Malta in the Mediterranean: Tourists discover the little country that could

 

You're never far from the water in Malta, the EU's smallest country sits by itself in the middle of the Mediterranean

How is it that a Mediterranean island most Americans could not find on a map earns the distinction of an over-crowded, heavily congested country with the highest tourism density in Europe?

An how does a travel writer who aims to avoid beaches and touristy travel not only end up there, but leaves impressed with its culture, history and culinary traditions?

Tell friends in the U.S. that you are going to Malta, and the response will likely be a blank look or a polite "Where exactly is that?''  

Italians, Brits, Germans and Russian need no help finding the handful of tiny islands in the middle of the Mediterranean sea between Sicily in Italy and Tunisia in North Africa.

They know the European Union's smallest country (122 square miles) well as a quick weekend getaway, thanks to discounted flights from dozens of cities.

Move aside islands in Greece, Spain and Portugal. Malta topped the charts as Europe's most over crowded tourist spot in recent New York Post story analyzing the size of European island destinations in comparison to the number of tourists hosted.

Consider that Rhode Island, our smallest state is 10 times larger than Malta, yet Malta records more than four million tourists annually, roughly 6 to 8 tourists for every resident (population 575,000). 

As anti-tourism movements pick up in overcrowded cities such as Venice and Barcelona, could Malta be next? 

An Instagram site called Overtouristedmalta sends out viral videos showing crowded streets in the capital of Valletta, traffic jams and long lines at popular attractions.

All of this is no doubt true in the peak summer season when thousands of Europeans crowd the beach resorts by day and Valletta's nightclubs and bars by night.

Not knowing any of this, my husband, Tom, and I discovered a different side of Malta, almost by default. We visited in April when it was too cool for the beaches, but an excellent time to wander Valletta's steep, mostly-pedestrianized streets without the crowds, and learn about the country's religious and military history dating from Arab rule in the 11th century through the Crusades and World War II. 

"Where Arabia Meets Europe" is how Saudi Aramco World Magazine described Malta in its January issue. A confluence of cultures - Greek, Roman, Arabic, Sicilian, Spanish, French and British - gifted Malta with a blend of culinary traditions, architecture and a semitic language in the same family as Arabic and Hebrew, with phrases adapted from French and Italian. 

After stumbling on another article titled  "There's more to Malta than Beaches," we planned a a six-day stopover on our way to Bari in Italy to visit friends.    

Getting a handle on Malta's geography is tricky. Malta is the name of the main island as well as the country. It includes five islands in all, three inhabited, dominated by steep limestone cliffs indented by bays, inlets, and coves. Deciding where to base ourselves was the first challenge.

Besides the beach resort community of Sliema, the most obvious choice is Valletta, the European Union's smallest capital, built as a hilltop fortress by the Knights of St. John, a Catholic brotherhood of noblemen who fought off Muslim invaders in the 16th century. 

Unfairly maligned by viral visuals on "Overtouristed Malta's" Instagram site showing overcrowded streets, congested walkways and traffic, Valletta is a unique walled city built entirely of golden limestone, reachable 200 feet above the seafront via  hundreds of stairs or a 26-second elevator ride for one euro.

Steps leading from the seafront to the the top of Valletta

Hidden inside the walls is a rich collection of 16th century Baroque palaces, churches, monasteries and gardens built by the Knights. Museums, hotels, galleries and cafes line steps that double as "streets" in areas that are mostly-pedestrianized.

After looking for places to stay in Valletta and finding them either booked or expensive, we decided to base ourselves in quieter and less-congested Birgu, a fortified city on the southern side of Malta's Grand Harbour, directly across from Valletta.

A bit of history: Malta was part of the Kingdom of Sicily until 1530, when Holy Roman Emperor Charles V leased the archipelago to the Knights of St. John who, at the time, were escaping the Ottoman invasion of Greece. When the Knights arrived, they chose Birgu on the waterfront as their base rather than the 8th century inland capital of Mdina. Birgu served as Malta's de facto capital until the establishment of Valletta in 1571, when the Knights and Maltese civilians halted the Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean, and built a new city named for the Knights' grand master Jean Parisot de Valette. 

