Bloodwalk: A Book Review

I finished this book a few days back, and I'm already halfway through the next novel on my reading pile, so about time I got this reveiw written up lest I end up with a backlog again! Bloodwalk by James P. Davis is a Forgotten Realms novel, and the second volume in the four book series entitled The Wizards. Each of the novels in this series is a stand alone tale, with the common theme being that each features a wizard as a central character. In this case the wizard in question is the main villain of the tale, a sorceress by the name of Morgynn who possesses truly frightening powers, her magic fueled by blood.

Morgynn's power stems from the death and rebirth she endured years before, having been killed by her own mother and her tribe, they fearful of the then girls natural talent for sorcery which they regarded as unnatural. Brought back to life by the cultists of a devil god named Gargauth, she first took her revenge on her mothers people and then travelled the Realms, being moved on from place to place until her wanderings bring her and her followers to the poorly defended lands of the Border Kingdoms.

Here she sets about raising an army of undead and fiendish creatures, using the power of an ancient ruined fortress/city to power a terrifying storm that will assist her forces in laying waste to the region. While she is a truly scary villain, Morgynn never strikes me as being a very clever one, she regards pretty much all of her followers as expendable and she is supremely arrogant, her anger usually getting the better of any common sense she might have. It is this failing that leads her to manipulate a wandering Ghostwalker to arrive in the region, hoping to use him to create false hope in the areas defenders.

What she hadn't counted on (but which should really have been pretty obvious if she'd thought about it), was that the Ghostwalker wouldn't just go away. The Ghostwalker is a travelling servant of Hoar, the God of Vengeance by the name of Quinsareth, a man seemingly without reason or purpose in his life save to go whereever he feels "called" too and set right the wrongs there, before moving on. I find it hard to believe that any villain would want such a character anywhere near their evil plans, as such a person simply screams "spanner in the works".

Adding to the regions problems are the seers of Savras, the God of Divination, who led by their frankly deluded High Oracle Sameska who espouse a policy of doing nothing to combat the evil growing in the nearby Qurth Forest (where Morgynn's forces are massing near the ruined citadel), because she believes that the Ghostwalker will save them, even though Quinsareth doesn't believe in prophecy or any higher calling save that of his God (and even then only because it gives him something to do).

All in all this is an odd book, and I'm not sure whether it works or not. It is without a doubt a lot darker in tone than most Realms novels, bordering on being almost Lovecraftian in parts. I think part of my problem with this book is that none of the characters seem all that focused on anything. Quinsareth exists but does little more, essentially he is empty inside. Morgynn has evil designs but no actual plan for acheiving them (at least not one that makes any actual sense, would be conquerors do not consider their armies to be expendable).

Overall I'm going to award this book a 3/5 rating. It is undeniably well written, and Mr. Davis writes really well, his description is brilliant, but the motives of his characters are in my opinion a mess. The book does end in such a way as to leave room for a sequel which would feature Quinsareth, though I'm not sure whether I'd be interested in reading another tale about a character who is essentially hollow.

One Year On

So a year ago today I got the idea of starting a blog, after reading through my friend Nyssa's blog that she was writing at the time. I've since lost contact with her and she's not writing it anymore, but to my great surprise, one year on and here I am still going with mine. Frankly this kinda stuns me because while I am very good at starting things (or thinking of things to start) I'm usually pretty rubbish at carrying on with them (or actually starting them in a lot of cases, particularly when it comes to exercise regimes).

At the time of writing this I have 333 posts (including this one and 2 drafts waiting for me to complete & post them), so I've not managed to write every day like I originally intended. In fact the last couple weeks have seen very few posts, mostly owing to a bout of a weird sleepy sickness that has seen me drinking a truly criminal amount of coffee in order to stay awake for half the day. Still I am happy with how much I have gotten posted here so far. Oh yes, that is a definite so far there, because I've got no intention of ceasing to write this. I find writing here to be therapeutic.

So what have I gotten done in the past year then? I've finished my Rise of the Snakemen D&D (that's Dungeons & Dragons to those not in the know) campaign, which had run for nearly 2 years and is by far and away the most successful campaign I've ever run. So I'm quite proud of that, it says something when my players have enjoyed playing their characters so much that they all asked to continue with them rather than start a new campaign. I've sold off a load of old toys and books on ebay, the money from that though getting eaten up by bills that all seemed to arrive when they knew I had funds to pay them!

I took my first real holiday in 8 years, and the first ever where I went alone, which was a good experience overall. I've been conned at least twice and so a lesson I need to take on from that is that I need to be a bit less trusting in future. I have tried and tried and yet thus far failed to get myself a girlfriend, that is a work still in progress. I've put on weight.

I've made a few new friends and lost a sister. I was moved from my admin job which I liked back to the bakery. If anything I'm earning less now each week than I was when I started this blog, mainly owing to the lack of Sunday work. Despite having a New Years resolution to reduce the amount of debt I am in, I have if anything actually increased it, by restarting my bank loan back in June, meaning that I again have 5 years of monthly payments ahead of me, and my credit card remains maxed out.

