TravelValue: England

Friday, December 1, 2017

Bugibba, Malta: By "George", This Little Pub Was Quite The Find

The George

Tourist Street Qawra

San Pawl il-Baħar (Bugibba) Malta

Phone: +356 2734 9002

Prices: €€€€

We stop by The George nearly every night for a pint on our way back to our apartment from the Bugibba Bus Terminus, but tonight was the first time we actually had something to eat.

I saw someone eating the mussels last week and they looked incredible. We stopped by last Tuesday for dinner, only to find that the kitchen is closed on Tuesdays ... DRAT! The kitchen was open tonight, fortunately, and we had a very enjoyable dinner (or is it "pudding"?).

Being a retired Air Force airman, I had a couple pints of Bombardier, getting us off to a good start, then it was on to the Bangers and Mash for the wife €8 and the Mussels, of course, for me. The bangers and mash were quite savory and tasty, three scrummy sausages on top of mashed potatoes topped with brown gravy and a pork rind ... very nice. My mussels (€16), a kilo no less, were in a stout, cream and horseradish sauce that was quite spicy and delectable. The accompanying crusty bread was fresh, soft and perfect for dipping in the tasty sauce. I had to add a side of chips (€3) because that is the way the French do it and we all know that the French do it better than the Brits ... I'm winding you up, so don't get your knickers in a twist!

The food and service, thanks to Julie, were spot-on, but the prices are just a tad high compared to other places on Malta we have frequented, so that is one reason for the small deduction in rating. The other being the fact that the first time we heard about The George was from a gent on the corner across from the bus terminal advertising free music and £1 pints that night, but when I ordered a pint of Bombardier later that evening, I was charged €3.50 (£3.09), more than three times the advertised price. Finally, a €10 to €14 burger should also come with a side of chips, but that is just this reporter's opinion.

My blog is called "TravelValue", so I must be honest when it comes to little things like "value", bang-for-the-buck if you will. For example, €4 for a pint of John Smiths last night seemed a tad high, the bangers and mash (with no side/salad) would be better priced in the €7 to €7.50 range, and at €16 the mussels might come with a side of chips (fries) as has been the case in most places I have had mussels in the past. Otherwise, I can find no faults with The George and we shall return after a week's closing for maintenance on the 11th.

Cheers big ears!

CombatCritic Gives The George 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better Mate!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

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Title: Bugibba, Malta: By "George", This Little Pub Was Quite The Find

Key Words: Bugibba, Malta, The George, pub, the, George, mussels, moules, frites, chips, Qawra, San Pawl, il-Baħar, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Williams, AZ: Cruise In On Old Route 66 For A Decent Burger, Beer And Live Music

Cruiser’s Cafe 66

233 W. Route 66

Williams, AZ 86046

Phone number: (928) 635-2445

Website: cruisers66.com

Prices: $$$$

Famished after a long day hiking the Grand Canyon, we arrived in the exploitive town of Williams, Arizona for a night's stay just down the street. Everything in this place is WAY overpriced, taking advantage of tourists because they are the closest decent-size town within 60 miles of the canyon. The hotels are overpriced - we paid $80 for a dump of a twin room (with shared bath) in a local hotel - and the restaurants ridiculous - $16+ for a hamburger and $20 for a 12 inch cheese pizza at the first two places we saw - so I recommend you stay in Flagstaff instead.

This place is an old gas station with the 1930's Texaco pumps still in place. Do not expect much ambiance inside, because there ain't any, but their large patio was pleasant on a late spring evening with live music, fresh air, and friendly service.

Michael, our server, was prompt, efficient and friendly. Their burger, 1/2 pound with all the trimmings and fries ($11) was the best value in town and a good, solid hamburger - good, not great. Their in-house crafted IPA ($6) was also quite hoppy and tasty.

Compared to the other places in town, we found Cruiser's a decent, not "great", value with good burgers, solid service, and live music. What more could you ask for in a tourist trap town on Route 66 close to the Grand Canyon?

CombatCritic Gives Francisco's 6 Bomb Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Six Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over 1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Read Chris S.'s review of Cruiser's Cafe 66 on Yelp

Title: Williams, AZ: Cruise In On Old Route 66 For A Decent Burger, Beer And Live Music

Key Words: Cruiser's Cafe, cruiser's, cruiser, cruising, Route 66, route, 66, hamburger, Williams, AZ, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog

Translation for Civilians: G2G = "Good To Go"

Airbnb: Bugibba, Malta - Nice 2BR/1BA Apartment, Convenient Location, Great Views, Reasonable Price

Airbnb Apartment

"Fabulous view, cosy apartment in sunny Malta"
Dawret Il-Qawra, Springfield Court
San Pawl il-Baħar, Malta

Reasonably priced, clean, two-bedroom, one bath apartment in Bugibba (Northeast Malta) with partial sea view and view of salt flats as well as surrounding countryside, including Mosta (left above) and the ancient Malta's capitol of Mdina (right above).