The walled entrance to Birgu

Birgu and two other towns (together referred to as the Three Cities) are connected to Valletta by land, but public ferries and private boatmen make short-cutting along the water faster and more pleasant than taking the bus.

Private boats make the crossing between Birgu and Valletta when the ferries are full or not running

Our Airbnb ($130 per night) was an air conditioned apartment in a renovated 300-year-old townhouse in a neighborhood of mostly pedestrianized streets where residents decorate the exteriors of their homes with brightly painted enclosed wooden and glass balconies, an Arab-influenced architectural feature that provides a sense of privacy for those who want to look out but not necessarily be seen. 

Staying in Birgu felt like living in a small village compared to bustling Valletta. We woke to the sound of church bells playing "Ave Maria" each morning, and became regulars at Cafe Riche, a neighborhood breakfast spot which served Tuna ftira, Maltese bread slathered with a tomato paste and topped with tuna, olives, olive oil, capers, goat cheese and sun-dried tomato.

A breakfast of Tuna ftira

Birgu's Fort Angelo

Tour groups come to Birgu for the day to explore Fort St. Angelo, a bastioned fortress at the tip of the peninsula, once the Knights' military headquarters, now a museum.

By late afternoon, with the tour groups gone, the few cafes on the main square cater to locals. English co-exists with Maltese as the official language, so it was easy to strike up a conversation with women at the bus stop, or people in a crowd gathered one evening to hear speeches by political candidates running for office.  

Birgu also happened to be the best location to view the Malta International Fireworks Festival, usually held after Easter, to mark the start of the summer fireworks season. 

The country has deep pyrotechnic traditions dating to the time of the Knights who celebrated military victories and important religious events with gunpowder displays. 

This year's festival finale, capped by 1,000 -drone show, happened while we were there. Tickets were already sold out for viewing areas with seating, but our Airbnb was within walking distance of a long pier where we joined locals who came with picnics, beer and chairs for a show that lasted more than two hours.

Food, churches and tunnels

A British colony during World War II, and still part of the British Commonwealth, Malta was key to the Allied defense of the Mediterranean. During bombing by the Axis powers, inhabitants took shelter in the secret underground cisterns and tunnels dug by the Knights to store water and food. 

The result is an entire city beneath the streets which visitors can explore on a walking tour with the Malta National Community Art Museum. Wearing hard hats and head lamps, we walked in the dark for an hour, passing by small rooms residents rented as emergency shelters.  

A religious plaque on a wall inside one of the tunnels

The Roman Catholic religion plays an important part in Maltese daily life. Many of its churches are baroque masterpieces. St. John‘s Co-Cathedral, built from limestone by the Knights in 1573, is covered floor to ceiling with inlaid tile work, gold, statuary and paintings including the Beheading of St. John the Baptist by Caravaggio, the largest canvas he painted and the only one he signed. 

Caravaggio's painting inside St. John's Co-Cathedral

Tombs of high-ranking Knights in St. John's Co-Cathredral are decorated with tiles depicting battle scenes

Laundry day

No, we didn‘t hit the jackpot at a casino. We went by ferry in Birgu to the laundromat in Valletta. Washers take only 1 euro or 50-cent coins. You insert a 20e bill in a machine, and it spits out 40 50-cent coins. 

Waiting for the laundry to finish was an excuse to have breakfast at the Museum Cafe with its marble tables and Maltese specialties. It's true that many restaurants cater to British tourists' appetites for fish and chips, but a robust culinary landscape awaits those willing to dive deeper into the island's flavors.

