Mostly Valletta, the capital, a gorgeous city, despite the widespread destruction of the air raids of 1941-1943.
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As this picture (someone else's) amply shows, the old city is literally an
enormous star fort, perhaps the biggest we have seen |
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| The Triton Fountain, at the main gate to Valletta |
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| Note: a) creamy limestone blocks, and b) enclosed balconies |
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| Parliament building |
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Not Roman ruins: these are the remains of the national theater, Valletta's architectural
gem, destroyed in the bombings of 1942, never rebuilt; but now re-designed and
re-used for outdoor concerts |
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| Main street view, Saturday morning |
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Probably the only Amorino's we have ever walked by without
having an ice cream (we were distracted by the closing of the
cathedral...another story) |
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| Historic old government building |
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| With important historical plaques |
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| The light bulb thing, not just a Gozo thing |
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In all my travels, I have never, ever, seen a double-reed
busker, but here, in Valletta, Malta, is a street oboist (my
instrument); he was good, too, and I tipped generously |
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| Another Knightly abode |
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| Thus |
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| Interesting bench |
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| More grand old buildings |
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| Street scene, looking down to the sea |
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So to get from the city, that is, the wall-girt fortress (to
employ Homer's expression), you can walk, or take this
10-story elevator down to the harbor |
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| Saluting guns |
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| Grand Harbor |
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Iconic view, across the Grand Harbor to the Three Cities; Birgu dates from
medieval times, but Senglea and Cospicua were originally fortresses built by
the Knights in the 16th and 17th centuries; yes, this will be on the quiz; for
more information on the Knights and Charles V's gift of Malta to them watch
The Maltese Falcon; never mind the Knights are mistakenly referred to as
the "Knights Templar" in the movie's opening; OK, the movie is one of the
greatest ever but really has nothing to do with Malta |
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| Us, there |
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| Top of elevator |
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| View from below |
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| On the ferry, crossing the Grand Harbor |
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| And about to disembark in the Three Cities, to visit the Malta At War museum |
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