Photo taken by Mr C

For some reason I was feeling out of sorts when I woke up, possibly because I could feel the beginnings of the lurgy coming on. We were a little late for breakfast but thankfully there was only a small queue.

After breakfast we had planned to catch the ferry to Birgu but the plan was flexed and we detoured to the war memorial first rather than on the way back from Birgu as we had planned. The pathways that led to the memorial were all blocked off. We had quite a tricky time getting to the war memorial and so it took us longer than expected. Some pathways were closed and the roads around it were very busy.

After photographing the memorial, we walked to the lift that would take us down to the ferry. Unfortunately, the extra time it had taken to get to the memorial meant that we had just missed the ferry and had to wait for it to come back.

Photo taken by Mr C

Eventually in Birgu, we took a few photos of the harbour before sitting on a bench for a few moments to look at a map so we could get our bearings. It was now time for a refreshing drink before walking into town. We didn’t opt for the nearest café and settled for a shady arcaded place a short distance down the street.

Then we headed into town checking a signboard before choosing to visit the Inquisitors Palace first. As we neared the palace, I saw a photo opportunity and realised my camera was missing. I remembered I had put it next to me on the bench when we sat to briefly peruse the map. I always check I have left nothing behind when I move on from a place but for some reason, I didn’t see the camara, maybe it had fallen on the floor underneath the bench. I will never know…

Mr C retraced our steps checking all the cafes and also the bench area where we briefly sat. It was gone without a trace.

Despite being distracted due to the loss of my camera, or, more importantly to me, the photos I had taken during the first days of our holiday I enjoyed our visit to the Inquisitors Palace.

By some quirk of fate, I had unexpectedly upgraded my mobile phone (paying less for my contract) just a few days before we travelled to Malta!  The new phone has an adequate camera, so going forward I was able to capture my own photo memories of our adventures in Malta.

Photo taken by Mr C

We went in search of lunch, ending up on the harbour front sharing a pizza and enjoying a glass of wine and beer seated in shade at restaurant Sottovento. This was handy for our next intended visit, The Maritime Museum. However, we found that the museum was closed to the public until further notice, because is being refurbished.

We returned to Valletta, on the way checking at the café near to where I lost my camera. The waitress took my phone number and directed me to the police station that was 200 yards away to see if it had been handed in there. It hadn’t but the police officer also took phone details, although both of us knew that by now my camera was not going to turn up.

It being my birthday, back at the hotel Mr C ordered a bottle of Prosecco to be delivered to the room. The bar staff said, can you take it yourself? Mr C agreed but they provided no ice bucket so it turned out to be a do it yourself sort of celebratory drink on the balcony! When we sat down, I had a little birthday surprise in that my mum (who struggles with technology) was able to use her new mobile phone to ring me up to say happy birthday.

We walked into Valletta to find a suitable restaurant for a birthday meal, ending up, to our delight, dining in our restaurant of choice, Grain Street which we had thought was shut that day. The food and service were amazing.

Our cosy nearby bar was shut on Sundays so we returned to the hotel for a nightcap instead.

PS: I was neither the sender or receiver of this card

Once that was sorted I was able to print out my two T-Mobile accounts to take into the T-Mobile shop so that I could change them to more suitable options.  I thought this would be easier than trying to sort it out over the phone.  Unfortunately after waiting for about 10 minutes because all the staff were busy I got Mr Disinterested.  In answer to my first query he told me that I would need to phone customer services (they usually do that for you in the shop).  My second query involved changing a pay as you go phone to a sim only contract.  I was told I couldn’t keep my phone number unless I transferred it to a different network and back, which sounded absolutely ludicrous to me.  I did query his remarks but he remained unhelpful.

I returned home and phoned customer services which wasn’t easy either.  On my first attempt I ended up in one of those automated call loops so I hung up and started again.  Eventually I got through and although I had to speak to two different departments, everyone was extremely helpfull and explained all the options to me.  I am still however awaiting the sim update that was supposed to arrive within a few minutes…

Then on top of that just before the evening meal one of Mum’s friends phoned in a bit of a flap because Mum’s phone had been engaged all day.  So I had to go and investigate much to Mum’s surprise.  The phone was obviously having one of it’s quirky moments.

Now I am relaxing with a glass of wine and before you ask, yes it is allowed

I could have kicked myself earlier today, I had the ideal opportunity for a photo to fit this week’s PhotoHunt theme.  I had been playing the board game ‘Twilight Struggle’ which re-enacts the cold war struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Twilight Struggle is a two-player game simulating the forty-five year dance of intrigue, prestige, and occasional flares of warfare between the Soviet Union and the United States. The entire world is the stage on which these two titans fight to make the world safe for their own ideologies and ways of life. The game begins amidst the ruins of Europe as the two new “superpowers” scramble over the wreckage of the Second World War, and ends in 1989, when only the United States remained standing.

Well on this occasion things didn’t go according to plan and I reached 20 victory points half way through the game which meant immediate victory to me and I was playing the Soviet Union!!!  I had thoroughly licked my opponent.  I didn’t think of photographing the event until I had put the game away.

I was left wondering what to post when the following New Years Message arrived on my mobile.  I am not quite sure what the sender is trying to tell me…

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.