The Museum Cafe in Valletta

The national snack is pastizz, filo dough pastries filled with ricotta or mushy peas (A British favorite), sold from street corner windows for 50 cents each. At the Museum Cafe, we breakfasted on hobż biż-zejt, a classic Maltese sandwich made with crusty sourdough bread rubbed with ripe tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil, and topped with tuna, capers, onions, and olives. The national beverage is Kinnie, an orange-colored bittersweet carbonated soft drink flavored with bitter oranges and aromatic herbs.

There used to be a chocolate district in Valletta, but it‘s no more. There is, however, an excellent chocolate shop called the Chocolate District  where it's never to early for an orange-chocolate Martini. 

Need airport help while traveling through Seattle? Just ask Team Green

 

The team in green

The man had been waiting an hour for his mother to exit international arrivals at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Spotting me in a bright green jacket wearing a name tag that said "Carol," he asked me a few questions about when the flight might arrive and where to get a coffee. 

I answered. He wandered away, then he came back with another question, and finally another.

"Carol," he said, glancing at my name tag, "Why the hell would anyone volunteer to work at the airport?"

I smiled. "Well, sir, to help people like you."

My husband, Tom, and are part of a group of 130 volunteers assisting travelers with directions and information at key locations inside and outside security.

We normally work a three-hour shift on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. -1 p.m. helping people with everything from finding the Uber pick-up to making a phone call, finding a hotel room or locating a lost phone or passport.

One of the perks is three weeks of free parking in the airport garage, but the real reward is the appreciation we feel after offering what seems to be the slightest bit of help. People have thanked me with hugs and kisses. One called me his "guardian angel." Another treated me to a Matcha latte from Starbucks.

When you are in a hurry, tired, confused or irritated about a cancelled flight, we are a friendly face with an answer. 

If you don't speak English, we are there to help. Some volunteers speak various foreign  languages. Others use translation apps. If those fail, we will walk you to wherever you are going, or help you phone an English-speaking relative. We can't help you carry your bags, but we can help you find your gate, advise you on where to eat, the best areas to wait between connections and where to nurse your baby in private.  

Many airports have similar volunteer programs, but Seattle's program is especially important, given on-going construction and expansion projects that have disrupted traffic, baggage claim services, TSA check points and departure gates. 

If you've been frustrated navigating Sea-Tac, you're not alone. A recent survey by JD Power ranked Sea-Tac 17 lowest out of 20 nationwide "mega" airports for customer satisfaction. 

Construction is winding down, so many of the problems that led to the poor showing should be resolved by spring in time for the 2026 cruise season and the FIFA World Cup games  in June.

If you will be among the thousands traveling through Sea-Tac in the next few months, help awaits, not only from the volunteers, but from a paid staff of professional Pathfinders. In the meantime, I have some ratings of my own to hand out, along with some pro-tips.

Start by downloading the free green flySEA app. Use  it to check your gate, arrival and departure times etc. Tip: Instead of scrolling through the various categories such as "Dining" or "Ground Transportation, go "Maps" and type in what you are specifically looking for: ie: "children's play area" or  "espresso" or "ATM," and a list of locations will appear.

Sea-Tac's new Checkpoint One

Fastest TSA checkpoint: Checkpoint 1 downstairs from ticketing at the baggage claim - arrivals level. Sea-Tac has six TSA security checkpoints. All but one are on the departures-ticketing level where lines are likely to be longest.  If you have only a carry-on and don't need to check a bag with your airline, Checkpoint 1 is your best bet. Ask to be dropped at arrivals, near Door 6.

P.F. Chang's overlooks the N Concourse

Best restaurant with a view: P.F. Chang's on the mezzanine at the N Concourse. Some might argue for Salty's, upper level, Central Terminal, but P.F. Chang's is healthier, and although pricey, most of its bowls and entrees are big enough to share. 