All in all I think the past years bad experiences outweigh the good ones. I can but hope that the 06/07 blog year is going to be kinder to me than this past year has been. I will continue to document my existence (I don't consider it to be a life right now) here, both to amuse and entertain others and to help keep me this side of sane. Having a place to rant helps. Here's to the next twelve months.

An Unusual Sight

This was the view from my window a short while ago. I was writing the previous post at the time which is why I didn't post the photo sooner. As I was writing I heard the clop clop sound of hooves, and looked out the window to see a trio of horse-drawn waggons being led past. As that was a very rare sight, I snatched up my digicam and snapped them, before they vanished from view. I thought I'd share the image with you.

I actually like genuine gypsies, they are a rare remnant of an ancient lifestyle, which was nearly wiped out by the Nazi's programme of extermination against them. It is the modern day bands of roving scum (sorry can't think of a better word for them) that are the New Age Travellers that I despise. I've only ever seen a couple gypsey waggons before today so to see three at the same time, and going past my window no less, was a real treat.

Last Sunday

I'm late in publishing this. I don't have any excuse for that beyond laziness though, I've just not really felt like writing in the blog for a while now. Still I have friends who want to read this, so I'm putting this here for their sake as much as mine. This is what I wrote on the sunday just gone, whilst watching (and sometimes participating) in their weapons practice:

As I write this I am sat in a field at the back end of Vivary Park (the one with the soccer goal and the overgrown rifle ranges), whilst listening to a classic rock tune by Bon Jovi (Blaze of Glory). I am here with a bunch of my best friends (and my brother), to watch them practise fighting with rubber weapons.

They all play in LARP (Live Action RolePlay) games over weekends away now and then (Tony is soon to join them in this hobby), and they want to hone their skills. So I'm sat here in the middle of the field, next to an impressive collection of rubber swords, daggers and spears, as they battle around me, my words written to the thuds of these weapons hitting against each other and also the people involved. Right now Tony, Gareth, Dan and my brother Rhys are here, but apparently some more are due to turn up soon.

Every now and then some other members of the public walk into the field, staying well clear of our madcap group and glancing oddly at us as they walk around the fields perimeter. I wonder whether the four dancing about hitting each other in furious melee, or the one sat quietly writing in their midst is perceived as the most unusual?

A little later on: They are done with the fighting for the moment. I'm now laying down watching as Dan is stood facing the other three, teaching them a few basic Kung-Fu moves, a sequence of hand positions he refers to as a kata. I can't hear a word any of them are saying, as I'm too close to the stereo Dan brought with him. I do catch a snippet of their conversations now and then whenever the song changes over though, plus I get the added hilarity of seeing one or all of them burst into laughter suddenly, without hearing the cause, which is actually quite funny to see in its own right!

A cold wind is blowing, the sun up above only rarely showing itself from behind a cover of clouds, which seem to be growing increasingly grey. Certainly it is darker now than when we arrived, and I get the feeling that rain won't be long in coming. I just looked up then to see all of the other four looking at me and grinning. Seems I missed out on a shared joke there.

Later still: Well Kung-Fu training came to an abrupt halt when my brother picked up a spear and attacked Dan with it. So Rhys and Gareth are trying out dual weapon fighting now, each of them using a sword and dagger. Meanwhile Dan is training Tony in the use of Nunchuks (of the non-rubber variety). Part of me is tempted to pick up a weapon and join in. However, I know my mates well enough to know that I'd likely get attacked by all of them should I do so. Still no sign of the others who were supposed to have been joining us.

Even later again: Dan is now running the others through the spear/staff fighting routine which I watched him teaching Gareth in this same field back on Wednesday afternoon. Needless to say the couple hours practice then is showing, as Gareth seems to be doing quite well in this lesson. Dan's tuition mostly focusing on Rhys it seems.

Yup, even later again: Well the grey clouds have blown over, looks like I was wrong about rain being imminent. I've had a couple battles with Gareth, putting my old fencing lessons at school to good use. Dan is now trying to phone up those who haven't turned up. Time I was heading off I think as I want to get to the cinema to watch "Snakes On A Plane" a bit later on.

Well that is what I penned while sat in the field. As I was leaving, the other two who were due to join the group finally turned up (Emil and his girlfriend Charlie. Not sure if I've spelt either of their names right there!). They didn't stay long though, as I ran into them and Rhys as I was walking through town a little bit later on, on my way to the cinema. It's been a good day all in all and as I don't seem to get much work on Sundays of late (which I'm not happy about), I'll likely tag along for future sessions.

