Valetta, Malta

We began the day quite early – early for vacation. We set the alarm for 630am so we would be dressed, fed and ready for our trip into Malta at 745am. The thunder and lighting sounded at about the same time as the alarm. We chose an excursion that used 4X4 Jeeps to get out of Valettta and into the countryside. As we disembarked we were escorted directly to our vehicle. Our eyebrows rose a bit when we realized that 5 tourists and a driver would be riding in this very small Suzuki.

 As we raced (and I DO mean raced) out of the capital and into the countryside, I wondered if our guide had been trained by American taxi drivers. The streets were quite narrow in the city, but later appeared wide after visiting the country. During our four-hour excursion, we saw modern buildings right next to buildings from Roman days, as well as the Roman Aquaducts. The military significance of the island of Malta was also very evident by the presence of Watch Towers and barracks. Scattered over the countryside everywhere we went were stone walls that enclosed well-cultivated gardens. They reminded me of the stone walls in Ireland.

 Another stop was a beautiful place overlooking Popeye Village. Yes, it is called that because the village was built for the production of the movie Popeye, in which Robin Williams starred. The beautiful water at the inlet there was breathtaking. The wind was blowing fiercely, resulting in significant waves crashing against the surrounding cliffs. 

Popeye pics

 

 We made a number of stops during our trip, one of which was the original capital, a walled city named Mdina. As we wandered around the old city for a bit, we browsed the shops for bargains (okay – Jan looked for bargains. I followed her). It became apparent quickly that the city streets were like a maze, and it took us a bit longer to navigate the very narrow streets and find our way back to jeep.

Mdina pics

 As we continued through the countryside and back to the ship, we stopped at an overlook of the Island of Comina. The only access to the island is by the ferry in the picture below, which travels back and forth every 45 minutes. One of the many distinctive buildings in Malta was the ancient St. John’s Church, clearly visible all around with its red color.

 

As we headed back into town, I vowed to hold my tongue about potholes when I get home…at least for a time. The condition of the country roads is hard to describe, other than to say I think it rearranged some of my bones. The driver was having a blast, occasionally yelling as he accelerated around narrow corners like Mario Andretti, telling us his name was Joseph – but he went by Rambo.  So, we’re back on the ship now, had a brief nap, Jan went to another scrapbooking class, I read my book on the balcony overlooking the water. We have decided to forgo the more formal dining room this evening and go to the Windjammer Café up on Deck 11. It has a significant amount of great food, but is in a buffet style. We plan to go to the entertainment tonight at 7, then head back to the cabin. Tomorrow is a cruising day before we get to Alexandria, Egypt Friday morning. Later…….Tim