Starbucks Not

Best places for coffee: Forget the lines for to-go orders at Starbucks, and head either to Costa Coffee, N Concourse, with its spacious seating area, or Dilettante Chocolates and Mocha Cafe in the main terminal for decadent drinks and desserts. A newly-opened 7-11 at baggage claim has the best price ($3.19) on regular drip coffee. Check out the locally-owned Neighborhood Cafe in the ticketing area of the main terminal (before security) for its bargain breakfast sandwiches ($7.45) and some unusual Filipino snacks  such as black-sesame rice krispie treats and Ube cookies.

Filipino treats at the Neighborhood Cafe 

Best restroom areas: Sea-Tac has all-gender bathrooms, family bathrooms, adult changing areas and private nursing rooms (The best is the nursing suite with comfortable chairs and sofas on the N Concourse mezzanine). Outside security, there's a new nursing room outside  Checkpoint 6, near the Alaska Airlines bag check area. Search "restrooms" on the SEA app for other locations.

Signs indicate private nursing areas

Best place to sit while waiting for a connecting flight: One of the biggest complaints about the airport is the lack of seating, other than tables and chairs inside security and seats at the gate areas.  

Lounge area in the S Concourse

The best place to relax inside security is the lounge area at the S Concourse furnished with couches and comfortable chairs. 

Outside security, options are fewer. There are chairs in the International Arrivals area, but it's often crowded and the seats look and feel like large concrete blocks.  If your layover is long,  considering taking the DoubleTree Inn's free airport shuttle to its hotel near Sea-Tac, and having lunch in its atrium lounge. 

Live music in the Central Terminal

Best entertainment: The live musicians who perform in the Central Terminal, A and N Concourses, and the SEA Pups, trained volunteer therapy dogs around for free cuddles and hugs. 

Best wheelchair service:  If you're traveling on Alaska Air, ask to try out one of their driverless wheel chairs. The little robots have a place for your carry-on, and emit a fun little  sound as they drive you to your gate. 

Self-driving wheel chairs

Best way to meet up with a friend or loved-one: Get a one-time Visitor Pass by clicking on this link. Download a QR code to your phone, then show your TSA-approved ID, and enter the gate area through Checkpoint 4.

Best way to get downtown: Link Light Rail if you don't have much luggage. Head over any skybridge on the ticketing level into the parking garage. A walkway and a free shuttle lead to the station for the $3, 40-minute ride downtown. Starting on March 28, Sound Transit will operate an overnight bus between SeaTac and downtown Seattle every 30 minutes between 12 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Taxis and Ride Shares leave from the third floor of the parking garage.  Don't assume that Uber or Lyft are cheaper than a taxi. A flat-rate taxi to downtown might cost $40-$60 while a ride share can sometimes cost $80 or more.

Need anything else?

Just ask Team Green. We're here to help.

Passengers should benefit from Sea-Tac's new international competition

 

Cathay Pacific's announcement that it will restore non-stop flights between Seattle and Hong Kong next year is icing on the cake for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport where airlines added six new international services this year, and have plans for at least another six in 2026.

Cathay Pacific ended its Seattle-Hong Kong service during the Covid pandemic. When it resumes on March 30, 2026, it will fly five times per week on the 250-seat Airbus A350-900, offering another new gateway to mainland China, Southeast Asia and India.

This comes on top of new non-stops to Seoul and Tokyo added by Alaska Airlines this year as well as a new Edelweiss Air flight to Zurich and an SAS flight to Copenhagen.  Delta will add new non-stops to Barcelona and Rome next year while Alaska will also add a non-stop to Rome as well as Reykjavik and London. 

Seattle now has service to 36 international destinations on 30 different airlines, a major advantage given the 750,000 visitors expected for next year's FIFA Men's World Cup. Seattle will host six matches June 11-July 18th, also the height of the Alaska cruise season. 

Anyone who has traveled through the airport recently has experienced the long back-ups at arrivals and departures, long lines for rental car buses and long waits for loved-ones in a cramped international arrivals area.

One might wonder, "Is Sea-Tac up to the job of accommodating all the extra flights and passengers?''