Just Too Funny

Spotted this comic advertised on the Penny & Aggie webcomic page and just had to click the link and read it. As someone who loves these 80's comic book/cartoon characters, I just laughed out loud at the comics depiction of Copperhead, Cobra Commander, King Hsss and Serpentor. The only one I can't place is the character at the back of the first panel. I think he is the villain out of the old Conan the Adventurer cartoon, but I'll be damned if I can remember his name!

Blackstaff: A Book Review

Well I was going to write up a book review for the trilogy I read while on holiday in Malta, but I can't be bothered. Suffice to say that I enjoyed reading the Starlight & Shadows Trilogy by Elaine Cunningham and I award it 4/5. So with that done, on to the book I finished earlier today. Blackstaff by Steven E. Schend is a Forgotten Realms novel and the first book in a quartet of stand alone novels entitled The Wizards, the focus for which should be obvious. The wizard in this case is Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, one of the more powerful mages of the Realms.

The central premise of the book has Khelben's apprentice Tsarra Chaadren becoming bonded to her mentor via a spellcasting by another apprentice going horribly wrong. As a result of this, Tsarra is exposed to Khelben's memories and secrets which span nearly a millenium, he being far older than his current identity would have him appear to be. As frightening as some of those memories are, Tsarra quickly learns that Khelben has known that this would happen for a very long time.

Unable to be further than eight armspans from the great wizard, Tsarra is brought along as a plan many centuries in fruition starts to form. Khelben travels across the Realms gathering items and allies, all the while working to thwart the ambitions of a corrupt former student of his, now a deadly lich, who seeks to steal control of what the Blackstaff is up to, even though he doesn't really comprehend the full scope of the wizards ambitious undertaking.

Unused to having to explain himself, Khelben finds himself having to deal with Tsarra's anger at being left "out of the loop", and increasingly has to open up to the girl to explain what she sees in his memories which occasionally overwhelm her in the form of a vision. Too some of the things Khelben takes for granted are quite shocking to his apprentice, such as the "Dead Man's Walk", a chain of portals & caches at the sites of the graves of the identities Khelben has had over the centuries.

The story culminates in one of the best written spectacles I have seen in any book, a massive undertaking of magic, cast by many of the notable wizards (and even a few priests) of the Realms. To anyone who knows and loves the Realms as I do, names like Elminster, Alustriel & Laeral Silverhand, Maskar Wands, Malchor Harpell and Maaril the Dragonmage need no introduction. The book nicely touches on some plotlines long left unresolved (such as two of my favourite characters: Sememmon & Ashemmi) tying up some, and spinning others off in new and unforeseen directions.

It is clear to me that Mr. Schend really "gets" both the Realms and Khelben himself, hardly surprising given that he used to be a staff writer at TSR before they were bought out by Wizards of the Coast. At the end of this book I am left wanting more from the author, though this story is complete in an of itself, I am already eager to see what his next novel will cover. To me that is a sign both of a good writer and a good story well told, especially so since this is his first novel. This book gets top marks from me, 5/5. I can only hope the other books in The Wizards series live up to the promise of this first tome.

Right Place, Wrong Time

I do like this song, and if you don't know it from the lyrics, then I'd ask if you've ever seen the frankly excellent movie Sahara. This is the song that plays over the opening credits, while the camera slowly pans around Dirk Pitt's cluttered office, panning over the many trophies and photos of his career. It is hard to describe the tune exactly, seems I can describe just about anything that I can see, but words often fail me when trying to detail what something sounds like. Still you can download the track for something like 10 pence at www.allofmp3.com so if you are curious, then it'll hardly set you back that much. If not, your loss!

Right Place, Wrong Time by Dr. John

I been in the right place
But it must have been the wrong time
I'd of said the right thing
But I must have used the wrong line
I been in the right trip
But I must have used the wrong car
My head was in a bad place
And I'm wondering what it's good for

I been the right place
But it must have been the wrong time
My head was in a place
But I'm having such a good time
I been running trying to get hung up in my mind
Got to give myself a little talking to this time

Just need a little brain salad surgery
Got to cure this insecurity
I been in the wrong place
But it must have been the right time
I been in the right place
But it must have been the wrong song
I been in the right vein
But it seems like the wrong arm
I been in the right world
But it seems wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong

Slipping, dodging, sneaking, creeping
Hiding out down the street
See my life shaking with every who I meet
Refried confusion is making itself clear
Wonder which way do I go to get on out of here

I been in the right place
But it must have been the wrong time
I'd have said the right thing
But I must have used the wrong line
I'd a took the right road
But I must have took a wrong turn
I would have made the right move
But I made it at the wrong time
I been on the right road
But I must have used the wrong car
My head was in a good place
And I wonder what it's bad for

Malta Diary - Day Eight (1/8/06)

3:10am - The alarm clock went off on time and I'm now up, washed and dressed. I've checked over the room and not found anything that I haven't packed, that I need to take with me. I've filled out the hotels questionaire and left it on the table for housekeeping to find. All that is left to do now and haul myself and my bags to the lobby, pay my bill, check out and wait for the bus to show up.

