Tuesday, April 18, 2017

MALTA

DAY 94 — April 8, 2017 – Sailing the Mediterranean Sea


This was a welcome day off after seven straight stops in ports.  Getting off the ship so many days in a row made all of us old folks pretty darn tired.  Also, everything we learned from all our tours in Greece were running together into one big history lesson.  It was nice to have some time to rest our brains . . . and organize our photos.


Getting ready to sail into Malta, HAL presented a Medieval Dinner.  We were prepared to eat our dinner with our bare hands – as we know people did in medieval times (and at Medieval Times) – but the only way we knew it was a medieval dinner was that our table stewards dressed up to serve us.  These guys are such great sports about everything they are asked to do to keep us entertained.


DAY 95 — April 9, 2017 – Valetta, MALTA

This was our first visit to Malta and we were not prepared for how fascinating it was. Layers upon layers of history comprise the nation of Malta, located strategically between where Europe and Africa come the closest together.  (Sardinia and Tunisia)

Carthaginians, Swabians, Hapsburgs, Aragonese, Romans, and Britons came here to develop civilizations.  And, no, I have never heard of Swabians.  I have found that my education has been severely lacking regarding most of the places we have visited on this trip.



This is the entrance to the Mdina, in Valletta, one of the world’s finest examples of a living medieval city from the 1500s.  It is so impressively maintained that you would think you were on a movie set.  Maybe that’s why many movies are filmed here. (This is pretty much the case throughout the islands of the Mediterranean.

The Knights of St John came to Malta in 1530 from Rhodes as a Catholic brotherhood devoted to providing medical services and stayed for 268 years transforming what they called “a rock of soft sandstone” into a flourishing island with a mighty defense and a capital city coveted by the great powers of Europe.  Known officially as The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta, they were also soldiers, engineers, architects, and whatever else they needed to be.  

Their 900-year history is long, complex, fierce, and fascinating.  We cannot wait to come back and see and learn more. 


This is the Palace built for their Grand Master by The Knights of St. John.



Malta was an easy target for the Germans and Italians in WWII.  Many of their beautiful buildings, like the Opera House here, were bombed and have been or are still being rebuilt.  The Maltese have an enormous pride in their history and are so proud to share it with their many visitors.


The medieval city walls form an impressive backdrop for the Grand Harbor of Valetta.




This simple “paper” boat was created by the Maltese and placed in the pretty harbor where the cruise ships dock to honor refugee children and to give us all something to think about.  Not everyone gets on a boat for a pleasure ride.
















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