When we reached Gibraltar it was the first time in 2 weeks we came back to the normal horizontal position a ship has to be in. I think that was Aeolus' day off because after Gibraltar the wind came on twice as strong as the first two weeks. It took us 6 days to reach Gozo where we took shelter under lee of the island. The Maltese coast-guard ordered us to come in but our captain wouldn't pay the harbor-dues (Triple Dutch). Finally when the harbor authorities offered us a free stay we could sail in to Charcoal Harbor Valletta at dawn. After nearly three weeks of just wild water, Valletta was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. After a few hours of total rest (no rocking beds, ships, no rocking anything) we went ashore. The taxidriver which brought us into town gave us a free ride after telling our story and showed us (sailors) the best parts of Valletta.
At a bar I met the most beautiful Maltese girl I've ever seen. She worked at the Excelsior Hotel and she offered me to show Malta's beauties but after two days we had to continue our trip. So my first time, I didn't see a lot of Malta. But in the next two years I came back to Malta on three other trips. On the last trip I stayed over for about 7 months. Three years ago I had my first holiday on The Island. A lot of things have been changed since. The first bar I've seen has been changed into a sewing-machine shop and the night life has moved to Sliema and St-Julians. But the only thing which is still the same, that's 'Hastings Garden' in Valletta.
I've never found another place on earth with the same peace and quietness you find over there.
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