I got off the plane with legs stiff from the 10-hour flight from Munich.
“Citizen?”
“Yes.”
“Welcome home. Right this way, please.” (Indicating the short line through customs.)
Man, it’s nice to have the right passport.
So I’m back in my own country and everything works properly again.
The light switch goes up for on.
My devices plug directly into the wall without a gargantuan adapter or chopstick.
I know which way to look when I cross the street.
There is a clothes dryer.
Good food.
Good coffee.
Green grass.
Beautiful trees.
Mountains.
Rivers.
Lakes.
Open spaces.
Variety.
And most importantly, water pressure in the steamy hot shower.
All that said, there is a sadness in my heart.
The sun and the sea of Malta have an allure of their own.
I will miss my runs along the cliffs of St. Thomas Bay.
I will miss my walks to admire the graffiti and read by the sea at Jerma Palace.
I will miss my bus ride to Valletta with a hot imqaret waiting on the other end and lunch and coffee at the Grassy Hopper and gelato at Amorino.
I will miss the beautiful room and view where I spent a couple of nights in Gozo, and the Citadel and coffee and dessert at Capitan Spriss.
I will miss the biggest challenge of my life managing the Happy Hive Music Café.
But most of all–
I will miss my new friends.
-D
The first picture I took of the Hive. Patrick (in the bar) was indispensible in getting the place ready to open.
Leigh came up with some dressings for the new menu that never actually saw the light of day.
Our very first team meeting. Awww! We had no idea the pain that was to come.
And we’re open for business!
On our way to our first Jerma Palace team meeting.
After the meeting. Yay, we’re still happy!
Patrick & Maria host our first Chilli Buzz Cocktail night.
Tasting the new new menu that we actually served.
Yum! Zhenya’s Coconut Thai soup. Really delicious!
The team enjoying some chili con carne.
Tori is such a ham. But the best little sister Zhenya could have wished for! She helped out so much in the kitchen.
Orders up!
Ready to serve! Please don’t drop it Johanna. 🙂
This is what happens when I leave my phone sitting around.
Guinness Cake! Very popular.
Beatles tour of Malta.
Excuse me while I change.
Johanna showing off the upper room. I think.
Dancing in the lobby is always a good time.
Late night jam session.
Burger time?
Now where’d that burger go?
Carnival!
American Pancake Saturday.
Jam session with Clint & Karl.
Left my phone out again.
Hey, how’d this get in here?
Off to Gozo!
The Azure Window.
The girls are dips. I mean, take a dip.
Drying off and warming up for dinner in Gozo.
The Citadel cannon!
Capitan Spriss!
Look what Johanna found in the box!
Clint, Noemi, and fam. Aww
Me & Alan. This turned out not to be the momentus occasion we thought it would.
Arabian nights at the flat.
Johanna may or may not have a problem.
Lindsey & Abigail ready to serve party food!
Vertigo Dingo in action.
Zhenya’s birthday, which also turned out to be the last supper for the extended team.
Closed for business by the ETC.
Postmortem at Jerma Palace.
Exploring the Dingli Cliffs.
Posing with the Burn team.
This is what the girls are normally doing when we’re out.
And this is what they look like when they realize I’m taking a picture.
Back from Attard! Attard in the back? The first one, I think.
Hanging out in the empty bar. No more espresso. No more taps.
Last supper with the core team.
And it’s a wrap.