6:05am Malta International Airport - Well the bill came to 21Lm which is actually less than I thought it would be, so that was a relief. I had a relaxing (if somewhat hot and stuffy) ride in a big touring coach to the airport and I am now sat at Gate 8 in the Departure Lounge waiting to board Flight KM 5214 to Exeter. The flight is at 7am, so I've got a little while yet. I've bought a few items from the duty free shops, namely a big bag of Wine Gums (I love Wine Gums), and also a litre bottle of Blue Label Smirnoff Vodka which is 50% proof (the version you can buy in the UK is the same price but you only get 70cls and it is 45%).

I have also bought a better present for Mum than the candle I found, as she collects miniature model houses, I got her a Maltese Watchtower (as she doesn't have any castles or the like). There is quite a range of shops here and a Hard Rock Cafe too. Certainly a much better quality airport than Exeter, although Gatwick is far more impressive still.

11:00am Home - My good friend Richard Adams was waiting for me at Exeter Airport to give me a lift home, for which I am very grateful. It was good to see a familiar face. The drive home was relaxing, with only one odd occurence near the airport when for a minute at most we drove through torrential rain, which vanished as fast as it had appeared. Very strange. I'll leave the unpacking until later, as I have a couple parcels at the Sorting Office across town to go and collect.

All in all it has been a good week, and I now have a lot to think on. I want to go on holiday again and a lot sooner than the 8 year gap between this past week and the last time before that I had gone abroad (a weekend to Denmark in summer 1998). I think Malta was a good choice of vacation, and I'd be looking for something similar next time, a blend of sun and sightseeing. Somewhere like Crete or Italy...

Malta Diary - Day Seven (31/7/.06)

9:00am - I've allowed myself to sleep in late this morning (but not so late that I can't get breakfast). So it's off to Les Jardins to enjoy for the last time the incredible selection of breakfast foods availiable on their buffet. I've eaten very well this past week, think I'll go for cold meats, cheese and bread this morning.

10:20am - I've had breakfast and done some shopping. Bought a big bottle of cold water for the poolside, a couple big bottles of Kinnie to take home with me as well as a truly lovely candle which I think Mum might like. I've got to head to the pool now as the housekeeping lady is here.

2:35pm - I think that is enough pool for today. I'm tired from all the swimming and my brain aches from all the reading I've done as I've just finished the trilogy that I brought with me. So I've come back to my room to chill out for a while while watching music videos. Might take a nap thinking about it, seeing as I've got to get up at 3am tomorrow and I know myself well enough to know that I'll likely get no sleep tonight.

7:15pm - I feel fantastic after several hours of naptime. I'm about to head out to dinner now as I need food (didn't have much in the way of lunch) and then I'll visit the cyber cafe before coming back here and packing my things.

11:05pm - I'm watching Shakira shake her stuff on MTV as I write this. I had dinner at the Al Ponte at my favourite table again. Treated myself to a bottle of Rose Wine and I had the Irish Rib Eye Steak again. I was joined there not long after I'd finished my main course (and was trying to get the waitresses attention for the dessert menu) by Chris & Rachel. It was nice to have people to talk too for a while. Was a good evening all in all, and I chatted with them as I enjoyed a Fresh Sensation dessert (2 scoops of lemon sorbet, drizzled in Limoncello liqueor and raspbery coulis), a magical combination and only 1.25Lm!

I went to the cyber cafe for an hour or so, mostly spent reading webcomics and chatting to my friend Savanna. Time I got everything packed up and ready to go now though.

11:25pm - Well I was going to go to sleep once I was done packing, but just as I was turning off MTV on comes Live Guns 'N' Roses from one of their 1992 concerts. I slept earlier, so I think I'll stay up and watch this for a while. The alarm clock is set for 3am, everything is packed and I'm ready to go in the morning. Not looking forward to the room service bill though!

Malta Diary - Day Six (30/7/06)

8:05am - Depression has abated a little, time for breakfast then going to stay by the pool for the day. I am tempted to take a boat trip around the islands tomorrow, as there is one that leaves at 11am and it was highly reccomended by a woman called Sheila who I was talking too last night in the Cocktail Lounge. It is also the same company that Charlotte was handing out flyers for earlier in the week.

2:35pm - Back from the pool for a bit. One problem I've found is that being on your own at a hotel where everyone is with someone else means you get stared at a LOT. I've never been one to stand in the limelight, so it frankly it is very annoying when I am trying to read my book in peace, and I can feel peoples eyes on me all of the time. So I've retreated to the solitude of my room for a while, and I will read some more out on the balcony.

