VISIT MALTA WITH IVANA- HIKING TALES- (PART TWO - SOLO HIKES)

I'm back with another post from Malta! In this post, I'll share more hiking tales from the stunningly gorgeous island Malta. In case you missed my first post about Malta, I'll leave the link below: 

VISIT MALTA WITH IVANA- HIKING TALES- THE CLIFFS (PART ONE)

I spent a lot of my time on Malta just hiking! No wonder I loved my stay there so much.  How lucky was I! Not only did I get to visit this utterly gorgeous island, I also got to hike it for hours. Moreover, during my hikes, I felt like I was able to connect with Malta on a deeper level by exploring it with calm and patience.

 As I said, I visited a friend on Malta, so I stayed with her. At that time, she was renting a rather lovely home from an old granny.  It wasn't a touristy place, and it was about thirty minutes bus drive from Valetta. While she was at work, I would typically hike around. Every day I hiked a bit further apart. It was great fun getting to know Malta better this way. 

Hiking and exploring Malta by myself, I felt transported back to the happy days of my childhood (much of which were also spent on an island). I guess that the island beauty of Malta reminded me of Hvar in many ways. Naturally, Malta is very unique in some ways. I already wrote about its cliffs and unique wildlife in my last post. Besides all that, Malta has had a fascinating history and this is something you can observe on the island whether you go. However, more about that some other time. In this post, I will focus more on Malta's nature. It was really a joy exploring Malta slowly and without haste. 

So, before I share more touristy sites, I'll share more of my hikes. You know, these slow hikes were such beautifully happy moments for me. I feel like these photographs from my unplanned hikes will show you a lesser know Malta, the parts of the island where most tourists don't wonder to. It seems to me that these parts are especially charming! Today I'll share with you my photographs of my Spring adventures on island of Malta.

A SUNNY HIKE, ADMIRING THE LITTLE FIELDS AND THE ADORABLE PONIES

We'll start with one of my first hikes by my own. If I recall well, I went on this hike early in the morning. I took a lot of photographs of the neighbourhood before I wondered off to the fields. 

I FELT VERY SAFE WHILE ON MALTA

I must add that I felt very safe throughout my stay on Malta. It's generally a pretty safe country!

The weather on Malta alternated between sunny and cloudy, but generally it was quite windy. I'm pretty sure I've already mentioned that. On the photograph above you can see me wearing an outfit I repeated a couple of times, while I was staying on Malta. The black top is from my friend, and I'll link up the other items later when I share my second outings & outfit.

Above you can see a photograph of a house I quite liked with high palm trees in front. I saw a lot of houses I liked on Malta. On the photograph below is a lovely stone house. It has a nice ceramic detail at the entrance. I've seen those ceramic decorative tiles on a number of houses in Sicily. They seem to be pretty common decoration on Malta as well. 

Stone houses are always so beautiful aren't they? One of the first things that comes to my mind when I think of stone houses is Mediterranean. The seaside of Croatia is dominated by stone buildings and houses. Most houses on Croatian islands are made of stone. However, I'm aware they are also present in other places of the world. 

More beautiful houses to observe. I loved the decorative tiles on this lovely home. If you look closely, you'll see that the first one depicts seagulls, the second one a sailing shop and the third one islands and the sea. I wonder if these decorative tiles are meant to represent Malta itself. The palm trees in front if this stone house are wonderful as well.

Moving on, to the fields. In my last post, I wrote about how Malta is known for its cliffs and how it is nicknamed the rock by the locals. It might be a rocky island, but there is a lot of greenary. As I wondered away from the settlement and into the fields, I had to admire all the flowers and plants. How about that sea view as well? Malta is just a dream!

How wonderful it was to wonder these fields with just my thoughts as company. I hope to do that again someday. Who knows? Maybe I'll get the chance to visit Malta again some day and enjoy these marvelous views. The green pants, the yellow flowers, the white stone walls and the blue skies. Simply divine. 

My hairstyle during my stay was all about braids. I love braiding my hair. Braids are such a nice protective hairstyle. They're very easy to do, especially if you have some practice and they always look quite chic. 

In case you cannot tell, the photographs from today's post are basically selfies. These are all photographs from my solo hikes. So, photographs of me are not as polished as when my official photographer (aka husband) takes them. The photographs of nature were also taken my me. I think I captured some nice ones. Not that it is hard to take a good nature photograph when you're on Malta. The scenery is just gorgeous. 

Islands have a special beauty to them. Malta is no exception. I must paint it some day. I actually started a painting of Malta, but I haven't finished it. 

Below are the links for TRAVEL WITH MY ART POSTS!

