Elections - Well You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet

A bit of a throw back as I suddenly realised that we hadn't let you all in on the fun in Malta back there in June!

If you have been following us you will remember A Blooming Slice several blogs ago.

Elections here, elections there

On arrival at The Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa - by the way did we tell you this is one of our favourite Hotels in the whole wide world?  We haven't actually been all over the whole wide world, but to date this is a firm favourite and we'll be hard pushed to beat it.

Oops sorry I digress .... so on arrival the staff asked about our elections and we said we had managed to get our vote in before leaving home.  We were then told well be prepared because .....

You ain't seen nothing yet ....

Maltese elections are something to behold and probably best to stay off the road on Sunday as the post election celebrations can be a little hairy?  Really, we thought, surely it can't be that bad?

We had booked Terrone in Marsaxlokk for Sunday lunch, which is becoming the norm for us when we visit Malta, and nothing was going to stop me going for my favourite cheeseboard.

Well, to be honest, nothing will stop us eating and drinking when we're on holiday. 😎  After all it'd be rude not to taste and savour the food of another country and culture.

Sunday came and we were determined

After our normal amazing breakfast at Corinthia we ventured out on to the road.  This, to be honest, can be a little scary any day, which is why I leave Malcolm to the driving!

After a stroll around the market and a wander beside the fishing boats we settled at Terrone - nothing unusual here, with us or with the people of Malta for that matter.

Yep ... all looks familiar, drink, camera, view of busy Marsaxlokk just as we remember.

Hooting, tooting convoys

Our peaceful lunch was about to end .....

 and we were about to find out just what all the fuss was about!

And no-one can prepare you for this!  

We were sat with a couple who were on holiday from Belgium and were staying in a Hotel in St Pauls.  They had arrived by Taxi to see the Marsaxlokk fish market and for a bite of lunch.  

There is no exaggeration at all when you are told about the hooting, tooting road-blocking convoys.

As a car came bursting round the corner, flags flying, people hanging out, shouts of glee, hooting and tooting.  Suddenly the Belgian couple felt that a hasty retreat may be beneficial.  And we thought we may be well advised to do the same as we had to drive through it.

I will let the pictures tell the story .......all further pictures taken through the car window :)

Convoys of cars and trucks packed with Labour party (Partit Laburista) supporters.  Music pouring out of vehicles, plastic horns (vuvuzelas) being blown and colour bursts of bright red everywhere.

They sure know how to celebrate here and the police seem to turn a blind eye on this day too.

We didn't find it hairy or scary.  Actually we found it fun and refreshing to see people celebrating in such a 'throw caution to the wind' way.

We felt quite honoured to be in Malta on this day and to witness such loud and proud celebrations.

Thank you Malta for the fun day we had.