6:25pm - A few more hours have slipped by at the poolside. Spent a while chatting to Chris and Rachel as they were interested in the islands history and I was keen to know about their year spent travelling around the world. I am back in my room now watching 25 Years of MTV on the Euro MTV channel. I can't understand a word the presenter says, or any of the adverts for that matter, but the music videos are all in english. I've just watched Eternal Flame by the Bangles and Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns 'N' Roses. Push It by Salt 'N' Pepa is on at the moment. I was about to head out for some dinner when I found this by channel surfing. Think I'll stay in and watch videos for a while longer as I'm not that hungry yet, and I do love 80's music.

11:50pm - Dinner (when I eventually grew tired of music videos) was at the Al Ponte. I've found a table I like there (#53 overlooking Mellieha Bay) and the food and service are both superb (as well as the prices). I had Garlic Bread for a starter followed by a main course of pasta (I've forgotten the dishes exact name but it was very nice) with a bottle of very cold white wine.
From there I headed to the cyber cafe and spent a half hour or so reading webcomics and chatting to a couple friends on MSN, before heading across the street to the Bar 120 where I remained for the next couple hours. Didn't drink so much this time, but because of the bottle of wine earlier still ended up pleasantly drunk. Very handy that the Bar 120 has a door at the back of it that leads into a room where the elevators to my floor are! Staggering distance indeed! Night World!

Malta Diary - Day Five (29/7/06)

9:00am - I've slept in later than I intended but not too late. I've got what I need to travel with me (Sun Lotion, Camera, USB cable for the camera in case I find a cyber cafe there, Rough Guide, Wallet, Sunglasses) so once I get some breakfast in me, I'll be off to the bus stop to catch a bus to Valletta. The #45 is the one I want... I think.

6:20pm - Valletta was brilliant, a very lovely city that is collectively a World Heritage Site (and rightly so!). I caught the #45 bus outside the hotel and was treated to a bone shaking trip that took about 50mins before we arrived at the gates to the ancient city. Maltese buses have high ceilings and powerful (AND LOUD) engines to get them up the insanely steep roads on parts of the island. Every bus also has some religious symbol in the window, fitting as the Maltese are some of the most pious people in the world.

A view from the top of the main gatehouse into Valletta of the terminal where buses to the city stop, and deposit visitors before the awesome fortified entrance!

Valletta was built to commemorate the the victory of the Knights of St. John in 1565 over the massive Turkish army that had attacked their base on Malta. The Ottoman Empire wished Malta conquered, as from its massive harbours the Knights were able to very effectively raid and pillage Turkish shipping. Had Malta fallen, Italy would almost certainly have been conquered and Rome itself would have fallen to the forces of Islam. For over three months the Knights fought a truly desperate siege against a force that outnumbered them at least 4 to 1.

A view from the other side of the main gatehouse, looking down into Freedom Square. The main road through the centre of Valletta (Triq Ir-Repubblika) can be seen leading off from the back of the square.

The Triq Ir-Repubblika which leads from Freedom Square all the way through the centre of Valletta to Fort St. Elmo at the far end of the peninsular which the city is built on.

First off I headed down the Triq Ir-Repubblika (Republic Street) and I visited the National Museum of Archeology which is housed in a former chapter house for the Knights. The entrance fee was 1Lm, and while the upstairs level was closed for refurbishment, I felt I got my money's worth from the exhibits on the ground floor. What I could view was fascinating, with items from many dig sites around the islands detailing the inhabitants in the Neolithic Age as well as some excellent models of the megalithic temple complexes that were built here at that time. Malta was home to the most advanced society of the Stone Age, and the islands have been occupied for more than 7000 years.

From there I made my way to the Grand Masters Palace and Armoury, but was dismayed to find that it was closed due to state business (it is also the Maltese House of Parliament). Deciding that the War Museum was a good next target, I set off through the very busy streets, stopping to buy a few gifts for family and friends. I think it was not long after that that a cannon went off. At least that is what it sounded like. I was maybe 100' from it when it went off, and I felt like I'd jumped out of my skin! The sudden near-deafening boom came from the next street over (Triq Il-Merkanti) where a very lively festival was taking place. Asking a shopkeeper I was told that it was a Saint's Day festival. Every five minutes for the next couple hours this BOOM went off, finally ending in a loud and furious salvo of a few dozen such explosions in quick succession. Needless to say the noise provided a suitable ambience while I browsed the exhibits in the War Museum, which detailed Malta's crucial role in World War 2.

A view from the Lower Barakka Gardens of the Siege Bell, a frankly huge bell that tolls once each day at noon as a reminder of the lives lost in World War 2. It was inaugurated in 1992 by Queen Elizabeth II.

From there I took a walk alongside the Grand Harbour, taking in the Lower and Upper Barakka Gardens and getting a true sense of the awesome fortifications that the Knights surrounded their new capital in. As a point of reference, in harbour was a 110,000 tonne cruise liner which stuck something like 10-12 stories out of the water. As massive as it was, the wall it was moored near towered over it. I sure wouldn't have wanted to attack this place with muskets and ladders that's for sure!

