you enter from the street is filled with a food court selling all kinds of yummy street foods. So it was easy to get distracted. It turned out that out the supermarket was actually hidden from sight downstairs in the basement. It wasn’t the most economical, but it did have a wide range of ‘interesting’ seafood!
I bought a few bits, mainly for the bag, and sauntered back to the appartment for a snack and a snooze.
On passing by again the next day, something at the back of my head told me to look up. It must have been the ultra-sonic, siren song of the CRT. Because on straining my ageing eyes at the first-floor windows, that’s exactly what I saw!!!
Making my excuses, I zoomed in, bounded up the escalator, accelerated through the swanky bar area, and careered round the corner into a… deserted amusement arcade! What a real blast from holidays past. There was the ubiquitous air hockey and pool table, the usual weird gambling game, and several old-school CRT-based video-arcade cabinets!!! OK, so the racers were (imho) a bit ‘meh’. But there, at the heart of it all, was a testament to the high art of the fizzy pixel. Perhaps the very last-flush of the Golden Age of video-game entertainment. Not just a Time Crisis, but the best of all the time crises, Time Crisis II! Joy!
Epilogue
I really enjoyed my trip to Malta. It may only have been for a few days, but the weather, and the ambience were terrific. Finding an old-school arcade in a public place was the cherry on top of the icing on the cake. It may not have been Rygar or Raiden, but in this day and age, I’m happy to enjoy a bit of a crisis out in the wild. If I get the chance, I’ll certainly go back.
Next up? Well, we’ll have to wait and see what the New Year brings. In the meantime, have a very,
Merry Christmas, folks!
Arcade Odysseus 