And how about the airlines? Delta and Alaska are the airport's primary carriers. Delta has loads of experience with international flights, but Alaska is just getting started with international expansion plans that have been taking shape since it acquired new long-haul aircraft in its merger with Hawaiian Airlines.

Let's look at the airport first, then talk about how passengers might be affected by the growing competition.

Sea-Tac is undergoing major renovations to improve its baggage claim area and screening equipment; roadways leading into the airport; and amenities in its C concourse. The goal is to complete most of the work by the time FIFA fans arrive. 

With limited ability to expand outward, Sea-Tac is building up, adding three new stories atop the existing C concourse. 

A rendering of new Concourse C

The  main floor will include a shopping area called Marketplace at C.  Dining and retail will frame a tiered, open amphitheater with a stage for live music. The upper level will house new restaurants, and provide views of the airfield and Olympic Mountains via a lookout deck.

The road improvements, with dedicated lanes for rental car buses, should alleviate the long waits for buses that now get stuck in general airport traffic.

Working with the Transportation Security Administration, the Port of Seattle is optimizing the outbound baggage handling system (BHS). A new system will replace the current aging conveyor system, and position the airport for future growth.

With the number of additional international passengers due to arrive this year and next, Sea-Tac would do well to tweak recent changes at the international arrivals waiting area, called the Gina Marie Lindsey Arrivals Hall on the baggage claim level.

Baggage claim level TSA checkpoint

A recently-opened new security checkpoint on that level (the others are upstairs on the ticketing level) is convenient for passengers being dropped off with only carry-ons, but has added to the general congestion in an already packed waiting area furnished with uncomfortable cube furniture resembling concrete blocks and lacking phone chargers. 

International arrivals waiting area

The wait times are long for arriving international travelers due to an experimental system (to be revisited during a one-month trial starting this month) that requires them to pick up their checked bags before going through Customs and Immigration. Those waiting to meet their loved-ones deserve a more comfortable seating area. 

When it comes to flights, passengers can look forward to more competition which should translate into more competitve fares. Delta and Alaska will be going head-to-head on the new Rome flight as well as flights to Tokyo, London and Seoul.

Both airlines are adding to and improving their lounges at Sea-Tac. Delta customers, unhappy with its requirements for elite status, could decide to switch their elite status to Alaska, given a wider selection of international options that can be booked directly with the airline. 

Delta requires a minimum yearly spend of $5,000 to maintain Silver Elite status while Alaska's requirements for MVP Gold center on the number of miles or segments flown, bars easier to reach with the addition of longer, international routes.

Flight amenities and comfort will depend on the specific route. Delta has the superior in-flight seat-back entertainment system while Alaska passengers must stream movies and TV shows on their own devices. Delta seems to have lowered the quality of its food service on international flights in recent years, so it will be interesting to see if Alaska can do better.

To play in the big leagues, Alaska will have to up its game when it comes to the level of customer service and staffing that international flights require. 

Sea-Tac customers often complain of long waits to reach someone on the phone or long lines at its airport service desks when problems occur. 

Alaska's integration with Hawaiian is progressing in stages, causing confusion and frustration among passengers who go to agents at each airline expecting help, only to be referred to the other.

Beat of Hawaii Travel News lays out the problems in a lengthy post.

"Until the airlines are fully integrated, passengers may need to double-check everything from mileage earning, upgrade eligibility, and seat selection rules. This requires extra work at booking and again before departure, especially for those booking through Hawaiian’s platform but ending up on Alaska metal," it advises.

Icelandair comes through with compensation for flight delays

 

Iceland's Keflavik airport

Most airlines would rather you not find out too easily about EC Regulation 261, commonly referred to as EU 261, granting passengers the right to seek compensation when they have experienced delayed (two to four hours or more), cancelled, or overbooked flights.

