ENG -- Malta - the fishing village Marsaxlokk

After visiting some of the little cities in Malta, we decided to see the villages that attract most of the island's tourists: Marsaxlokk and Poppeye's village. Though the distance between them is not very large, about 25 km, and theoretically they could be visited in the same day, in reality to get from one location to another you must cross the whole island, losing a lot of time in traffic. We chose to visit them on different days. In both days we  were lucky to have good weather and we had the posibility to relax in the sun. In this article we will tell you something about Marsaxlokk and in the following post we will write about Popeye's village.

Marsaxlokk 

To get to Marsaxlokk, we took the bus in Sliema, where we were staying, and we changed it with another bus in Valletta. From Valletta to Marsaxlokk you can reach with buses no. 81 or 85. You can use the same 1.5 Euro ticket, which is available for 2 hours, from where you stay and to the main bus station in Valletta and from Valletta to Marsaxlokk. The bus station in Marsaxlokk is near the Mediterranean Sea; you can have a sea view even before you left the bus.

Marsaxlokk is a fishing village located in the southeast of the island, hence the name. Marsa translates to the port, and Xlokk means southeast. In this harbor you can discover the famous lively colorful fishing boats named "luzzu". Another feature of this boats is that they were painted with the Eye of Osiris in front of them in order to protect fishermen while on the sea.

You can stroll along the waterfront admiring the sea and the little boats, but also the old buildings with the Arabian style architecture along the main road and on the other streets in the village.

We visited the village during the holidays, so the village church decorated in the spirit of Christmas attracted us the attention.

After you get tired because of walking, you can sit down at one of the many terraces of the seafront restaurants where you can savor some fish or fresh seafood. Some of the owners of restaurants are proud to have fish and sea food caught by themselves or by their family members. This is one of the reasons why many tourists choose to visit Marsaxlokk. Prices start at 10 euros per person if you choose to eat only fish, but there there are plenty of menus that you can personalize. We chose for a 25 euro a menu for 2 people containing 3 fish fillets, octopus, shrimps and calamari rings, as well as fries and salad. We also took advantage of the restaurant's offer to personalize the menu and changed a fish fillet with "some mussels" but we received a more generous portion than we expected. Unfortunately, we did not think about taking pictures of the food until we had nothing to take picture of☺

The local artists wanted to attract the attention of tourists as "We all smile in the same language".

Thank you for reaching the end of the article. In order to be informed when we publish new articles on this site, but also to see posts that are only on facebook, we invite you to like our facebook page by accessing this link : Doi plimbareti.

To read about our first impressions in Malta, you can click this link : Malta in December or you can read about or visit in Valletta or Mdina and Rabat.

Valentine's Day in Dubai - zboruri dus-intors de la 197 euro

Daca vreti sa pretreceti Valentine's Day cu persoana iubita pe plaja, la temeperaturi ridicate, puteti alege Dubai. Mai jos gasiti detalii despre zbor si informatii referitoare la cazare.

Perioada : 14-18 februarie 2019 : 197 euro pentru zbor dus-intors Bucuresti-Dubai operat de Fly Dubai. Detalii gasiti pe site-ul lor (https://www.flydubai.com) sau dand click aici. 

Pe site-ul Fly Dubai puteti alege sa zburati in alte zile la acelasi pret, de exemplu plecare in 11/12/13/15/17 februarie si intoarcere in 16 sau oricand intre 19 si 28 februarie 2019.

Cazare : pentru perioada 14-18 februarie 2019 preturile pentru o camera dubla pentru 2 persoane, intr-un hotel de 4 stele cu rating bun pe Booking, incep de la 210 euro (+taxe). Detalii cazare : click aici.

Pe site-ul Fly Dubai veti gasi reduceri de 20% pentru pentru zboruri achizitionate pana pe 1 decembrie 2018, iar pe Booking.com veti gasi multe variante de cazare de 4 stele la preturi accesibile. Este bine de stiut ca hotelurile din Dubai percep taxe suplimentare, dar despre acestea veti gasi informatii la momentul rezervarii, putand varia de la un hotel la altul.

Daca vreti sa fiti primii care beneficiaza de ofertele gasite de noi va invitam sa dati like paginii de facebook : click aici.

