Pomp and Ceremony in Malta

 

After an early start, and a beautiful sail into this port, we were keen to explore further so we negotiated a taxi tour on the dock for two hours to take us to Rabat and Mdina, the historical centre of Malta. Our drive through the port city into the countryside was interesting - I had always imagined that Malta would be a green island, but in reality it is very rugged and dry without any natural rivers or lakes. Located in a strategic position in the Med, and being a British outpost, Malta was heavily bombed in WW2, and there is lots of evidence of attacks scattered around the island. The british influence is also noticeable in the red phone boxes and mail boxes.

 

Mdina, known as 'the silent city' because of the lack of cars, is a very old city surrounded by a dry moat, with 300 inhabitants - we arrived so early that the city was still asleep, so we were the only tourists wandering about as the inhabitants began to stir and prepare for the day as the produce for the markets in the town square was delivered..

 

In Rabat, we visited the Cathedral of St Paul , it's underground catacombs, grotto and WW2 underground bomb shelters, beneath the church - the dark musty tunnels are a bit too claustrophobic for my liking, so I was glad to get back up to the surface and daylight.

 

Our driver dropped us back in Valletta, the capital city of Malta - although heavily fortified, it is a very pretty city with every building created from local sandstone. After we visited the Royal Palace and watched the ceremonial changing of the guard, the Co-Cathedral, and the Military museum, we took a ride in a horse drawn carriage along the waterfront and the battlements - a slow paced fun way to see the sights. We wandered around the old city enjoying the variety of street buskers - I was intrigued by a couple who perform an act where one sits cross legged above the other, held up by only a stick - see the photo - I circled them about ten times, but I still don't know how they do it!! 

 

At midday, everyone migrated down to the Saluting Battery on the waterfront where the midday cannon is fired as it has been done for more than 400 years – and all clocks in Malta are set by this time.

 

The cruise terminal has been redeveloped close to the city, with a lift from the top of the battlement down to the wharf - we met up with Jo and Garry for a cold drink in the Hard Rock Cafe before going back onboard - sharing a bottle of a local Maltese Rose which was very nice although we had to ask for a glass of ice to cool it down!!  A detour back through the duty free shop revealed that the most popular purchase (after alcohol, of course) were large red boxes of MALTEASERS(in Malta) – we are so cheesy!!

 

We gathered on the top deck as we sailed away, as a local band played and marched in formation, and a special cannon salute sounded as the ship passed by the Military Battery - and we sounded our horns as the people gathered in the park and waved – what a great send off!!

 

Captain, throw off those lines – our time in the Mediterranean is finished – time to head through the Suez and back home…….