The apartment building is relatively new (20 years or less) with the apartment on the 4th Floor (center right above, second floor from top). For the price, the views are quite lovely and the apartment is close to stores, restaurants, and public transportation (see my review of Malta Public Transport).

View of Mediterranean (Far Left) and Salt Flats From Balconies

Countryside View, Including Mdina and Bird Park Malta (Top Left)

View of Mediterranean (Far Left), Salt Flats, and Kennedy Grove From Balconies

View of Mdina in Distance and Bus Stop (Fugass) Across the Street (Right of Tree)

Pros

Central location, close to public transport, restaurants, shopping
Great value
Decent size, private 2BR/1BA apartment
Two balconies, great views (sea, salt flats, Mosta and Mdina)
Large refrigerator with freezer
Washer
Bath Tub and Shower
Air conditioning/heat
Basic utensils (pots, pans, bowls, cutlery, toaster, kettle)
Elevator (4th Floor Apartment)
Garage (if you have a vehicle)
Secure building (pass code for entry, cameras)

Cons

Spotty communication with hosts - difficult to reach via phone/text
Lack of clear instructions (trash disposal/recycling, cable, Wi-Fi, washing machine, oven, taxi service, restaurants, shopping)
Uncomfortable - master bed too hard
Fireplace listed, but not functional
Uncomfortable and worn/broken seating
No coffee pot (only Nescafe and a kettle)
Lack of supplies (trash and recycling bags, detergents, paper towels, TP, very few spices, etc.)
Just one set of sheets for each bed and they didn't fit - flat sheet not big enough for large bed - need fitted sheets
Zero cleaning during 3-week stay (€60 Cleaning Fee)

The "Fugass" bus stop is within 100 feet, connecting you to Mosta, Valletta, the airport, hospital (Mater Dei), Rabat (Mdina), and more, so transportation on Malta Public Transport is simple with a €21 weekly bus card (available at bus terminals and many shops) or you can pay €1.50 each way (ticket good for 2 hours). The buses have their flaws (fast drivers, winding roads, erratic schedules), but are an efficient way to get around Malta and Gozo

Here is a list of places to visit while in Malta with links to reviews and/or websites:

Hagar Qim Temples
Mnajdra Temples
Fort St Elmo/National War Museum
Ta' Hagrat
National Museum of Archaeology
Skorba Temple
Domus Romana
Gran Castello Historic House
Ghar Dalam
Inquisitors Palace
Malta Maritime Museum
Old Prisons
St Paul's Catacombs
National Museum of Natural History
Malta National Aquarium
Tarxien Temples
Ta' Bistra Catacombs
Fort St Angelo
Grandmaster's Palace State Rooms and Armoury
Popeye Village
Hal Saflieni Hypogeum **

You can also book tours through travel agents, one (Colour My Travel) offering a FREE 90-Minute Walking Tour of Valletta.

Gozo

Gozo, one of the three Maltese Islands (only two accessible by tourists - Malta and Gozo), also has a vast history and is well worth an extended visit. Here is a list of must see venues on the island:

Gozo Museum of Archaeology

Ggantija Temples

Gozo Nature Museum
Citadel Visitor Centre

Ta' Kola Windmill

Restaurants

Bugibba

La Stalla
La Sorpressa
The George (British Pub)
House of Spice (Indian)

Valletta

The Submarine (Great, cheap Italian sandwiches)

Rabat

Toffee & Co (Local/Maltese - Inexpensive)

Xlendi (Gozo)

The Diamond (British Pub/Food)
Zafiro (Mediterranean)

Mgarr

Mgarr United

Gozo Hotel

Want to get away for a couple of days? Go to Gozo and stay at this inexpensive, bay front 3-Star hotel:

San Andrea

Just for grins, here is a post on the cats we saw during our three week stay, called The Maltese Kitten

Here are more photos of the apartment:

Living Room

Elevator

Entry

Kitchen

Master Bedroom

Large Closet

Entry

Washing Machine

Fireplace?

Living Room

Second Bedroom (Bunk Beds)

At less than $34 per night, Maxim's apartment was an excellent value. There are quite a few pros and cons, but the cons are fairly minor compared to the more important and numerous pros. I think my readers should be aware of both the good and the bad when I write a review and would be doing you and Maxim a disservice if not completely honest. That being said ...

