My Perfect Week
(1967)

The Trident aircraft sped along the runway and lifted gracefully into the air. A chill of excitement ran through me.

I was on my way to spend a week in Malta, as I had won a competition and this was the first prize. I only wished that it was a holiday for two instead of one as I imagined myself being lonely. I was still wrapped up in my thoughts when the air hostess informed me that we would be landing in five minutes.

When we landed I passed through Customs and outside I met the people who would be looking after me. They took me in a Mercedes Benz to Valetta, the capital, and on to my hotel just outside.

The first day I was up and about at six o'clock, with the warm sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. At about 7.30 I left on a bus to Sliema and when I saw a small cove I alighted and went for a swim. This I enjoyed so much that I decided to stay for the whole day.

The next morning I had decided to do some sight-seeing and so I caught a bus which took me to Mosta. The Mosta dome is the third largest dome in the world. It is especially beautiful at night as it is lit up in red and green lights.

The next bus that I took carried me to St. Paul's Bay, another place of interest. The Maltese people claim that this was where St. Paul was shipwrecked and there is a statue there to commemorate the event. When I decided to return to Valetta it was quite late. The sun was setting and this magnificent orange-yellow colour lit up the whole bay.

I found sight-seeing so interesting that I just had to do some more. I only had three days left. I had read in a book that Medina used to be the capital of Malta, so that is where I decided to go first.

The main feature about Medina is the narrow cobbled streets and also the wonderful view over all the west side of the island. The visitor enters and leaves Medina through a small but decorative arch which is the town's only access. Just outside Medina is another town called Rabat, where I saw St. Paul's Catacombs, which are underground burial chambers. I also saw St. Paul's Grotto, which is a cave hewn from solid rock, where St. Paul is said to have hidden. This tradition has never been confirmed.

I next went to Zurrleg to see the Blue Grotto. I think that this was the most exciting part of my sight-seeing. I found the Grotto to be a cave which could only be reached by boat, When I looked into the water I saw that it was dark blue. I was taken aback when I learned that the depth is about thirty feet. I could see the bottom clearly and the coloured stones that lay there sparkling like diamonds.

I had now seen just about all the places of interest except for Valetta, where I was staying. On one side of the capital is the grand harbour, famous during the war. While I was in Valetta the streets were decorated for one of the many festivals.

All too soon it was time to go home and the next morning I packed my bags and went to the airport. During the return flight I thought of how I had enjoyed myself in the past week.

R. FENTON, 2C