I was again disappointed after lunch when I tried to visit the Lascaris War Rooms (where the WW2 Battle for North Africa and the Mediterranean was directed from. The Invasion of Sicily was planned here by none other than General Dwight Eisenhower himself) as they had shut at 12:30pm. I wandered for a while then, taking a couple photos from the top of the cities main gatehouse, and eventually finding my way to the Siege Experience a very interesting 3D tour through the Great Siege of 1565, with audio provided by a box & headphones that were worn as as you toured through the themed rooms, each room triggering a new audio track to play. From there I wandered a bit more, before heading back to the bus stop.

Once back in Mellieha, I got changed and headed to the pool for an hour to read and swim. I also spent a fair bit of time chatting with Rachel (and briefly Chris before he headed off for a massage), the couple from near Exeter whose names I finally got! As the pool slipped fully into the shade, I headed back to my room to relax, write this entry and get changed before heading out to find a place to have dinner.

12:00am - I had dinner at Les Jardins, yet another expense on my room bill, but I didn't fancy walking around to find a restaurant after all the walking I'd done earlier today. chatted to my mate Dan Shapter on MSN for a bit and had a few drinks at the Cocktail Lounge, but the self doubt that plagues me has finally caught up with me, and as a result of that I spent a fair bit of the night in a state of depression which is not unusual for me. Hopefully I'll feel more cheery in the morning.

Malta Diary - Day Four (28/7/06)

9:35am - Well I went to the bar in the end, had a few drinks and thoroughly enjoyed myself singing along to 80's rock tunes. I've overslept now though, so need to head to Les Jardins for breakfast while they are still serving it!

12:05pm - I'm fed and have just picked up a bottle of cold water from the store across the road. Spent 2Lm on an internet voucher and have posted my first bday's worth of diary on the blog. Wrote up most of day two also and saved that to brief, as my time was about to run out. I was sat next to an italian bloke the whole time who was moaning about how slow the connection was on his PC. Mine was fine, but he was pissed because he couldn't access his bank account online. I managed to access my HSBC account without any problems. Guess he should switch to a better bank!

Pool now and I must remember to wear my sun hat when I'm sat reading as I have gotten sunburned on the top of my head now!

5:00pm - I've just spent the last few hours by the pool. As a result of having sunburn on my head, I decided to sit in the shade at the back of the poolside bar area. No-one else hardly sits in there anyway, and it was much cooler and more comfortable on the chairs there, than out on the sun loungers. I swam every now and then, but mostly I sat and read my book. I also got in a fair bit of women watching, particularly the exquisite brunette in a green bikini who was lounging nearby with her family. There are lots of very nice looking women here, a shame that they all seem to either be with their partners, their children or their parents. As near as I can tell, I'm the only single male in the hotel!

My eyes are stinging from the chlorine so I might well have a nap and then go out for an evening meal. I've also learned (much to my dismay) that there are no nightclubs or bars with dancefloors in Mellieha!

10:50pm - I've been sat out on the balcony for the past couple hours reading, after getting a truly wonderful dinner at the Al Ponte. Foccaccia for starters (very different from the foccaccia we are used too in the UK, which is quite a fluffy bread. This was flat and piled high with salad), and a sublime Irish Rib Eye Steak with chips (seasoned with paprika) and Gorgonzola sauce. Best meat I have ever eaten, the steak melted in my mouth . I might well have that again before coming home. Tomorrow I mean to catch an early bus to Valletta and go sight seeing. I'll take the camera as I can still get a few shots in its memory.

Got a letter from my travel rep who is called Amanda apparently. I've not seen hide nor hair of her yet. The letter contained leaving details (I need to be in the hotel lobby for 4am on Tuesday!) as well as a questionnaire, which can wait to be filled out. Sleep calls to me now.

Malta Diary - Day Three (27/7/06)

8:00am - I've not had a good nights sleep, a combination of the alcohol I drank last night, slight dehydration and the peanuts I ate doing nasty things to my innards. No more peanuts for me! Sat out here on the balcony it looks to be another glorious sunny day (this island may yet make me into a sun lover). The air raid shelter doesn't open until 9am, so I can take my time with breakfast. And with that in mind, off to Les Jardin I go.

9:50am - Just got back from the Bomb shelter (after a diversion to pick up a couple big bottles of cold water from the Home Made store). I was the first visitor to the shelter this morning (and the only one there at the time), which only served to add to the frankly chilling experience of walking along the roughly hewn tunnels with their uneven floors and ceilings and the tiny cubicle-like dugout rooms on either side of the main corridor. Adding to the sense of unease in the place were the audio recordings of children crying, bombs dropping and exploding and a priest reciting prayers. There were also numerous mannequins in period costume, which were very creepy. The full complex is over 500 metres in length, all of it dug by hand, but only the middle third is open to the public. Still what I saw was enough to leave a very vivid impression. I've been in the Underground Hospital in Jersey before now, but this was a far more evocative portrayal of wartime hardship.