Daca ati gasit o varianta de cazare care v-ar putea interesa, dar nu ati luat inca o decizie, puteti citi cu atentie conditiile de anulare si, daca poate fi anulata fara nici un cost, o puteti rezerva acum si aveti timp sa decideti pana la data la care poate fi anulata gratis. In acest fel, veti fi siguri ca nu va fi rezervata de catre altcineva sau ca pretul nu va creste.

Articolul contine oferte de vacante pe care le puteti organiza pe cont propriu. Ofertele prezentate sunt cu titlu informativ. Preturile sunt valabile la momentul publicarii si pot fi modificate de catre furnizorii de servicii. Pentru a beneficia de oferte puteti folosi linkurile din articol sau sa accesati direct site-urile companiilor. Datele alese de noi pot fi modificate in functie de dorintele voastre.

ENG -- Malta - Mdina and Rabat

After visiting Valletta, we thought it would be interesting to see the former capital of the island of Malta, from antiquity to the medieval period: Mdina. From Sliema, where we had the accommodation, you can go directly by bus 202, paying just 1.50 euros and about an hour of your time, while you can admire several villages and towns in the center of the island.

Before we walk into the old fortified fortress, our attention was caught by the old gate with which you can easily imagine that, once you entered, you came back hundreds of years ago.

And the feeling of returning over time will continue if you keep walking the narrow streets full of history. Mdina Fortress is also called "The Silent City", being inhabited only by a few hundred people, of whom we have not seen too many.

We continued our walk among the walls of the city, admiring the architecture of the buildings, the balconies and the colorful doors specific to Malta, which charmed us.

You can also visit the fortress using the horses drawn carriage, but the prices are quite high and the city is not very large, you can easily walk from one edge to the other.

The day we chose to visit Mdina was, for us, one of the 2 days (out of 8) where we seriously considered whether the holiday in Malta in December was a good idea or not. The strong wind and our spring clothes made us feel uncomfortable at 10-12 Celsius degrees. The good part was that we could "hide" from the wind on the narrow streets, in all the souvenir shops that got out of the way (the Maltese are proud of the products made on the island of silver or glass) and even in two cathedrals with architecture and decors which can not go unnoticed.

In order to get from Mdina to Rabat, we only had to get out on the gate of the fortress. There we continued walking along narrow streets, where we found plenty of reasons to stop to take a picture.

After visiting the Medieval Fortress of Mdina, we wanted to go back in time, to antiquity, and we went to St Paul's Catacombs. The ticket cost 5 Euro and gave us access to Christian, Jewish or pagan cemeteries. At the entrance to the archaeological complex we were informed by a poster that the ticket was valid only for the St Paul's Catacombs (in Rabat there were several catacombs that could be visited). When we thought we had finished visiting, we had a pleasant surprise: just cross the street was another area that sheltered other catacombs in the same complex.

Thank you for reaching the end of the article. In order to be informed when we publish new articles on this site, but also to see posts that are only on facebook, we invite you to like our facebook page by accessing this link : Doi plimbareti.

To read about our first impressions in Malta, you can click this link : Malta in December or you can read about or visit in Valletta.

ENG -- Malta - Valletta

The main city of the island, according to the number of tourists it attracts, and, at the same time, the capital of the country, is Valletta. We visited it in the first full day of our holiday in Malta and on Christmas Day. From Sliema, where we had the accommodation, you can easily reach Valletta by bus (No. 13, 13A, 14, 15, 16) or by ferry. Unfortunately, on the first day the wind was heavy, the waves reached the promenade, and the ferry did not work. Because of the wind, the temperature was about 12 degrees Celsius. On the other hand, on Christmas day, at least in the sunny places, it was pleasant to wear only the T-shirt, the temperature even reaching 20 degrees Celsius. We've even seen people in summer clothes on the streets on Christmas day.

Arrived in Valletta we started walking down the narrow streets with old buildings but with balconies and colorful doors.

The first touristic objective we visited was the Grand Master's Palace. The ticket costs 10 euros and includes visits to the State Rooms and to the Palace Armoury. A portable audio guide with over 100 points of interests is included in the ticket price.

The inner courtyard of the palace with oranges

Inside the palace

A group of Maltese knights

Then we walked down the main street of the tourist area of the city to Upper Barrakka Gardens, a place at a considerable height above sea level where you can enjoy a spectacular view over the Mediterranean Sea, a part of Valletta, but also of neighboring cities: Vittoriosa, Senglea and Conspicua, also known as 3 Cities.