#1 PALERMO ISLAND SICILY (ITALY)  

  #2 BAY MALA STINIVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

  #3 IRKUTSK, SIBERIA (RUSSIA) #4  MATEJUŠKA, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)
#5 HVAR CITY, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #6 ZENTA MARINE, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA) 

 #7 ZAVALA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #8 SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)
#9 MALA STINIVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #10 HVAR TOWN, ISLAND HVAR ( CROATIA)
#11 JELSA TOWN, DANCE O THE SAILS (CROATIA) #12 ZAVALA, ISLAND HVAR, (CROATIA)
#13: SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #14: BAY BRIZENICA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 
#15 BAY LOZNA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #16 BAY VEPRINOVA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)
#17 BOL, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #18 PLANINICA, (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA)
#19 SUCURAJ, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) 

#20 BEACH SOLINE,VRBOSKA,  ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)
#21 STARI GRAD, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #22 MAKARSKA (CROATIA)
#23 ZAVALA  PANORAMA (CROATIA) #24 ŽNJAN BEACH, SPLIT CITY (CROATIA)
#25 JELSA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #26 ZAVALA BAY, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)

#27 MALA STINIVA IN SUMMER, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA)  #28 TRAVEL WITH MY ART, BASINA BAY, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #29 TRAVEL WITH MY ART, BAY TORAC, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA) #30 TRAVEL WITH MY ART, VALETTA, ISLAND MALTA (MALTA)   #31 TRAVEL WITH MY ART : CAPE PLANKA (CROATIA) #32 TRAVEL WITH MY ART: ZAVALA (CROATIA)

#33:TRAVEL WITH MY ART  LOZNA, ISLAND HVAR

#34 TRAVEL WITH MY ART BOTA SURF CENTRE, VRBOSKA, ISLAND HVAR, CROATIA

#35 TRAVEL WITH MY ART #35: BEACH KAMENJARA, VRBOSKA, ISLAND HVAR (CROATIA )

While I hiked, I also happened upon these ponies. Apparently, the Maltese love ponies. Malta is crazy about horse races and there's this whole riding culture. I didn't really look into it, but I do like that there's this while culture on Malta. I think it adds something special to its charm. 

Anyway, I loved seeing these ponies. They looked so happy. I also saw random chariots with ponies around. I don't know whether they were training them for a race or just having some quality time with their horses. Either way, it was really nice to see these happy ponies than looked well cared for. Many days later, almost at the end of my stay, I had another encounter with the pony. I will tell you all about it below.

Aren't they just adorable?

THE STORY OF HOW A PONY SCARED ME- HIKING THE MALTENESE HILLS ON A SUNNY DAY

Now it is time to share a funny anecdote. It happened towards the end of my stay. I was hiking by myself and having fun. Suddenly, I heard a noise. As I glanced towards my right, I see the tall grass bending. I don't know what it is, but I know that it's an animal.

What kind of animal? I don't know, but the grass is moving so quickly, it's apparent that the animal is running...and that's kind of heavy and relatively big. In any case, bigger enough to bend all that grass. In a moment of panic, I think it must be - a wild hog.

If you know me, you'll know there's pretty much only one thing I'm afraid of. A wild hog. They are not animals. They're small vicious tanks. So, I stand there frozen with fear, when I suddenly see...a pony. 

I cannot describe my relief when I saw this beautiful pony. The pony moved towards me, pointing with his head. He wanted me to help him come down. But how could I? He's smaller than a regular horse, but still too big for me to carry him. So, I talked with him. He kept moving his head up and down. He seemed annoyed that he cannot jump from the field. He concluded that the stonewall was too high for him to simply jump over it. I agreed with him.

I tried to explain to him that he has to go around and direct him towards a passing in the field. Eventually, he saw where I was pointing to and left. He still looked a bit annoyed because he had to go round, but still happy he wondered upon someone and had a chat. 

 

If horses could talk, what would they tell us. They are such intelligent beings, I'm sure they would tell us many interesting things. In a way, they already do. They say that most of human communication is visual. Does that mean that animals can talk after all?

Looking at these photographs now, I can almost imagine I'm somewhere in Croatia. These cacti and stone walls make me think of Dalmatia.

THE STORY OF MY OUTFIT- COMFY BUT CUTE HIKING STYLING

A lot of my hiking outfits were just a mix of the few clothing items I brought, and my friend's clothes. This outfit was all mine, though. It was actually a pretty cute styling, now that I think of it. 

THE WHITE FOLKLORE SHIRT- (handmade by a Croatian lady who specializes in making folklore shirts) see how I styled it here, here , here. You can also see how I styled this handmade Croatian folklore blouse here, here and here. I wear it often!

THE PASTEL PINK FLORAL PATTERN SKIRT- (vintage)- see how I styled it here

THE DRIVING LOAFERS (old)- see how I styled this pair here , here, here and here.

THE MAGNENTA COAT- see plus 30 ways to style this coat here! 

HIKING THE SEASIDE ON A  SUNNY BUT WINDY DAY

One more hiking excursion to follow. These photographs were taken on another sunny but windy day.

Look at the cobalt sea. Isn't it absolutely gorgeous! I loved breathing in that salty Mediterranean air. 

These views are just mesmerizing. If I didn't live in such a beautiful place, I would miss them even more.

Is there anything more beautiful than Mediterranean? 

I have to make a painting based on this photograph some day!

THE STORY OF MY OUTFIT

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING OLD, NOTHING NEW AND BLUE

Again, I'm wearing a jacket I borrowed from my friend and a warm sweater as well.  The floral skirt and the brown boots are mine, though.

These salt pools are so lovely, too!

Thank you for reading!