Mellieha Church Complex. Much of the Bomb Shelter is dug out of the rock underneath these couple churches. Malta is the most devoutly catholic country in the world, and there are several examples from WW2 of bombs hitting churches and not exploding!

Malta was the heaviest bombed country in World War 2, with over 3,300 air raid alerts in the course of the four years that the island was bombed for (one February saw 283 alerts alone, more than 10 a day!). Over 17,000 tonnes of bombs were dropped on Malta by the Italian air force and the Luftwaffe, killing over 2000 people and destroying or damaging more than 55,000 buildings! No wonder the country as a whole was awarded the St. George Cross, the only nation ever to receive it (and they are VERY proud of that fact!) I'm in the mood for something more upbeat now after that, so I'm pool bound for the next few hours at least.

3:05pm - Just finished reading the first book I brought with me whilst sat out on my balcony with a couple ham & cheese sald rolls and a big bottle of cold Fanta. I've spent many hours by the pool today and will be heading back there in a little while. It's been fun watching & teaching a couple english kids. they started trying to copy me when I swim the pools width underwater, so I've been giving them a few pointers. The girl (Charmaine) has the general idea, but her brother is only swimming barely under the surface so he makes more splash than anything and cannot get further than half way across as a result.

I've also been chatting to a nice English couple who were on the same flight (and indeed the exact same holiday) as me. They only booked their holiday on Monday night, and I thought my booking was last minute! They are from near Exeter, but I forgot to ask what their names were!

8:40pm - Well a day has been duly spent by the pool, both swimming and reading. Had to leave there at 5pm as they were setting up for a BBQ with a live jazz band. The BBQ would have interested me, but not if I had to suffer a jazz band at the same time. So I headed back to my room, got changed and set out to get dinner. I fancied steak tonight but I couldn't find a good restaurant that does any steak that I wanted to eat. I did find one that did steak in a blue cheese and anchovy sauce though, which is arguably the most revolting sounding dish I've ever heard of. So I went into a small supermarket at the top of the hill intead and got myself a box of Oreo cookies (dipped in white chocolate no less) and a couple chicken and mushroom pies.

I've been sat on my balcony eating one of the pies and some of the cookies, whilst reading my second book for the past couple hours, my peace and quiet only disturbed every now and then by people heading down the lane underneath me towards Gorg Borg Olivier Street (where most of the restaurants and pubs are).

I ache from swimming so much today, so I've decided that a long soak in the bath would do me some good. A shame I didn't think to bring any of my muscle relaxant bubble bath with me really, but I'm sure plenty of hot water will do wonders none the less.

10:30pm - I had bathed and I was in bed for an early night, but it seems the Bar 120 (which is two floors down) has live music tonight, which I can clearly hear even with the balcony doors shut. It sounds like they are doing covers of classic rock tunes. Since it's not likely I can get to sleep with that noise going on, I'm half tempted to get dressed and go down there for a drink or two.

Malta Diary - Day Two (26/7/06)

12:00 noon - Well so much for not touching the minibar, the lure of icy cold water proved too tempting after the morning I've had. I decided to go and see The Red Fort today (otherwise known as St. Agatha's Tower), so I got up early and was downstairs when Les Jardins opened for breakfast... and what a breakfast. Everything you could possibly want to eat for breakfast was there. So I piled my plate with bacon, sausages, poached eggs, beans, cheese and bread and wolfed that lot down, washed down with orange juice and coffee (boy do the Maltese love serving coffee, I lost count of how many times I was offered coffee by a woman with a huge jug of the stuff in hand).

Then with my Rough Guide to Malta in my pocket (which has a very handy map of the Mellieha area in it), I set off walking. I had no idea exactly how far I had walked until I spotted a sign post on my way back. In all this morning I've walked a round trip of about 15km. The trip would normally be about 12km, but I took the scenic route so I could also take in the Ghadira Wetland reserve and the stunning Ras Il-Qammiegh cliffs.

Ghadira Wetland Reserve

The Ras Il-Qammiegh Cliffs

I got to the Red Fort shortly before 10am and was waiting there when the curator turned up to open the place. It is only open 10am-1pm, so going and seeing it when I did is really the only option if you are without a car, as walking up there any later in the day would be madness. The curator as it happens is British, an ex-pat, and she was glad to chat to another Brit, being nice enough to share her supply of very cold bottled water with me, which was much appreciated.

The Red Fort is one of a series of coastal watchtowers that guard the approaches to Malta. In it's case it was built to keep an eye over the strait that seperates the main island from the smaller islands of Comino and Gozo and the view from the roof is stunning. The building is built with many arches and vaulted ceilings as the Knights who built it designed it to withstand cannon fire. In its day it was home to 49 soldiers in wartime. It was also used by the British as a signal tower during World War 2.

The plaque on the wall beside the fort's entrance.

A scale model of The Red Fort.

The same model from another angle. Originally there was a drawbridge at the top of those stairs, though nowadays it is a fixed bridge.

