In the morning, I was at the top of the hill of the ancient city, Mdina, and overlooking the faraway port-town, Sliema, where then I would try to reach by walking. It was a nice winter day. Sometimes, a little bit chilly and strong winds carried a bunch of white and gray clouds in the water-blue sky.
The day before this quasi-sunny day was a heavy rainy day. So, walking down a far long slope from Mdina or in English I can say "Imdina" to the port, I found some large puddles covering the entire roads. Sometimes, I walked through the center of the puddle with my old new-balance shoes. Sometimes, I had to climb up the road-side stone fence in order to avoid the muddy water. From the fence, I saw two or three small white butterflies already waking up (still in winter) and looking for some flowers.
Old and yellow buses passed me several times with lazy speeds. A small truck putting a small lamb in its back carrying-platform also passed me. At the time, the lamb bleated or baaed with a small but clear voice. And this lamb bleating made me feel the extent of this small island. At the end, it was about 20 km walking.Finally, here was Sliema, port town of Malta.
It was a rainy day in Valletta, and the rain itself made the entire Malta island a little bit chilly. I was walking around the historical grand master's palace without an umbrella, and finally rushing and looking for any buildings with the eaves to hide myself.
Unfortunately, there was no eaves around here, but I found the familiar logo, which I used to see in London or even at Grafton Street in Dublin. It was M&S, in short, Marks and Spencer, a famous franchise retail store in U.K. Of course, without hesitation, I went into the store, because the rain was gradually quickening, and also I found the store-map that showed that the cafe was on the ground floor.
At the cafe, I said, hi, to the staff, and ask if this cafe had a hot tea, especially earl grey tea, the best drink to warm my body on such a chilly rainy day. The staff, a young boy, said to me, yes of course, but said that I had to pay for it in advance at the checkout counter.
O.K. it was easy.
Then, I took the ticket and brought it to the boy, and he immediately gave me a hot earl grey.
I knew that all our conversations were in English, and I was in M&S and took a nice, hot earl grey. It was that moment when I felt that this country had a certain history rooted in U.K.
Here was Valletta, Malta.
In the morning, I was at the top of the hill of the ancient city, Mdina, and overlooking the faraway port-town, Sliema, where then I would try to reach by walking. It was a nice winter day. Sometimes, a little bit chilly and strong winds carried a bunch of white and gray clouds in the water-blue sky.
