Just outside the train station are the Quattro Canti (Four Corners), a Baroque intersection that captures the city’s, ornate, historic, and bustling character.
Founded by the Order of St John of Jerusalem, also known as the Knights Hospitaller.
Ruled successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and the Order of the nights of St John. Valletta’s 320 monuments, all within an area of 55 ha, make it one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world.
Today the strongest influence is from 150 years of British colonial history.
About 30% of the population of Malta are expats ➙ British, Italian, Indian, and Filipino most prominently. You can buy a EU passport with a minimum €600,000–€750,000 contribution. 😀
Population of Valletta as of 2021 was 5,157.
At any given moment, there are far more tourists than citizens. More than 3 million tourists arrive in Malta each year. Most of them visit Valletta.
I started in the afternoon with a scramble around nearby, dilapidated Fort Manoel.
Fort Manoel should be a major tourist attraction — but, as of 2026, most is closed to tourists. Some project renovations to be finished by 2033.
I didn’t get to Valletta until after dark. More evocative than during the day. Mysterious. Even spooky in places.
We did take the ferry over to the Three Cities, but only had about an hour there. Time allowing, it would be even better than Valletta being so much less crowded with tourists.
Best news is the Dar es Salaam bus rapid transit system under construction. It reminds me of the excellent system I used in Rio.
Unfortunately progress has slowed after the death of President John Magufuli who initiated the program. Locals blame corruption.
Best thing I did in Dar was a personal half day cycling tour of the city. We visited very local coffee shops, candy shops, digital movie library, African herbal medicine shop, ghetto movie theatre, 2nd biggest market, and much more.
Making Peanut Brittle. This entrepreneur sells coffee and candy on the street, especially at bus stops.
We finished with a soft drink in my guide’s local bar.
A walking tour of the downtown business centre wasn’t all that interesting.
Better was the Kijiji cha Makumbusho, or Village Museum, an open-air ethnographical centre showcasing traditional huts from 16 different Tanzanian ethnic groups.
By day, it sells auto parts to vehicles trundling through town. By night, it sells some of the best damn Pakistani-style BBQ chicken parts I’ve tasted anywhere …
Despite its proximity to the equator, Arusha’s elevation of 1,400 metres (4,600 ft) on the southern slopes of Mount Meru keeps temperatures relatively low and alleviates humidity.
This is still a developing nation. Most people don’t use seatbelts. Dogs roam free.
Certainly Ecuador has a proud culture. Citizens do not try to emulate American culture.
I’ve never been much of a fan of KFC. But in Asia last year — and in Ecuador, I’ve been a regular customer. It’s the only western fast food franchise I’ve seen. Burger King is here, somewhere.
… At dawn on 4 March 1973, their yacht was struck by a (dying) whale and severely damaged.
After transferring some supplies to an inflated life raft and dinghy and salvaging some food, a compass, and other supplies, the Baileys watched as Auralyn disappeared beneath the waves.
To survive, they collected rainwater and when their meagre food supplies ran out, began eating sea creatures such as turtles, seabirds and fish caught by hand or with safety pins fashioned into hooks.
The story was retold in Maurice and Maralyn (2024) by first time author Sophie Elmhirst. The book was published in the United States in 2025 as A Marriage at Sea.
Amazingly, they returned to sailing, purchasing a new yacht called Auralyn II.
Maralyn Bailey died of cancer in 2002 at the age of 61. Maurice Bailey died in December 2018 at the age of 85.
Ecuador was named after the Spanish word for “equator“.
Almost every tourist who makes it to Quito visits the (somewhat cheesy) Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (Middle of the World City).
The grounds contain the Monument to the Equator, which highlights the exact location of the Equator.
The placement of the equatorial line was defined throughout a 1736 expedition called the French Geodesic Mission. They were astonishing close — only incorrect by 240 metres (790 ft).
Most interesting was a demonstration of the Coriolis force. I’d always heard stories about the “coriolis effect” ➙ water draining in different directions in the northern and southern hemispheres.
BUT I was shocked to see it with my own eyes with the draining water only about 2m on either side of the equator line.
Secret Garden Cotopaxi is at an elevation of around 3,800 metres (12,500 feet) directly facing famed Cotopaxi volcano. If arriving directly from sea level, you might suffer some altitude symptoms. Especially minor headache, stomach, or sleeping problems. I was OK having been above 2800m for over a week.
Here’s my best photo from the hostel.
A gorgeous location.
Food is fantastic. They have a stone pizza oven. Healthy ingredients, many grown on site. Excellent vegan and vegetarian alternatives.
The hostel has high speed starlink internet — but guests get only about 1 hour / day of slow wifi. They don’t want you on your phone. 😀
Without question, it’s a hippie vibe.
I considered renting a Hobbit House for one night — but $165 was too steep.
I’d celebrated Christmas with my parents all but two years of my life.
But with both Mom and Dad gone in 2025, joined my brother Rob and his wife Yvonne for the Yule in La Quinta, California. This was their 4th winter renting a beautiful place from Canadian friends.
Loved it!
The Mediterranean climate is perfect for year round cycling and hiking.
YES it’s a bit odd celebrating the traditional Great White North Christmas in a town at 20C.
The municipal park is nicely decorated for the holidays. We walked Charlie there once or twice a day.
Highlight for me was FREE COFFEE at City Hall !
This is ME awaiting my next free Latte. 😀
Actually the grub was pretty good at home with Rob doing much of the cooking and kitchen clean-up.
Breakfast
We only ate at a restaurant one time. Home cooking is the rule.
When we wanted an orange, we picked one off the tree in the back yard.
I spent a fair bit of time at the library.
La Quinta place names are mostly Spanish. There’s much recognition of the sacrifices of military. And the First Nations.
We had a hot tub about every second night.
California should probably just become the 11th Canadian Province. 😀
Consider me won over to the snowbird annual vacation.
We’ve also scheduled Christmas dinner for January 11th in Calgary.
Rick McCharles 