A view from the battlements of The Red Fort, looking across to the north of Malta. You can see the lesser islands of Comino and Gozo in the background, which serves to demonstrate how well placed the tower is!

This is an interior shot of the fort. Note the arched window. All the roofs, windows, corridors inside are arched, the reason being that the Knights who built the tower designed it specifically to withstand cannon fire. The inside is very cleverly laid out, so that any impact on the walls would be minimised by the interior construction. It would be very hard for cannons mounted on raiding ships to do much damage to this fort at all, whilst they would be pounded by the forts cannons!

The trek back was a lot quicker than getting there as I took a shortcut through an area set aside in the 1970's for an Afforestation project. All I can say is that they've got a long way to go if they ever do plan to grow a forest on that hillside, because all that is there right now is scrub brush and a whole lot of cactus. On the seafront I got talking to a very lovely girl selling boat trips, by the name of Charlotte. Another ex-pat (she is half-Maltese and half-Welsh), we talked for a while before I needed to be heading onwards. A shame that the boat trip I was interested in (A night trip to the Blue Lagoon on Comino with a BBQ) was sold out, else I would have bought a ticket.

I did buy a sun hat on the way back up the quite considerable hill to the Antonine. Time for pizza now though and then the pool (the one in the garden as the indoor saltwater one doesn't interest me and neither does the one on the roof). I am writing this sat on my rooms balcony in the shade. Ohh and I found the cyber cafe too, so I'll check that out later on.

1:40pm - Had a very nice lunch at the Al Ponte. Garlic bread for starter, followed by a 3 cheese and ham pizza with a glass each of Diet Pepsi and Kinnie to wash it down. Just got back to my room after finding a good local store that sells big (and painfully cold to hold) bottles of water for just 35 cents. The minibar bottles are a third of the size and 60 cents each by comparison!

The cyber cafe as it turns out is more of a cyber closet in that it is a tiny room with just 2 PC's. I will be making my way to the pool shortly so I will ask at reception about use of the cyber cafe as I presume it will have to be booked in advance. For now though the cool waters of the pool (and the semi-clad young ladies lounging nearby) call to me.

5:25pm - Back from the pool, my enjoyment of which was only spoiled by my goggles strap snapping when I put them on. The rubber of the strap had decayed to breaking point it seems, my own fault for not testing them back home. Still I've had fun by the pool, alternating swimming with rest periods where I would read a novel with a T-shirt on. I made sure to top up my sun lotion from time to time. I already have blisters from this mornings exertions, sunburn I can do without. I've bought a voucher for the hotels cyber cafe. 2 Lm for 100 minutes use is a pretty fair price I thought, so I've posted an entry on the blog just to let the folks back home know that I'm okay etc as I'm sure Mum is worried sick, she was having nightmares before I'd even gone anywhere!

I've applied after sun gel now and I have no idea what I'm going to do this evening. Tomorrow I think I'll check out the WW2 bomb shelter down the street and lounge by the pool some more now that I've bought some new goggles from the tourist shop across the street. Shame I had to leave the pool really, but they needed to get it ready for some big Fish BBQ thing out there tonight, which is both expensive and fish. I don't do fish. Think I'll grab a dinner at one of the little cafe/restaunrants along this street. An early night sounds good too as I ache everywhere.

11pm - I've had a great night. I had dinner at a very nice restaurant (L'amigo), which was just up the hill from the hotel. I had a pasta dish, the name of which escapes me as I write this, the pasta was like very thick spaghetti though. It was served in a blue cheese sauce (I love blue cheese) with ham and mushrooms. I had a very nice (and very cold) bottle of white wine to accompany the meal. All in all, money well spent. A quick jaunt down the street brought me to the Bar 120 where I proceeded to try and find the right alcohol to mix with Kinnie, much to the barmans amusement and then amazement when he tried it with Cointreau, truly a winning combination!

From there I headed across the road to the Antonine's cocktail bar where I educated another barman in this mix (though it cost more there, 0.85Lm in the Bar 120, 1.40Lm in the lounge, harsh!). Having drunk that I proceeded onto the liquour coffees of which they do quite a range on their menu, though shockingly no Bailey's coffee. After trying their Calypso coffee (Tia Maria, had to be done), I ordered a Bailey's coffee and this actually surprised the man. The barman was a lot of fun to watch as he effortlessly produced some truly crazy looking drinks, many of which I'm keen to try at some point.

He also got the guy playing really sorrowful piano/organ tunes (lounge music) to play a superb rendition of Everything I Do (I Do It For You) at my request. I smiled all the way through (but that may have been the alcohols doing, I did have rather a lot of it in my system by then). I came here with 72Lm and after 2 days I have 35Lm left. Looks like I'm going to be needing that extra cash I left in my bank account after all. Not so much tomorrow though as I'm sticking close to the hotel then. Right now though, sleep beckons to me.