It’s odd to think that as we’re returning to the ship from a full day on the beautiful isle of Malta you’re all just starting your day! Yesterday we spent a relaxing day aboard the ship enjoying a little sun and fresh air as we made our way from Alexandria to Malta – an island steeped in history and ripe with character. Right now we’re sitting in the Mixers Martini and Cocktail Bar chatting with Carlos from Peru. Linda is into the martini’s and I think she has found the perfect one for future parties. It is called a French Kiss and is made with vodka, Grand Marnier, Raspberry Liquer, and Pineapple juice. I had a taste and I might have to order that one next after I finish my White Russian (I’ve become quite addicted to them on this cruise!!)
Arriving into the port of Valetta on Malta had been announced as something to see and so we were up on the 14th deck at the front of the ship to see it from the best vantage point we could find. There was a little rain but…we were undaunted and we were glad we’d made the effort. The port really is lovely and with the ship coming into the small bay we had a great view. In fact…..once in the little harbour (well….it probably only looked little to us as our ship is so huge!) the Jade did an about face so it was turned around and pointed seaward ready to disembark later in the day. From our vantage point it looked like that about face took up the entire harbour! It was something to see how a ship so large was able to turn on a dime like that!
Malta was a wonderful final stop on this amazing whirlwind adventure we’re on. We had decided to forgo any organized tours and simply “do” Malta on our own. We began the day with a Hop on Hop off bus that left right from the port area. It was a little chilly (well actually it was downright cold but this gave us a good overview of the island and an opportunity to see much of the surrounding area. From the bus we hopped off at the Valetta City Centre stop and spent the rest of the day wandering amidst the locals getting a sense of the Maltese culture.
Malta has long had the attention of the world….from the days of crusading knights to WWII action, it’s strategic location has afforded it a powerful position. Malta’s geographic location also means that it enjoys a blend of several cultures that show up in it’s cuisine, it’s languages, and it’s history.
I guess the funny story for the day has to be that as we passed by the St John’s Co-Cathedral & Museum….we almost didn’t go in thinking “seen one seen them all” and “what more can there be here than there was in the Sistine Chapel?” But…..decided to err on the side of caution so spent the 6 Euros and bought a ticket. Lynda giggled the whole way through thinking that we had almost missed this amazing highlight. St John’s was magnificent! Not only does it rival the Sistine Chapel (and maybe even trump it) but it also houses the largest collection in the WORLD of 17th century Flemish tapestries that tell the story of Christ from birth to resurrection, the complete and original complement of choral texts that are massive books hand painted in gold and that hold all the original scores for the music and hymns used in the Catholic church today. It also is home to many original works of art, the most famous being “The Beheading of John the Baptist”. St John’s was also filled with Masonic history and memorabilia as well as the original vespers (clothes) worn by the ancient priests, bishops, and heads of the Catholic church. Neither of us had anticipated any of what we would find in St John’s so we were sure glad we didn’t miss the opportunity!
From there we popped into the armories just a little further down Republic Street where there were two red coated guards standing sentry just like you might see at Buckingham Palace. We knew they couldn’t talk to us…..but really wanted a photo with Flor….. so we just took a photo of him with Flor sans consent……hopefully he didn’t mind too much.
Speaking of Flor…..she’s getting a little tired looking but still holding up. Here we are approaching the end of the travels and we’re already talking about whether or not we should keep her somewhere safe for the next time….it just doesn’t seem right that she might not accompany us on our next adventure!
We checked out the silver and gold filigree that Malta is famous for…..tasted some of their local treats (ricotta cheese or pea pies and honey cake), enjoyed just being part of the local crowd on the busy streets, and dodged rain drops when the skies opened up at one point during our visit. We enjoyed seeing all the horse and buggies available for hire and we marveled at how old everything was. We went through tunnels, over bridges, through city gates, around round abouts, survived the maze of a bus station, along skinny little lanes through farmland and back into the city again.
We watched the fountain dance to the music in front of the government building, we saw people from our boat who were on organized tours but who were wishing they were just wandering like us, we browsed a few shops, and marveled at the fact that Malta played such an important role in WWII and that neither of us knew that. We walked up and down the 2 inch steps that are built into the sidewalks on the hills of the city and learned that the steps were built for a reason….to allow the knights to ascend and descend them in their full armour! Here we are walking the same steps and streets as the knights of old!! Malta was like one huge photo opp…..every time you turned a corner there was another gorgeous thing just waiting for you to take another picture.
And to end our day……we caught a local public bus back down to the port for .47 cents…..the deal of the day!
Arriving into the Port of Valetta on Malta was absolutely gorgeous and the leaving was just as lovely. The story goes that whenever a ship is leaving port, they put the lights on the fort to say good-bye, wish a safe voyage and to show the way back…..we waved good bye from the back of the Jade as we sailed out of the port and both Lynda and I agreed that we would come back to Malta to explore it further.
Tomorrow is our last day on the ship and it will be another restful day at Sea which is probably a very good thing for many people. I haven’t mentioned it in previous blogs but….there have been several very sick people on the ship with us. I told you that my aunt broke her shoulder and that is bad enough but she has also developed bronchitis, my mom has a mild case of pneumonia (they’re both on antibiotics now), my sister has a terrible cough and cold, one of my aunt’s friends is just getting over that same cough and cold, and…..yes….it gets even worse……the ship has been hyper vigilant ever since day 2 of our 12 day cruise as there were several cases of severe flu-like symptoms on board. I have to say that I have been extremely impressed with the way that the crew has handled the realities of dealing with so many sick people. Everything is constantly being sanitized….including everyone on the ship! Every room you enter or leave is staffed with required hand sanitizing stations. Crew are constantly cleaning and sterilizing everything from carpets to table tops and railings, bathroom doors have all been propped open so no one has to touch the handle to get out, there are hand washing instructions on the TV, and even the buffet has gone to silver service so no one but crew (who all wear gloves) touch the serving spoons.
Lynda and I have had a great time and it has been a wonderful trip and we’ve both loved the cruise as a floating hotel that moves you from place to place while you sleep but I’m pretty sure there are a few people on board who will be glad to get home.
We have a long trip home.....but will see you soon,
L & L
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