The policy applies to all airlines flying out of or within the EU and many non-EU countries, even U.S. based airlines. But few American travelers are familiar with this rule, and airlines are rarely pro-active in passing on this information.

Icelandair is the exception. Not only does it let passengers know of the policy via brochures labeled "Compensation and Assistance" stocked at all its counters inside Reykjavik's Keflavik's airport, it processes claims promptly and pays up quickly.

Icelandair spells out passenger rights

Less than a month after I submitted a claim for a seven-hour delay in a flight from Reykjavik to Rome in October, I received an email from the airline saying my claim had been approved. As per EU rules, the compensation totaled 600 euros ($648) each for my husband and me. We provided our bank account info as requested, and the cash was deposited the next day.

Do an internet search for "EU rule 261" and see how many complaints and questions come up as to how to actually get compensation that is owed. Many frustrated travelers turn to private fee-based services, such as Airadvisor.com, for help wading through the rules and paperwork.

Icelandair made the application easy, providing a link to an online form that asked only for passenger details, date and time of the flight, ticket numbers and boarding pass information. 

I received an immediate automated response saying the forms had been received, and a case number assigned. Two weeks later, I received another email thanking me for my patience and assuring me that processing was underway. One week later, I received the notice that we had been awarded the 600 euros each, based on an EU formula that takes into account the length of the delay and the destination. 

The EU rule allows for a few exceptions, such as weather, strikes etc., but not technical problems or, as happened with our flight, changes due a shortage of aircraft or crew.

Had this happened in the United States, the airline would owe us nothing but an apology. There are no federal laws requiring airlines to provide passengers with money or other compensation when flights are delayed. 

When it coms to the EU rules, the major U.S. airlines tend not to be as transparent as European-based carriers. Find all the information you need here to see if your delay or cancellation qualifies, and how to file a claim. Depending on the country, you have from one to three years to file a claim.

For a flight to be eligible for compensation under EU 261, it must be either departing from a Member State—one of the 27 EU countries, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, as well as most outlying territories—or departing from a nonmember country with a destination within a Member State.

The rule includes flights departing from the EU to the U.S. (but not from the U.S. to the EU) and some other countries and even connecting flights within the U.S. operated by U.S. partners of EU airlines. This means that any U.S. domestic flight booked through an EU airline on a single itinerary will be covered by the law. 

You can try finding the same information on your airline's website, but a simple search for "EU 261" turns up nothing on most U.S. carriers.

United is an exception. Type "EU 261" in the search window and this link comes up, along with instructions on how to file a claim.

British Airways publishes the information here. American Airlines makes the rule easy to find on its UK booking site, but not on its US. site.  Delta hides the information under the obscure title of Exit European Union (EU) Compensation Request 

Keep in mind that whether the airline makes the process easy or difficult, you can be confident that if you have a qualifying flight, you will eventually be compensated. The EU has strict penalties in place for airlines that don’t comply with this regulation. And although an airline might offer a voucher, the law says you are entitled to cash.

Flight delayed in Europe? EU rules require compensation

 

Keflavik Airport

When Icelandair announced a seven-hour delay in a connection my husband and I were making from Reykjavik to Rome after a morning flight from Seattle, I began making mental contingency plans.

Any further delays would cause us to miss the last train of the evening to Naples, our final destination. If that happened, we'd be stuck in Rome for the night where last-minute hotel bookings were going for $500 and up. In desperation, I did a quick Google search on where to find the best lounge chairs for stretching out in Fiumicino airport.

As it turned out, our flight from Reykjavik landed in Rome at 9:30 p.m., time enough for us to run with our carry-ons to the station inside the airport. We made the last train leaving at 9:53 p.m. There was no time to stop and buy a ticket, so we begged the conductor to let us pay on the train, He did, and even giving us a discount from the normally higher price. The train pulled out as scheduled, putting us into Naples at midnight, a full 24 hours after leaving Seattle. 

Had this happened in the United States, the airline would owe us nothing but an apology. There are no federal laws requiring airlines to provide passengers with money or other compensation when flights are delayed.  

