Hi,

This is just a brief blog to accompany the photos of Malta, which I visited in September 2010.

As most of you will know, Dad passed away in August of that year and it was important to get some time away after that traumatic event. I had visited Gozo for scuba diving a number of years ago and had thought that I would see some parts of Malta when I was there. However, Gozo proved to be so interesting I didn't leave it during my stay so had promised myself I would try and visit it in due course, all being well.

Malta had never appealed to me originally but my views were changed when I restarted scuba diving. On a trip to the Red Sea I met Dave from Dundee on a wreck dive and he told me Malta was great for wreck diving. He also told me that Mellieha Bay was the place to stay. In the end I went to Gozo first and really enjoyed the diving there, planning to come back to Malta later on. So, in reality this is the story of a diving holiday which contains no diving photographs in it!

The diving in Malta was actually very good but I don't have an underwater camera so you will have to be content with views above the surface. The main highlight of any trip to Malta is a visit to Valletta and a trip around the harbour. As Malta is on the Mediterranean 'highway' during all ages it is packed with history, echoing down the centuries. More recent events from the 20th century are well known, but I had not realised the extent to which Malta was subjected to bombing from the Nazis (who came down from Sicilly every day) until I visited the War Rooms in Valletta. It was poignant to think how much dad would have been interested in seeing these memorials of WW2 had he still been with us.

I have annotated the photos but have currently lent my Malta guidebook out so will revise the annotations when I get it back. Between the diving, visiting Valletta and catching up with good friends Donnie and Marion, my only regret is that I did not have time to visit Mdina. However I have not ruled out a return trip to Malta, which has so much to offer.

I hope these photos give you a very fleeting flavour of the island.

Murdo