Sunday, June 12, 2005
Malta
We have follwed the Knights of the Order of St. John from Rhodes to Malta. When Suleiman the Magnificent threw them out of Rhodes, they ended up in Malta (the Spanish king leased it to them for two falcons per year) and the Hospitallers built the same fortifications, inns and hospitals. We have felt quite at home.
Valetta
Malta harbor
Our hotel overlooks Marsamxett Harbor looking across to Valetta, the capital. We took a fabulous harbor cruise that chugs around each of the nine creeks of Marsamxett and the Grand Harbor so could see the fortifications, buildings and major ship building from the water. Valetta was laid out by an engineer when the knights decided to build a new capital after they held out against Suleiman in the Great Siege. All the streets are straight so as to catch every breeze from the water and it is a delight to walk in the shade of the limestone buildings with a cool breeze in your face. The balconies are unique and a definite part of Maltese life. 99% of the islands is Catholic and feast days for the 365 churches form a great part of the summer season. The streets are decorated, flags flown and when the statue of their particular saint is paraded, they stand on their balconies tossing confetti and ticker tape.
Azure window
We took a sedate fishing boat ride to see the Blue Grotto and then next day, a less- sedate ride to see the Azure Window. We left from a calm inland sea, sailed through a narrow passage and were suddenly in the not-so-calm Mediterranean. The waves looked awfully big, but the fisherman steering the boat kept pointing out rocks shaped like crocodiles or men's faces. As the Maryland priest touring with us that day said, "H...., I had no time to look at rocks, I was too busy holding on to the boat." We found the life jackets in a locker after we were back on dry land.
Malta has some really ancient Neolithic temples: 3800 BC - we laugh at Stonehenge at 1900 BC. For a small island, there is a range of history through the millenia and even though Valetta, particularly, was heavily bombed during the Second World War, they have rebuilt in the old style. King George awarded the George Cross to the whole island for their bravery in holding out during WWW II. The local limestone is readily available so almost all the buildings are built out of it. Mdina, the old capital is called the silent city as the streets are deserted, most of the noble inhabitants have other homes in Italy or Valetta and they have wisely kept the souvenier sellers outside the walls.
Everyone speaks English as well as Maltese, which is a Semitic language with much Italian and English thrown in. At least the Roman alphabet is used and we could tell where we were. One of our tours was with a Dutch group so I got a kick out of understanding what was being said. The Maltese guide spoke it with as much of an English acent as I have speaking Afrikaans so it all sounded perfectly normal to me. The Dutch themselves were amused but knew what she was talking about.
LS
Valetta
Malta harbor
Our hotel overlooks Marsamxett Harbor looking across to Valetta, the capital. We took a fabulous harbor cruise that chugs around each of the nine creeks of Marsamxett and the Grand Harbor so could see the fortifications, buildings and major ship building from the water. Valetta was laid out by an engineer when the knights decided to build a new capital after they held out against Suleiman in the Great Siege. All the streets are straight so as to catch every breeze from the water and it is a delight to walk in the shade of the limestone buildings with a cool breeze in your face. The balconies are unique and a definite part of Maltese life. 99% of the islands is Catholic and feast days for the 365 churches form a great part of the summer season. The streets are decorated, flags flown and when the statue of their particular saint is paraded, they stand on their balconies tossing confetti and ticker tape.
Azure window
We took a sedate fishing boat ride to see the Blue Grotto and then next day, a less- sedate ride to see the Azure Window. We left from a calm inland sea, sailed through a narrow passage and were suddenly in the not-so-calm Mediterranean. The waves looked awfully big, but the fisherman steering the boat kept pointing out rocks shaped like crocodiles or men's faces. As the Maryland priest touring with us that day said, "H...., I had no time to look at rocks, I was too busy holding on to the boat." We found the life jackets in a locker after we were back on dry land.
Malta has some really ancient Neolithic temples: 3800 BC - we laugh at Stonehenge at 1900 BC. For a small island, there is a range of history through the millenia and even though Valetta, particularly, was heavily bombed during the Second World War, they have rebuilt in the old style. King George awarded the George Cross to the whole island for their bravery in holding out during WWW II. The local limestone is readily available so almost all the buildings are built out of it. Mdina, the old capital is called the silent city as the streets are deserted, most of the noble inhabitants have other homes in Italy or Valetta and they have wisely kept the souvenier sellers outside the walls.
Everyone speaks English as well as Maltese, which is a Semitic language with much Italian and English thrown in. At least the Roman alphabet is used and we could tell where we were. One of our tours was with a Dutch group so I got a kick out of understanding what was being said. The Maltese guide spoke it with as much of an English acent as I have speaking Afrikaans so it all sounded perfectly normal to me. The Dutch themselves were amused but knew what she was talking about.
LS