But was Europe, and since Icelandair is based in the EU, almost all of its flights are protected by Regulation EC 261, one of the most comprehensive laws protecting air passenger rights worldwide.

EC Regulation 261 grants passengers the right to seek compensation when they have experienced delayed (two to four hours or more), cancelled, or overbooked flights, with few exceptions. Those include weather, strikes, security risks etc. but not technical problems.

Bottom line: We each qualified for 400 euros in compensation for the delay which Iceland Air admitted was caused by “a shortage of aircraft,” in this case meaning our plane, originally scheduled to leave Reykjavik for Rome at 8:30 a.m., had to be diverted to Dublin.

For a flight to be eligible for compensation under EU 261, it must be either departing from a Member State—one of the 27 EU countries, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, as well as most outlying territories—or departing from a nonmember country with a destination within a Member State.

The rule includes flights departing from the EU to the U.S. (but not from the U.S. to the EU) and some other countries and even connecting flights within the U.S. operated by U.S. partners of EU airlines. This means that any U.S. domestic flight booked through an EU airline on a single itinerary will be covered by the law. 

The policy applies to all airlines, even U.S. based carriers. Few American travelers are familiar with this rule, and airlines are rarely pro-active in passing on this information.

Icelandair was the exception. Not only did the airline send us text messages saying meal vouchers would be automatically added to our boarding passes while we waited (also an EU requirement), we were handed brochures outlining the rules, and referencing an Iceland Air customer support website where we could fill out claim forms.

There are worse airports in which to be forced to spend seven hours than Iceland's Keflavik, but few are more expensive. 

Leaving the airport on a long layover is out of the question, considering the Keflavik is 30 from downtown Reykjavik, and the bus ride costs $50 each way.

Crowds boarding at Keflavik airport

Our $40 meal vouchers went quickly on smoked salmon omelettes  ($14 each), coffee and snacks for the next flight. The airport wins points for free and fast Wi-Fi, clean restrooms, and lots of plug-in outlets for electronic devices. On the downside, there's just one area with lounge chairs, and gate areas tend get crowded in the late afternoon.

Upon returning home to Seattle, I filled out the claim form, a surprisingly simple task that asked only for flight booking numbers, ticket numbers, flight numbers and dates of travel. I was assigned a case number, and received an e-mail telling me it might take a few weeks for resolution. 

Two weeks later, I received the following e-mail from Icelandair:

"We apologise that your case has not yet progressed.For the past weeks we have experienced a heavy workload but we want to inform you that we have received your case, and we are trying our best to process your inquiry. We thank you for your patience and understanding."

I'll keep you posted.

Post-Pandemic London: Prepare for crowds and lots of changes

 

Coronation plans underway

News of a few major events in London slipped by me while I was planning a three-day stopover on our way to Jordan. 

The London Marathon, preparations for the coronation of King Charles and a major soccer match collided to bring thousands of extra visitors to town.

Had I done my homework, I would have realized that many of the roads and walking paths around Buckingham Palace would be blocked. And it wasn’t the smartest move to book tickets to see a performance of “Newsies” at a theater down the street from the Whembley Park soccer stadium. Kudos to the British for queuing under any circumstances. Otherwise we would have been part of a stampede for standing room only on two packed subway lines. 

A view of the London Eye from St. James park

No complaints though. In three days, Tom and I managed to visit great pubs, spend time at the British Museum, ride all modes of transportation, go to the theater, walk 7-8 miles a day, stroll through St. James Park via Buckingham Palace,  join a London volunteer greeter on a tour of the East End, and take a long walk along the Regent’s Canal and Little Venice. 

A canal boat ride along the Union Canal near Little Venice 

Arriving in London during an extra-busy time was a wake-up call that this IS a city where reservations are a must  for most everything. That goes not only for hotels and theater tickets, but for pizza, a pub meal or even admission into a museum or special attraction where entry is free. 