From Barrakka's upper gardens, below the promenade, every day at 12.00 and 16.00, you can watch a cannons show.

From there you can use the panoramic elevator to go down to the harbor where you can take a walk to the Valletta Waterfront, a promenade with shops and restaurants. Going down with the elevator is free, but for going up you have to pay 1 euro. 

Other gardens which worth to be visited are Lower Barrakka Gardens. The view is not as spectacular as the view from Upper Barrakka Gardens, but it is a very good place to rest after a walk with many climbs and downhills on the narrow streets of Valletta.

Once the dark of the night came, the celebration lights in the center of the city reminded us that, despite the high temperatures, we visited Valletta during Christmas.

Thank you for reaching the end of the article. In order to be informed when we publish new articles on this site, but also to see posts that are only on facebook, we invite you to like our facebook page by accessing this link : Doi plimbareti.

To read about our first impressions in Malta, you can click this link : Malta in December.

ENG -- Malta in December

If you are looking for warmer places to spend the holiday in December you can take into consideration Malta. We decided to spend last Christmas there. In this article you can read about our first impressions in Malta and in the next ones you can read about different places we visited by our own on the islands.  

We could not believe that this small island is Malta

After a few hotels reserved and canceled on Booking, we found the best option for us, a studio in Sliema with sea view, Labranda Rocca Nettuno Suites. The location is very good, close to the bus and ferry stations. Not all the rooms have sea views, but the view is the one below:

Being located on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, like many other places in Malta, in Sliema you can take a romantic walk along the cliff to admire the sunset.

From Malta International Airport to different places of the island there are special buses (express lines) with fewer stops and normal buses. The price for a ticket is 3 euros for the express line and 1.50 euros for the normal line. It is preferable to take the express line because the buses on the normal line are full of locals traveling from one part of the island to the other and you will not have enough space for the luggages.

If you are thinking about renting a car you have to take into cosideration that the cars have the steering wheel on the right side and should be driven on the left side of the road.
Or you can use local buses, as we did. A ticket costs 1.50 euros (winter fare) and is valid for 2 hours (including changing the bus if needed). From Sliema there are direct buses to Rabat, Mellieha St Julian's, Cirkewwa or Valletta. The timetable is displayed in each station and there is an application called Tallinja. He did not help us in planning the route, but he indicated the time until the next bus arrived at the station we were waiting for.
There are also drawbacks for traveling by bus, such as: you can not be able to take it if it is crowded, it do not always respect the time of arrival and you have to wait for the next bus that sometimes could arrives in 30-45 minutes, and in that situation the validity of the ticket (2 hours) could expires and you have to bouy a new one. We checked all the listed drawbacks but all of them was part of our Maltese experience.

Another option to travel between Sliema and Valletta is the ferry. The trip is much more enjoyable and shorter than the one by bus. The price is 1.50 euros (using the public line), and the crossing takes 5-10 minutes.

You can also use the Hop on - Hop off buses to travel between different places of the island. We did not go with them, but we saw offers at 10 euro.

Thank you for reaching the end of the article. In order to be informed when we publish new articles on this site, but also to see posts that are only on facebook, we invite you to like our facebook page by accessing this link : Doi plimbareti.

To read about the places we visited in Malta, you can click on the following links: Valletta, Mdina and Rabat, Marsaxlokk, Popeye Village si the island of Gozo.

Vacanta de Craciun si Revelion sau 1 Decembrie in Amsterdam - zboruri dus-intors de la 99 euro

Daca nu v-ati facut inca planuri pentru vacanta de Craciun si Revelion sau daca doriti un city-break de 1 Decembrie, puteti alege Amsterdam. Mai jos gasiti detalii despre zbor si informatii referitoare la cazare.

Vacanta de Craciun si Revelion: 24 decembrie - 1 ianuarie 2019: 99 euro pentru zbor dus-intors operat de KLM. Acelasi pret este valabil pentru orice data de intoarcere intre 28 decembrie si 1 ianuarie. Detalii gasiti pe site-ul lor (https://www.klm.com/) sau dand click aici.
Cazare : pentru perioada 24 decembrie - 1 ianuarie preturile pentru o camera dubla pentru 2 persoane, intr-un hotel de 3 stele cu rating bun pe Booking, incep de la 860 euro (54 euro/pers/noapte). Detalii cazare: click aici.

