Malta Madness ;)

I never considered Malta to be a party destination but I was obviously uninformed given my waaay huggggee weekend with Michelle.

Michelle and I at dinner on Spinola Bay, St Julian's on the Saturday night.

We went so we could spend some quality time together before Mich heads back home.

We expected a bit of a wintersun break with loads of chatting and shopping and sightseeing and we got plenty of that. What we didn’t expect was:

# to meet so many fun people without even trying (three Swedes on a bit of bender who entertainingly crashed our lunch and wanted to take us bowling);

The view of Valletta across the bay from Sliema, Malta's main shopping area

# go bar hopping with a bunch of nice Americans who we met at dinner (they were seated next to us and we managed to strike up a conversation – it wasn't as sleazy as it sounds).

# being given a midnight tour of Paceville (or Partyville as Ben described it) and seeing why the streets were so empty during the day.

Me on Sunday afternoon, hungover, but with a bellyful of pizza, gelati and the sun on my skin.

# ending up in a sophisticated* nightclub on the 22nd floor of the Hilton office building (that our American friends insisted would be just our scene), drinking from our very own bottle of Smirnoff black and cute little mixers (courtesy of our friends), at our own private table (courtesy of our friends), admiring the best views of Malta and dancing until 4am.

# me throwing up twice the next morning. I should know better than that by now.

So, apart from me throwing up and Michelle having to listen to it, we had a lot of fun!

Other bonuses were:

# staying at my first ever European 5* hotel "Le Meridian St Julians" (being mid Winter there were loads of cheap deals).

Michelle and I walking around Valetta's city walls on Saturday.

# exploring the quiet streets of caramel coloured Valetta – a world heritage listed town.

# enjoying a really fabulous dinner overlooking Spinola Bay – the yummiest beef and red wine I’ve had in a long time

Spinola Bay, St Julian's at dusk. Beautiful!

# eating pizza and drinking pepsi for breakfast on Sunday morning (best hangover cure ever)

# spending the afternoon sitting in the sunshine, eating gelati and talking about everything and nothing with Michelle.

** for “sophisticated” and “more our scene”, read venue for the 30 – 45 age bracket. This made Michelle and I a teeny weeny bit paranoid. Are we looking old? Can we no longer cut it with the 20-somethings in all the other clubs? Ha. Was a bit of a laugh though, especially when the lift doors opened and we saw all these monied sugar daddies reclining like kings on leather sofas while the chicky babes just kind of ponced and posed about the place. It was the kind of place you'd never find if you didn't know about it.

Mich at the bottom of some steep steps in Valetta.