Whether you’re a first-time visitor or have been here before, but not since the pandemic, there’s lots to catch up on when it comes to making the most of a short visit. 

GETTING TO AND FROM HEATHROW

Uber now operates in London, and there are always taxis, but those are the most expensive options. In the past, we took Piccadilly underground line into town or the Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station. This time, we opted for the new Elizabeth Line, a high-speed Tube line that connects Heathrow to Paddington, with connections there to other lines. The cost was around 12£ vs. 27£ for the Heathrow Express. One advantage is that you don’t have to buy a ticket. All you do is tap your credit card or mobile device when boarding. Same goes for other Tube lines and the buses. 

A ride on the London Tube

CASHLESS ECONOMY

We withdrew 40£ from an ATM, but didn’t need it. Everyone takes credit cards or mobile payments, even for the smallest purchases, and more and more cafes and restaurants are no longer accepting cash. Paying with a tap card or mobile device is fast and efficient, but it brings up the importance of carrying a back-up card just in case one is lost or stolen.

 The British Museum. Entry is free but  make a reservation, or risk a long wait

ABOUT THOSE RESERVATIONS

They’re a good idea, and often necessary, even for attractions and museums where entry is free. The good news is you can book online in advance from anywhere. So if you want to go to the British Museum on a certain day a month from now, you can book a timed visit at no charge. The same goes for most restaurants, even pubs and pizza parlors. Looking for an indoor activity on a rainy afternoon, we were hoping to visit the Sky Garden, London’s tallest indoor garden inside a high-rise tower called the Walkie-Talkie building. Entry is free, but you must reserve a timed ticket online. By the time I realized we would need to book, all the slots were taken.

THE FULL ENGLISH…. NOT

Happy to report that thanks to London’s diverse multi-cultural community, there are now many alternatives to the “Full English” spread of eggs, sausages, beans and mushrooms. We stayed at a Airbnb that didn’t include breakfast, an advantage because it meant we could breakfast hop around our Belgravia neighborhood to French, Syrian, Turkish, Georgian and Indian cafes and restaurants, all high-quality and healthy.

Entree, a family-run Georgian bakery near Victoria Station, was one of our favorites. Top choice was a healthy version of Georgia’s national dish, Khachapuri, a boat-shaped bread filled with cheese and an egg on top.

The Bear and Staff pub, a favorite hangout of Charlie Chaplin

Definitely eat at a pub, especially a “gastro” pub where the food is a cut above what you’d expect in a bar. Put off by the loud soccer fans drinking on the sidewalk outside? Book a table for the dining room. Most pubs, such as the Bear and Staff above, have small dining areas (reservations are a must) where you can enjoy the food, beer and ambience in a quieter setting. If it’s Sunday, go for the Sunday roast - beef, chicken, and these days, a vegan option made with nuts and spices. 

Tom enjoying Sunday roast at the Bear and Staff pub

SIGN UP FOR A LONDON GREETER 

Julia Gay has been leading visitors around her favorite parts of London for 15 years. She’s a member of London Greeters, an organization associated with the International Greeters Association, a group of volunteers that connect locals with travelers around the world. No money exchanges hands. Instead, you might treat your greeter for coffee or tea while touring, or make an online donation to the organization after the visit.

Julia Gay and us in front of a 300-year-old building that houses a bookstore and cafe

We spent several hours with Julia on a walking tour around London’s East End, an area historically populated by poor immigrants, now gentrifying with renovations of run-down flats once claimed by squatters. The area around Spitalfields and Brick Lane were settled by French Protestant (Huguenot) refugees, then Jews fleeing Europe and finally Bangladeshi immigrants who made Brick Lane the curry capital of London. Today tourists come for the Spitalfields arts, crafts and food market, art galleries and mural tours led by local artists. We came to meet up with Julia, and make a new friend.

 Murals and curry houses on Brick Lane