We were lazy this morning and just enjoyed being in the flat. We had no plans for the day, except for our 7:00 p.m. dinner date with the Farrugias and the Tabones. We decided to take a picnic lunch to the beach and spend a few hours on the sea side, as opposed to the bay side, of the Sliema promenade. We got ourselves together and out the door we went with all our gear.
Walking down the ramp to get to the walkway around our rocks we met Carol and Joe, along with Joe’s brother-in-law John, coming up the ramp. Carol has made a point of swimming a lot since her back surgery. The aqua therapy has done a world of good. She really enjoys her swimming, and goes into the sea when she has someone to help her. Otherwise, she swims in a pool in the Meridian Hotel in Balluta. It was nice seeing them and got me in the mood for our dinner with them tonight.
We made our way around our rocks to the front. We so enjoy walking along the bay.
Then we walk along the sandstone until we get to a ramp that goes into the sea. The shoreline is very sharp, jagged rocks and so you can only get into the sea where there are ramps.
We found our spot and it took us all of 2 minutes to get into the sea. It was wonderful. The sea has been very calm this week with virtually no wind and no waves. That makes for nice swimming and floating and just hanging out in the water.
After a lovely swim we had our picnic lunch. One of the items that the flat manager leaves for incoming guests is a loaf of Maltese bread. There’s nothing like it; it is such good bread. We’ve been enjoying fresh tomato and cheese sandwiches on Maltese bread this week. Yummy! And after lunch, time for a siesta.
We swam some more and just hung out on the sandstone. I got too much sun and paid for it later in the evening. Ouch!
We got back to the flat and cleaned up for dinner. We met everyone at Fresco’s, a very nice restaurant right across the street from out flat. We sat out on their covered patio that has a lovely view of the bay. It was a very warm evening, nice being outside.
How Christine is related to Carol Farrugia is that her grandmother and Christine’s grandmother were sisters. Carol is a real hoot. I enjoy listening to her; she’s a real storyteller and loves talking family history. She also knows everything there is to know about Malta and living in Sliema. Her husband Joe is a real sweetie; I really enjoy him. With the Farrugias were the Tabones, John and Rosalind. Rosalind is Joe’s sister. And John Tabone is a cousin of the husband of one of Christine’s Australian cousins. Small world, and there are Maltese everywhere. Carol and Joe’s younger daughter Rowena stopped by the restaurant for a drink with us. It was nice seeing her again.
We had a wonderful dinner and it was a lovely evening. It’s nice having a closer connection with Christine’s remaining family in Malta. And that was the end of a rather low key day.
It is just crazy how many people you know there.