TDM
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2021 and 2022 review – after 6.5 years of round-the-world travel
I only realize in 2023 that I completely forgot to write my 2021 review. So I’ll combine the two reviews into one (2021 and 2022), even though these years couldn’t be more different. 2021 2022 In short, 2022 was one of the hardest years I’ve ever known. But I’m taking it well. JB is still here with me, Rosalie passed away peacefully, and I’ve become an aunt. Honestly. The years 2022, 2023, and 2024 are transitional years, they are and will be difficult but that’s how great progress and change happen. Without a bit of hardship and hope, we’d never be pushed to change. Anyway, despite the difficulties, having knowledge…
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What to do in Syracuse (Italy) in one day? Syracuse on Foot – Sicily Trip #1 (Italy)
We leave Valletta (Malta) bright and early and arrive in Pozzallo (Sicily) by ferry. I’ve been a bit off lately, so the trip planning is a bit botched. I should have opted for the €10 transport offered by the ferry company to get to Catania by bus, and from there, do a day trip to Syracuse. On the one hand, because there are more affordable hotels in Catania, and on the other, because it would have cost us less. But what’s done is done. Between Pozzallo and Syracuse, we simply paid for a shared taxi, €70 (two people with luggage) because the train times didn’t suit us. Part 1: Travel…
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Loire Castles: Amboise, Azay-le-Rideau, Ussé (France)
It’s very rare for me to take complete vacations. Since I work part-time, I theoretically have time to recover the rest of the week (even if in 2022, that wasn’t really the case). But the fatigue that’s been building up for a long time is starting to take its toll, and we’re taking advantage of a week off to rest and a long weekend to visit some Loire castles I’ve always wanted to discover. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Remember, we visited a few before our round-the-world trip and during our 2020 road trip in France, but I saved the best for 2022. I’m…
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[Transport] Pozzallo – Syracuse by train or taxi (fares)
Arriving in Pozzallo, Sicily from Malta by ferry, we had planned to reach Syracuse by train. We had booked our tickets online, on the Trenitalia France app. The app is very user-friendly, in French, a far cry from SNCF standards 😀 There are usually three trains a day. Fares are very affordable (€6.80 per person) and the journey takes about 1h10. An unexpected event prevented us from catching the 8:57 am train we had booked. Since the next train was at 3:06 pm and we wanted to make the most of Syracuse, where we were only staying for the day, we asked our hotel receptionist to contact a taxi service…
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Our Malta – Sicily ferry trip: Valletta – Pozzallo
It was only when we were in Malta that we realized how close the Italian island of Sicily was. So we decided that would be our next stop! It’s actually possible to get there by boat. I don’t know if it’s the only company, but we went with Virtu Ferries. They offer routes connecting Valletta to Pozzallo. On weekdays, there are two crossings a day: one early in the morning and one in the late afternoon. On weekends, it’s only in the morning. We left on a Friday, departing at 7:30 am. The journey takes 1 hour 45 minutes. The tickets cost us €61 per person; we bought them online.…
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Isla, Birgu, Kalkara (Malta)
We’re staying in the heart of Valletta but take advantage of the many boats to get to the Three Cities across the water. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal What I absolutely love about Valletta and its surroundings is getting around by boat. From Sliema, there’s a boat that takes you to Valletta in just a few minutes for €1.50. Then, from Valletta, at the foot of the Upper Gardens (Google Maps link), there are water taxis to take you to Birgu for €2. From Birgu, we walk to Isla and Kalkara. There are three types of boats: The first time, we took the regular…
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Valletta (Malta): St John’s Co-Cathedral, Upper and Lower Gardens
Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal It was driving to Valletta that made us realize the car wasn’t the ideal way to explore Malta’s capital. It’s better to get around by bus, boat, or on foot. Buses are plentiful even if they’re not always on time. You can pay by card, €2. There are tons of buses right by Pjazza San Publiju or Valletta Bus Station, which serve other Maltese towns. Malta is small, so when I say “other towns,” it could just be 15 minutes away, the next town over. Valletta is like a massive fortress, and you really get that from this very…
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Amora show by Cirque du Soleil in Malta
During our stay in Malta in December 2022, we saw advertisements for the Amora show by Cirque du Soleil. Since we really enjoyed Alegria in Montreal, JB insists on buying us tickets for this show adapted for the Maltese audience. It’s smaller than Alegria because they’re in a regular theater, not well-suited for the acrobatics that Cirque du Soleil shows offer, but the price is the same (90€/person). We only have Alegria in mind, so we can only compare it to the Montreal show, and indeed, Amora is far less impressive. However, they managed to adapt the sets, and you can find typically Maltese architectural elements. As usual, there’s a…
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Mdina (Malta): A fortified city frozen in time
If you ask me what I prefer in Malta, I’d say Valletta and Mdina. Mdina is just a dreamy place, where time seems to stand still. It’s the Dubrovnik Maltese version, a place where you feel like you’re in a movie, namely Game of Thrones 😉 Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal Mdina doesn’t have many hotels, so we opt for a hotel right next door (Ir-Rabat), a 5-minute walk away. Driving here is not recommended; there are very few parking spots. So we come here by Uber and will explore on foot over the next few days. Mdina can be visited in one (long)…
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Visiting Malta by Car: Travel Diary 3/3
Let’s keep exploring Malta’s wonders by car. Today is December 23, 2022, and work is very, very quiet, so JB can take me to all the places still on my checklist. As usual, we’ll leave Valletta for last, when we have accommodation there, because it’s best explored on foot and by boat, not by car. Part 1: Travel JournalPart 2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Journal As usual, we rent our car from Hertz for 3 days, and this time it’s a bright red one that doesn’t go unnoticed. I love Malta After circling the globe three times, I’m hard to impress now, but Malta is an exception. It’s sunny…