CombatCritic Gives Maxim's Cosy Apartment 9 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Nine Bombs Equates To:

"U.S. Marine Response To A Verbal Greeting Or As An Expression Of Enthusiasm"

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over 1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Airbnb: Bugibba, Malta - Nice 2BR/1BA Apartment, Convenient Location, Great Views, Reasonable Price

Key Words: Airbnb, Bugibba, Malta, apartment, convenient, location, views, reasonable, price, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, accommodation, hotel, motel, bargain, Airbnb.com

Translation for Civilians:

Wall Of Shame: Another Day, Another 3 Million Dollars - TripAdvisor Riding The Backs Of The Little Guys ... Their Customers

TripAdvisor LLC
400 First Avenue
Needham, MA 02494 USA
Phone: +1 (781) 800-5000
Website: TripAdvisor.com

TripAdvisor is a greedy, ruthless company and if you believe their dribble, I have a bridge in Hayes, Kansas I would love to sell you.

I was a TripAdvisor "TOP CONTRIBUTOR" for years, submitting hundreds of complimentary reviews from all over the World and getting nothing in return except total disrespect, refusing to publish many of my reviews with no reasonable explanation.

TripAdvisor makes billions (approximately $1.5 Billion in 2015) off of merchants who pay for "premium" ad or review placement on their websites and review contributors like me who spend a great deal of time generating revenue for TripAdvisor by submitting reviews gratis. Take a look at their swanky new headquarters in Needham, Massachusetts paid for by you (who click on their ads), me (who foolishly submit reviews gratis to TripAdvisor), and merchants (who pay for ads and premium review placement).

I had numerous reviews "denied" for posting on TripAdvisor while given no explanation other than "your review does not meet our guidelines". The same exact reviews were submitted on such reputable sites as Yelp (where I am Elite '14/'15/'16'/'17), Zomato ("Verified Connoisseur"), Tabelog (Official "Silver" Judge), Booking.com (Genius), and others, including my popular blog CombatCritic's TravelValue, and published without delay. TripAdvisor, on the other hand, MUST APPROVE ALL REVIEWS before publishing, ensuring that they contribute to their bottom line ($$$$) and do not detract from paid advertisements or their own image.

I can guarantee you that the "pending" reviews listed in the above photo will never be published because of my valid criticisms of TripAdvisor's imperfect website and biased business practices. Here are the unfiltered reviews in question if you want to read them for yourself:

Valletta, Malta: Free Valletta Tour Well Worth Price Of Admission ... And More!

Valletta, Malta: "Sunk" My Teeth Into This "Submarine" And Boy Was I Glad I Did

The owner of The Submarine, for example, has been complaining to TripAdvisor for months about the incorrect map location of their business on TripAdvisor's website, to no avail. We had the same problem, searching for the "#1 of 280 Valletta Restaurants", The Submarine, on TripAdvisor's map function, missing the mark by several blocks and finally calling the business to get directions. I submitted a map correction to TripAdvisor, pinpointing the exact location of The Submarine, but like all other feedback customers give them, it will likely be ignored. The only reason we were using TripAdvisor, by the way, is because they are the only game in town (Malta - the same in India), likely paying-off local officials, in my opinion, in order to keep competition like Yelp and Zomato out of their markets.

All TripAdvisor cares about is making money, not telling the truth, in my opinion, so they only post reviews that support their goals, generating revenue from travel industry businesses that pay for premium placement and clicks on travel related ads. That is why I told them to "shove it" about a year-and-a-half ago after they refused to publish my perfectly benign review of the Villisca Ax Murder House in Villisca, Iowa, resubmitting the same review several times only to be denied publishing.

I documented my concern and protest of TripAdvisor's unprofessional behavior and misleading content in my June 24, 2016 post after complaining to TripAdvisor several times, with no response, then deleting my "Top Contributor" account entirely.

I refuse to do business with TripAdvisor and so should you. The only reason I posted the recent reviews was to test their business practices once again by posting my concerns and complaints publicly to see if they would be published ... they will not.

CombatCritic Gives TripAdvisor An Unprecedented 0 Bombs Out Of 10 And An Additional Spot On My "WALL OF SHAME" ... Shame On You TripAdvisor!

Zero Bombs Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - Elite '14/'15/'16/'17 - 650,000+ Views A Year

Tabelog - Official Judge (Silver)

Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie - Over 1,890,733 Review And Photo Views

... And Don't Forget To Subscribe To TravelValue TV on YouTube

Title: Wall Of Shame: Another Day, Another 3 Million Dollars - TripAdvisor Riding The Backs Of The Little Guys ... Their Customers

Key Words: TripAdvisor, trip, advisor, website, hotels, restaurants, things to do, reservations, TripAdvisor.com, unprofessional, biased, ruthless, Yelp, YouTube, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, Wall of Shame

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR = "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

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