Our home here is “Saveria House”a 300-year old Maltese limestone house of three floors. A terrace open to the sky is on the third floor roof and looks down on our short walk alley.
The alley has an Malteze name, Sqaq Nru. We are at 7 Triq Santa Lucija in the village of Naxxar (Nash-ar) on the island country of Malta, in the Mediterranean Sea between Sicily and Tunisia.
Travel has its delightful surprises like horses on the country roads from the airport. But when we arrived yesterday late in the afternoon, our bags did not. Evidently they were enjoying the rain and fog at Heathrow. They arrive today at 7 pm, driven to our door by Air Malta.
Another, more humorous, surprise was the height of the doorways in our house. Dana must bend at the waist to pass through.
Why, you may reasonably ask, would a 6′ 4′ American rent a house with 5′ door jams. Because when no one is standing in the doorways in the Trip Advisor rental site photo, they appear quite large. There is nothing to compare in size so your mind’s eye assumes the height is higher than normal if anything. Dana must take care if he is not to brain himself with a very hard header block of limestone.
But we are used to such surprises especially on arrival. Undaunted we headed out for dinner. We arrived at Cellini Wine Bar about two alleys down and around the corner just before opening. But the owner welcomed us and brought a bottle of a local Syrah and fizzy water.
By the time our soup arrived our delayed luggage and the vagaries of door frames were forgotten. Wine is a necessary travel companion for us. Then a delicious broccoli soup, caprese salad with fresh local mozzarella and fresh basil sprigs completed our first day.
We awoke to sunshine and a hibiscus in bloom on our neighbors bush across the alley. A promising beginning….
MedFlies 
Oh Jim would have such trouble too! As much as you look at the pictures and try to prepare, there are always surprises. But, that is what makes it fun!
I agree Sylvia. Arrival day is one of my favorites. It’s like opening a great Birthday present.
Glad you made it safely! hope Dana keeps his head down!
I have noticed that he ducks whenever there is a doorway looming. The Malteze must have been small in the past, like the Mayans. I never thought of the Knights of Malta as being petite.
Old friends re-emerge…..sometimes I think all I have to do is follow in your footsteps to have the best holiday experiences possible!
Hop it goes well.
paul
So good to know we are still being followed by our long-time Medflies travelers. Hope you have forgiven us for the insult to your PM. Believe me it is rough riding at home right now. Good time for a 3-month break to Malta. We are here until April 30 with a 2 week stay in Noto Sicily only 90 minutes away by katamaranni.
These are turbulent times….with a lot of painful re-thinking for many. Perhaps it is time to face up to some stuff we haven’t really talked about openly??
Despite all of that, I will enjoy your beautiful stories, Jill and Dana.
Paul
And I love that we have friends in Australia, no matter what the “officials”do.
This is fabulous and hilarious. Thank you Jill. Poor Dana. Do they have a chiropractor on Malta?
The way Tony the Malteze fruit seller worked over the fruit we bought at his truck this morning, he looked like he would make a good hands-on chiropracter. Dana’s entrances are quite dramatic now as he lurches into the room.
Oh it looks wonderful! Enjoy and watch the head! Fantan misses you but we are fine together!
Welcome to Medflies. Loved the photo of her all tuckered out from her walk. You are exposing her to such outstanding culture…listening to classical together. We feel so comfortable knowing you are there.
Those tiny doorways will make Henry & Sebastian feel like its a perfect play house when we see it! Glad you arrived safely and are already enjoying!
It feels like an old castle here. The downstairs bedroom used to be where the cattle slept. The floors are handmade tiles. It’s small but feels quite grand.
Jill/Dana, so pleased to know that you have arrived safely. The place looks wonderful, even the tiny doorways. Would love to see the interior and the views from the rooftop. Weather here has turned spring-like with highs now in the 50’s. Birds are chirping their heads off. Be glad you are gone. Politics are downright frightening and depressing.
Supper looks so yummy and civilized. Enjoy! Terry
The Malteze we have met have commiserated with us about our new president. The baggage manager said no matter what the US is the greatest country in the world. He would love to go there. Our van driver said a highlight of his life was his first trip to the US last year. Seems other countries don’t seem to find our world in such bad shape. I love meeting people with wonderful world views.
Fantastic. A lifetime of browscars suggest a hardhat is a better remedy than a hard head. Or remembering to duck. Enjoy Malta and keep us ‘wannabes’ drooling with your posts.
Ah yes the inevitable browscars. Dana’s head is unconscionably hard however. Excellent for 18th century stone houses, and other types of unique points and opinions.