Dust & Echoes in Valletta: A Slightly Broken Trip
okay, so, i’m pretty sure i’m running on fumes and lukewarm espresso. 399518… that’s the timestamp on my phone, i guess? 1682638402 - doesn’t mean anything, really. just a bunch of numbers staring back at me. valletta. it’s… intense. like, aggressively beautiful intense. i landed yesterday and immediately felt like i’d stepped into a postcard that someone forgot to filter.
the weather? i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. 27.54 feels like 26.73, pressure’s 1013, humidity’s 29. it’s that weird mediterranean heat that sticks to you like a second skin. it’s not bad, just… persistent. like a really insistent pigeon.
i was staying near Republic Square - seriously, it’s packed. every five minutes there’s some tour group or a street performer trying to make a buck. i found a tiny little Airbnb, it smelled faintly of lavender and regret. the landlord, a guy named Marco, kept offering me olives. he’s a serious olive guy. he told me someone told him the best place to get pastizzi is down the street, but honestly, i’m skeptical. i heard that… the pastizzi are a lie. a delicious, flaky, cheesy lie.
i spent most of today just wandering. getting lost, really. valletta’s a maze of narrow streets and staircases that seem to lead nowhere. it’s the kind of place where you can easily end up staring at a wall for twenty minutes. i stumbled across this amazing little courtyard with a fountain - it was completely empty except for a stray cat who looked profoundly unimpressed with my existence.
i checked out St. John’s Co-Cathedral. wow. seriously, wow. it’s… overwhelming. all the gold, all the paintings, all the dead people. it’s a lot. i felt a little claustrophobic, to be honest. i overheard some tourists saying it was ‘overpriced’ but i think they were just intimidated. it’s worth it, though. just… brace yourself.
i grabbed some lunch at a place called Trabuxu - it’s a tiny place with only about six tables. the food was decent, but the vibe was even better. it’s the kind of place where you’ll overhear snippets of conversations about everything from politics to the best way to make rabbit stew. someone told me that the owner, a woman named Sofia, used to be a dancer. i’m not sure if that’s true, but she definitely moved with a certain grace.
i’m trying to find a decent coffee shop, but it’s proving difficult. most places seem to serve this weird, bitter stuff. i need a proper espresso. i’m thinking of hitting up Coffee Bean Collective - they have a pretty good reputation, according to Yelp.
if you get bored, Marsaxlokk is just a short drive away. it’s a fishing village - super touristy, but the seafood is actually pretty good. i heard that… the fish are always fresh, but the prices are inflated. it’s a gamble.
i’m starting to feel a little… detached. like i’m observing everything from behind a pane of glass. maybe it’s the sleep deprivation. maybe it’s the heat. or maybe it’s just valletta. it’s a city that demands your attention, but doesn’t offer much in the way of easy answers.
i’m heading out to explore the Upper Barrakka Gardens. supposedly, the view is incredible. wish me luck. and maybe send coffee.
check out this map:
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