Vacanta de 1 Decembrie : plecare 1 decembrie - intoarcere oricand intre 4 si 7 decembrie: 99 euro pentru zbor dus-intors operat de KLM. Detalii gasiti pe site-ul lor (https://www.klm.com/) sau dand click aici.
Cazare : pentru perioada 1-4 decembrie preturile pentru o camera dubla pentru 2 persoane, intr-un hotel de 4 stele cu rating bun pe Booking, incep de la 184 euro (31 euro/pers/noapte). Detalii cazare: click aici.

Daca cele 2 variante nu v-au convins, puteti gasi pe site-ul KLM multe altele :

Daca ati gasit o varianta de cazare care v-ar putea interesa, dar nu ati luat inca o decizie, puteti citi cu atentie conditiile de anulare si, daca poate fi anulata fara nici un cost, o puteti rezerva acum si aveti timp sa decideti pana la data la care poate fi anulata gratis. In acest fel, veti fi siguri ca nu va fi rezervata de catre altcineva sau ca pretul nu va creste.

Articolul contine oferte de vacante pe care le puteti organiza pe cont propriu. Ofertele prezentate sunt cu titlu informativ. Preturile sunt valabile la momentul publicarii si pot fi modificate de catre furnizorii de servicii. Pentru a beneficia de oferte puteti folosi linkurile din articol sau sa accesati direct site-urile companiilor. Datele alese de noi pot fi modificate in functie de dorintele voastre.

Daca vreti sa fiti primii care beneficiaza de ofertele gasite de noi va invitam sa dati like paginii de facebook : click aici.

Vacanta de Craciun sau 1 Decembrie in Dubai - zboruri dus-intors de la 170 euro

Daca vreti sa pretreceti vacanta de Craciun sau pe cea de 1 Decembrie pe plaja, la temeperaturi ridicate, puteti alege Dubai. Mai jos gasiti detalii despre zbor si informatii referitoare la cazare.

Vacanta de Craciun : 19-26 decembrie : 170 euro pentru zbor dus-intors operat de Fly Dubai. Detalii gasiti pe site-ul lor (https://www.flydubai.com) sau dand click aici.
Cazare : pentru perioada 19-26 decembrie preturile pentru o camera dubla pentru 2 persoane, intr-un hotel de 4 stele cu rating bun pe Booking, incep de la 275 euro (+taxe). Detalii cazare : click aici.

Vacanta de 1 Decembrie : plecare 1 decembrie - intoarcere oricand intre 3 si 31 decembrie : 170 euro pentru zbor dus-intors operat de Fly Dubai. Detalii gasiti pe site-ul lor (https://www.flydubai.com) sau dand click aici.
Cazare : pentru perioada 1-4 decembrie preturile pentru o camera dubla pentru 2 persoane, intr-un hotel de 4 stele cu rating bun pe Booking, incep de la 136 euro (+taxe). Detalii cazare : click aici.

Pe site-ul Fly Dubai veti gasi multe alte variante de zboruri dus-intors la pretul de 170 euro de persoana, ce pot fi achizitionate pana pe 15 septembrie 2018, iar pe Booking.com veti gasi multe variante de cazare de 4 stele la preturi accesibile. Este bine de stiut ca hotelurile din Dubai percep taxe suplimentare, dar despre acestea veti gasi informatii la momentul rezervarii, putand varia de la un hotel la altul.

Daca vreti sa fiti primii care beneficiaza de ofertele gasite de noi va invitam sa dati like paginii de facebook : click aici.

Daca ati gasit o varianta de cazare care v-ar putea interesa, dar nu ati luat inca o decizie, puteti citi cu atentie conditiile de anulare si, daca poate fi anulata fara nici un cost, o puteti rezerva acum si aveti timp sa decideti pana la data la care poate fi anulata gratis. In acest fel, veti fi siguri ca nu va fi rezervata de catre altcineva sau ca pretul nu va creste.

Articolul contine oferte de vacante pe care le puteti organiza pe cont propriu. Ofertele prezentate sunt cu titlu informativ. Preturile sunt valabile la momentul publicarii si pot fi modificate de catre furnizorii de servicii. Pentru a beneficia de oferte puteti folosi linkurile din articol sau sa accesati direct site-urile companiilor. Datele alese de noi pot fi modificate in functie de dorintele voastre.

