Malta - Why are we here…? ->

So why are we in Malta? Nice place to visit? Sure. Time with the family? Yes. Fancied a break? Yup. But the real reason is rather more personal. 

Back in 1937 our dearly departed Dad (then aged 7) lived here. His own step-father, Pop, was in the Royal Navy - a surgeon - and had been stationed here - so moved all the family out here with him. Dad spent his time sailing, swimming, and generally being a kid. The way 7 year olds do. He wrote about it in great detail later in life too describing his everyday experiences. 

Within 3 years war had broken out and the bombing of Malta had started so Dad + family voyaged back to Britain leaving Pop to his job tending to the incoming wounded. By 1943 he too would be shipped out suffering from PTSD. All those dead and dying. He never fully recovered. 

So we are here to seek out where Dad lived and played, and where Pop worked. In a military hospital in Kalkara as it turned out. 

Luckily a ferry dropped us off near Kalkara and we were incredibly lucky to happen upon a guide at the old hospital who was fascinated by our Dad’s story and took us under her wing for the day. She showed us bits of the old Bighi Hospital, the place our Dad lived, played and even the (normally hidden to tourists) old chapel where he was baptised. We were gobsmacked. An amazing stroke of luck. She wants to include our Dad’s story in her PhD and hospital archive. 

After our visit we went for a boozy lunch nearby to consider our luck, before catching a water taxi back to Valletta, and the 80m lift up to the old town. 

What a day. Such luck.