New Years in Rome and Malta

Today, Mrs. SFO777 decided to sleep in and take a day off from touring.   So it's just our guide Stephen and me as we head north for the 10:30am ferry to Gozo.  But first a stop at the site and set where most of 13 Hours was filmed.  The US compound was built for the movie and dismantled right after fliming.   

Popeye village, built for and as the set of the movie.  It remains today as an amusement park.

Just a little chilly today as the winds had to be near 40mph.

Some beautiful scenery on the 20 minute ferry ride.   The island of Comino.

Looking back to Comino and the Blue Lagoon.

On the coast at Marsalforn are the Xwejni Salt Pans, one of the most stunning natural experiences I've seen in recent years.      

Salt pans are still used in the summer, as they have for hundreds indeed thousands of years... filled with sea water which evaporates under the sun leaving salt, which is then harvested. 

Next, we headed towards the Azur Window and a typical Maltese Quarry, where all the classic limestone is cut.

The beautiful Azur Window.

And then to Victoria for a quick lunch...

... and to the Cittadella.

Back at the hotel, Mrs. SFO777 was feeling much better and we headed out around 7pm for MDina and the wonderful de Mondion restaurant at the Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux inside the medieval fortified walls.

What a beautiful restaurant, with great food, wine and wonderful service.  The best meal of our trip.

A table with a view of the entire island.

If you visit Malta, de Mondion is an absolute must culinary stop.  I would also consider staying at the Xara Palace Relais & Chateaux

At around T-50, our PA came to get us and walk us to our waiting limo for the ride over to the B concourse.  LOL, just kidding.  Since this is BA, we headed out for the escalators and the train.

Ha.  Classic product placement for all BA pax to see.

More not so First Class BA First.

We arrived at the gate area just as Priority Boarding was announced.  Not that it matters with BA since, similar to three years ago, Priority Boarding included half the plane with the other half of the passengers clogging the lanes to the gate podium.  Well done BA.  LOL.

Gate 32 features a long, long, long jet bridge.  Where are all the other passengers?

Just around the corner.  Apparently lots of Priority passengers today.

The first hint of First Class service appeared at the door, where a pleasant FA, on seeing our F boarding passes, personally escorted us to our seats 2A and 2K one of only 4 good seats in this cabin.  We both prefer 2AK as it gives space and we can still communicate.

Unlike our last couple of BA flights, today's crew was terrifc.  Both James and Charlotte were professional and friendly and delivered excellent service.   

Today's menu.

Surprisingly serviceable bar and wine list, including Johnny Blue. 

The menu options also looked nice and varied. 

Since Mrs. SFO777 and I had just enjoyed a significant lunch in The Concorde Room, we waited some 4 hours for lunch.

The Roasted Pumpkin, sweet potato and ginger soup was delicious and a lovely presentation. 

Nice fresh seasonal salad.

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For my main, I had originally ordered the Vegetable kerelan curry.   About 90 minutes earlier, our FA Charlotte apologized that they had accidentally heated my main and it would not be very good a couple hours later.  She offered a chicken curry instead.  I gladly accepted as I would have preferred a meat dish anyway.  Not sure if this was a Business Class meal, but it was quite good with fried cauliflower and steamed rice.

Dessert was very good.

All in all, a pleasant meal with good champage and wine.   Except for the seat which became more uncomfortable as the flight wore on, and BA Gold member and his wife in 1AK, with a daughter in Business or Economy that routinely visited, it was a reasonably pleasand flight.   I had my Bose headsets on so I didn't hear much opened by closet door to at least cut off the view, so I was able to pretty much ignore them.

Mrs. SFO777 had the same idea and I propped her closet door open with her bag to give her some privacy.  Although unbeknownced to me, she'd had enough at one point when the rest of the cabin was sleeping that she took it upon herself to tell them to STFU or something similar.  LOL.   That seemed to work as the daughter went back to her seat never to be seen again and 1AK were quiet the rest of the way, apologizing profusely on numerous occasions.

Great scenery about a 90 minutes out.

Salt Lake City Interntional (SLC).

We arrived on time despite rain and low ceiling in San Diego.  All in all, a very pleasant flight with an excellent crew, one which exceeded my expectations.  No one is going to confuse BA First with proper international First Class like AF, LX or even LH.  14 passengers in the nose of a 747 is not First Class.  Nevertheless, I would probably fly them again if the schedule and price were right.