ENG -- Israel - pilgrimage through Jerusalem

Pilgrimage is probably the main reason why most people choose to visit Jerusalem. In this article you can read about our experience and how you can visit holy places on your own without having to pay organized tours. No entry fee is required for any of these places, but there are many travel agencies or local guides who request smaller or larger amounts just to guide the less informed people.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

You can start the walk from the top of the Olive Mountain. Despite its name, it is rather a hill, quite easy to climb. Those with difficulty traveling can take a simple taxi. For organized tours, the only transport offered is to climb that hill, considering that, on descending and following the route on Via Dolorosa, the trip is made by foot.

About the Olive Mountain is written in the New Testament as the place where Jesus Christ spent the last nights before His death, but also the place where He ascended to heaven at 40 days from the Resurrection. Currently, there are several Churches dedicated to Ascension on the mountain.

From the Olive Mountain you can have a panoramic view of the ancient fortress of Jerusalem, bordered by the Western Wall, which is also known as the Wailing Wall. The golden cupola in the picture is called Dom of the Rock and is one of the oldest and most important Islamic constructions in the world. The same view can be admired from inside the Dominus Flevit church, which can be the first stop when you begin to descend the mountain. In Latin, the name "Dominus Flevit" means "The Lord Wept" and the church was built in the form of a tear to remind of the tears of Jesus.

At the base of the Olive Mountains is the Garden of Gethsemane and, within it, the Church of All Nations. As it is written in the Bible, the Garden of Gethsemane is the place where Jesus was arrested by the Roman soldiers after he was betrayed by Judas.

At the exit of the Garden of Gethsemane, you can head to the fortress of Jerusalem and, after a short walk you can go by just a few minutes, you reach the nearest gate called the Lions' Gate.

Via Dolorosa (also known as The Way of the Cross) begins at the entrance to the old city of Jerusalem as soon as you pass through the Lions' Gate and has 14 stops (also called stations). The stops are marked with Roman numerals and have biblical meanings.

Along the route you are going to go through, you will find indications of the 14 stations on Via Dolorosa. First, after 1-2 minutes after you enter the Lions' Gate, on the left side of the road you will find a graphic legend on the wall.

The 14 stations and biblical events that took place in those places are : 

I) the judgment of Jesus by Pontius Pilate and His condemnation

II) the cross is placed on the shoulders of Jesus
On the right side of the road, over the place with the 14 charts, you will find the place where Pilate's court was in the past. There you can stop for the first 2 stations and to see a map of the route.

III) the place where Jesus falls for the first time because of the weight of the cross

IV) Jesus meets His mother
Some of the stations have only markings on the fortress walls, for others were built churches / chapels that can be visited or not according to their schedule.
Going down Via Dolorosa, when you turn left for the first time, you will see the Armenian Church, and on the surrounding wall are marked stations III and IV. To visit the chapel dedicated to the meeting between Jesus and His mother, you will have to enter the church yard and lower the stairs on the left. Here you can see the image of Jesus' first fall, next to a souvenir shop. By crossing the shop you will reach the chapel shown in the picture below.

V) Simon Crinean helps Jesus to carry the cross

VI) Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

VII) the place where Jesus falls for the second time

VIII) the meeting of Jesus with the faithful women who were crying for Him

IX) the place where Jesus falls for the third time

X) arriving at Golgotha (now inside the Holy Sepulcher Church) and stripping Jesus of His garments

XI) Jesus is nailed on the cross

XII) Jesus dies on the cross

XIII) Jesus is taken down from the cross

XIV) the tomb of Jesus (now inside a miniature church inside the Holy Sepulcher Church)

The last 5 stations of Via Dolorosa are inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We recommend visiting the church in the morning or afternoon just before closing time because it is less crowded. Those who organize bus trips arrive here around lunch, so that's the time when you can hardly walk through the crowd.

Above the little church there was a hole in the ceiling about which it is said the Holy Light of the Resurrection would come during the Easter ceremony of  light up the candles.

Thank you for reaching the end of the article. In order to be informed when we publish new articles on this site, but also to see posts that are only on facebook, we invite you to like our facebook page by accessing this link : Doi plimbareti.

Other articles we have written about Israel : Israel - first impressions (it also contains details of how we arrived in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv using public transport), Israel - Dead Sea and about exploring Jerusalem as tourists.