More of Malta

the fists couple of days here in the Mediterranean the weather was rather miserable, so one really didn't have any desire to go outside to explore, especially with only having arrived and one kid sick and so on, but today blue skies greeted the eye when I finally woke up at around 8am and had to WAKE UP my baby as well as my toddler at ten past, so that we would be able to make it down in time for breakfast which finishes at 9am. Can you believe it?? I had to wake up my baba in the morning?? It felt a bit wrong, but he had slept 9 hours and if I hadn't woken him up, our daily routine would have been even more messed up... but I don't complain, hahaha.

At breakfast I met two other mum's and we decided to go to a near-by playground and to the golden M afterwards (aka McDonald's). I managed to be ready (almost) in time, Baby strapped to my belly in his sling, Ned in his stroller and emergency backpack on my back, thinking I had all essentials with me, only later I discovered that I had carried the full thermal bottle with hot water, a small bottle with cold water and the formula power all in vain, because super-mum forgot to bring the baby bottle, uhm.... in the same backpack I also had my big digital SLR, which also just went for a walk without being used, it's somehow a bit challenging to take pictures with a baby strapped to your front, so I was too lazy to do so.

After a looong playtime at the playground we went on to McDonald's and I discovered that Maltese do not believe in queuing, no, NOT at all. I mean we Germans aren't the best queuers ourselves but but if there is a queue, normally even we Germans obediently stay in line and don't push in just infront of someone else. Things like that make me, uhm, a bit "boiling" mad. When we finally had all our Happy Meals, all kids sorted out and and seated in place it was rather funny, that I had to tell my boy: "Ned, you first have to eat your Cheeseburger and a couple of fries before you can open your toy". Force feeding at McDonald's?????

When we were back on board I thought: " Surely that kid of mine has to be soooo tired after so much running" and oh how wrong I was. I really WANTED him to sleep as there is a special training on which is kind of compulsory to go to, but I also wanted to go to. So I stuck him in bed, fed the little one and thought I quickly go to the training for a little time and then go back to the cabin to check on Ned, because he was still awake when I left. When I came back he had almost taken his cabin apart. All his clothes, which normally are nicely folded in a drawer, were spread all over the room and he cheekily (or sheepishly???) grinned at me. It slowly made me "boiling" again. I threatened that I'd take his beloved Hermie-teddy if he didn't stay in bed. I stayed in our cabin and did little bits and pieces and when I checked on him the next time, he'd started to take the covers off his beddings.... hmmmmggrrrrrr.... but as he indeed stayed in bed, he could keep Hermie. Now it is quiet over there, but I'm a bit reluctant to check on him, fearing what might meet my eyes....