Game of Thrones day! *SPOILER ALERT, S1 & what happens to Viserion*
We had a wonderful nights sleep, and a glorious breakfast at the Maritim Antoine Hotel. I sent an email to the Green Grove (the place we felt we had to leave) and Maria replied insinuating it is my fault I didn’t go down at the time and ask that group of people yelling in Spanish & hitting things to please be quiet. And also apparently no other guest complained (I think the only other guests were that of the party! Either that or must have died in the night, as no one could sleep through that). I’m really disappointed in the level of customer care and that she can’t understamd why we wanted to leave (!!!). So now I am the unreasonable one apparently. Fuming. BUT. The day shall go on and we shall have a good time! So we set about to see some Game of Thrones locations! First on the list Mdina, the silent city. Steeped in bloodied history and resembling a British medieval town, I can see why they chose to use a few areas for Kings Landing. The Mdina Gate was the first port of call. We parked in Rabat & walked through the twisty sandy coloured narrow streets, down into Mdina. The gate was far smaller than it looked in the GOT series but still beautiful and imposing. Pjazza Mesquita is also the location used for Littlefinger’s brothel, where Ned & Catelyn said their goodbyes before Ned was captured by Jaimie Lannister. The building is someone’s home now, I think, and it was odd to see three people unlock the door and go in.
Next we went to the St Dominic Priory. A large square gardens with a circular paved piece in the centre, paths exitting to each side of the quadrant. Soil, flowers and fruit trees carefully arranged to compliment the geometry. The priory itself, was typically sandstone with large arches symmetrically and equally split around the central garden. It was echoey, light and smelt divine, all the flowers in bloom and filling the air with their sweet scent.
We then went on to find Verdala Palace, now a private building, home to the president of Malta in the summer season. On the way, ‘the sat nav’ or Leon (could be either) took us down a potholey and scary road, only to be surrounded by a mutely crew of dogs, barking and standing right in front of the car. FFS. I hooted and honked and would they move? It was far to narrow to turn round, so I just drove slowly forward, still hooting my horn, and hoping not to hear some sickening crunch, which would of course mean we have to stop and probably be eaten alive. They moved thank gosh, and we went another few mins and came to a dead end that looked like a building site. Turned round and drove back through as fast and hootingly as possible! Only 1 dog this time and it scarpered. We finally get to Verdala Palace ( GOT= the meeting of Daenerys and Khal Drogo, as she was presented to him on the front beige stone staircase). Locked! Alas, we could not go in, but made our way around the outside (2 trailer park girls go round the outside? Eminem lyric, for those not cool enough 😂 ). We stop in Buskett Chateuax and have some lunch. The place looks like a wedding venue and very posh, but we were welcomed in our jeans, and it was very reasonably priced. Leon had pizza and I had chicken. My chicken was 3 massive breasts, a terracotta ramekin of potatoes, a ramekin of veg with mozzarella on (!!!) and a ramekin of mushroom gravy. Like they have tried to do a Sunday Roast and got all the ingredients but all very strangely executed!
Next we go to San Anton Gardens/ Palace. Acres of perfumed flowers including begonias. But instead of a small cluster of each variety, they have a tree in each humongous bed, surrounded by about 200+ of each plant! So much so, I wondered if they had spiralled out of control, the same way mint does in your garden. The palace was closed for private function today and Tuesday (unsure on Monday!) so couldn’t go in, but I could see the area (GOT again) Joffrey showed Sansa her fathers head on a spike. Lovely!
We then go back to the hotel. I must conclude with a warning to be heeded! Driving in Malta is not for the faint hearted. I have taken a good hour to calm back down after the Maltese drivers have acted in such a rude, aggressive driving manner. Up your backside, dangerous overtaking, NO CLUE how to use a roundabout, lanes or indicators. Leon felt really sorry for me & said they are worse than the Italian drivers! We have got some local strawberries and grapes and are relaxing in the safety of our room for a while until my heart rate returns to normal.
Photo below of the St Dominic’s Monastery, location in GOT where Ned tells Cersei that he knows her incest secret! And she says the infamous line ‘in the game of thrones, you win or you die’. I predict she may be wrong. I think the army of dead will win! Ooooohhh!! #teamzombiedragon
25-03-2018