Valletta
Wednesday 10th March.
After breakfast (cappuccino was extra!) we set off on foot to explore the parts of Valletta we hadn’t managed to visit last night. Valletta is a huge sprawling city so to see it all would take weeks but in the heart there is enough to keep one going.
We went to St John the Baptist's Cathedral first. This was ‘decorated’ by the Knights of St John. They were established to ‘protect’ pilgrims on their way to the holy land but centre'd themselves in Malta. The knights from each country took the responsibility for decorating individual chapels, the most senior countries placed nearest the ‘high altar’ and stretching right to the back. Their aim was to fill the whole cathedral with exquisite art, and they have made a pretty good job of it. The floor is covered with inlaid marble tombs of the many knights who were killed. It was quite different from many of the very baroque churches we have visited recently, and it is worth coming to Malta just to see it. The barrel vaulted ceiling has exquisite paintings of the story for John the Baptist, painted by Mattia Pretti, and you could easily spend half a day sitting and taking it all in.
The oratory beside it has a most interesting exhibition of works of art including ‘the beheading of John the Baptist’ by Caravaggio which is beautiful if rather unsettling to look at. There is also a wonderful collection of Flemish tapestries designed by Rubens and Poussin. By the end of it we had decided we don’t want to look at any more churches as not many could come close to this one.
Typical Valletta street
Knights tomb (left) and below the relic which once held the right forearm of John the Baptist. It was removed when Napoleon came to Malta and is now in Sarajevo
Expensive art donated by the knights
High altar St John's.
It was quite sunny but windy so we found a sheltered spot in the main square to relax before embarking on the War Museum. It is most odd sitting surrounded by shops you see everywhere in the U.K. I paid a quick visit to M and S to replace some of my clothes but the mark-up here is enormous, so I shall carry on in that same old jersey I bought before leaving home last year.
The War Museum was also fascinating and we spent the afternoon learning all about the important role Malta played in both World Wars. Again, almost too much to take in all at once. They are a very brave nation.
We had decided to move on so pedaled around the edge of the harbour towards Sliema and St Julian’s bay. I was actually terrified several times on the ride as they don’t give you any room and we were almost ridden off the road several times. A learner driver’s instructor had to pull on the emergency brakes as his pupil had clearly never been confronted with a cyclist before and obviously saw no reason to alter course. Luckily after the first couple of miles we were able to ride on the promenade dodging through the pedestrians but that was infinitely preferable to the road.
The bay or several going west from Valleta main port to St Julian's bay.
Where we had our 6 months to the day lunch. The picture of us was so awful this will have to do!
Friday 12th March
Zebbug – Rabat, Mdina – Zebbug.
After breakfast we set off on the bikes to find the highest point on the island which is (we think) Rabat. But first we had to visit Mdina the former capital of Malta and known as the silent city. Mdina is an ancient walled city with a grand entrance and cathedral; the latter we didn’t visit as it couldn’t come close St John’s in Valletta. Instead we contented ourselves with walking through the narrow streets and looking at the view from the battlements. There are no cars in Mdina which makes walking around it very pleasant. What we were really looking for was somewhere for lunch in the sun. All the restaurants seemed to be in basements from where we would have emerge blinking like moles and wishing we’d had a bit more sun. So we went across to Rabat (home to the mysterious Catacombs) and found a bar on the square. Now this shows just how charming the Maltese are, the bar didn’t have the particular Maltese pastizzi (cheese or chickpea wrapped in filo pastry) which we wanted to try, so the bar owner gave us a drink and went to the shop which sells them and brought them to us. So kind and unexpected!
View toward Valletta from Rabat
Gates to Rabat
The Catacombs - acres of them
Wednesday 10th March.
After breakfast (cappuccino was extra!) we set off on foot to explore the parts of Valletta we hadn’t managed to visit last night. Valletta is a huge sprawling city so to see it all would take weeks but in the heart there is enough to keep one going.
We went to St John the Baptist's Cathedral first. This was ‘decorated’ by the Knights of St John. They were established to ‘protect’ pilgrims on their way to the holy land but centre'd themselves in Malta. The knights from each country took the responsibility for decorating individual chapels, the most senior countries placed nearest the ‘high altar’ and stretching right to the back. Their aim was to fill the whole cathedral with exquisite art, and they have made a pretty good job of it. The floor is covered with inlaid marble tombs of the many knights who were killed. It was quite different from many of the very baroque churches we have visited recently, and it is worth coming to Malta just to see it. The barrel vaulted ceiling has exquisite paintings of the story for John the Baptist, painted by Mattia Pretti, and you could easily spend half a day sitting and taking it all in.
The oratory beside it has a most interesting exhibition of works of art including ‘the beheading of John the Baptist’ by Caravaggio which is beautiful if rather unsettling to look at. There is also a wonderful collection of Flemish tapestries designed by Rubens and Poussin. By the end of it we had decided we don’t want to look at any more churches as not many could come close to this one.
Typical Valletta street
Knights tomb (left) and below the relic which once held the right forearm of John the Baptist. It was removed when Napoleon came to Malta and is now in Sarajevo
Expensive art donated by the knights
High altar St John's.It was quite sunny but windy so we found a sheltered spot in the main square to relax before embarking on the War Museum. It is most odd sitting surrounded by shops you see everywhere in the U.K. I paid a quick visit to M and S to replace some of my clothes but the mark-up here is enormous, so I shall carry on in that same old jersey I bought before leaving home last year.
The War Museum was also fascinating and we spent the afternoon learning all about the important role Malta played in both World Wars. Again, almost too much to take in all at once. They are a very brave nation.
We had decided to move on so pedaled around the edge of the harbour towards Sliema and St Julian’s bay. I was actually terrified several times on the ride as they don’t give you any room and we were almost ridden off the road several times. A learner driver’s instructor had to pull on the emergency brakes as his pupil had clearly never been confronted with a cyclist before and obviously saw no reason to alter course. Luckily after the first couple of miles we were able to ride on the promenade dodging through the pedestrians but that was infinitely preferable to the road.
The bay or several going west from Valleta main port to St Julian's bay.
We had upgraded to a slightly smarter hotel in the hope of a comfy mattress but in reality it was little different. It was just like staying in a seafront hotel in Bournemouth, full of British middle aged people who come here for several weeks at a time to escape the winter. It wasn’t cabaret night but there was a pianist playing rather well in the bar. In fact it is only the second time in 6 months we have heard any live music. I am still on a mission to find some opera, and hope it will be easier once the summer season starts.
Thursday 11th March (it’s 6 months today)
Valletta to Zebbug
We have been offered a bed for the night in the middle of the island which is only 9 miles from north to south and about 16 from east to west, but map reading is extremely complicated! On the map there are red roads, yellow and white but on the ground there seems to be a lot more plus the reds and the whites seem to carry the same amount of traffic – it’s all very confusing! We set off from Valletta toward Naxxar and then Mosta which is quite a climb but from the top the views at spectacular. There are towns in all directions perched on top of the hills. We stopped for a picnic lunch in Naaxar in front of an enormous spread of flowering Stocks which smelt lovely, and a Working Mens Club – men and club about summed it up. There were birds singing everywhere and it took us a while to realise they are all in tiny cages hanging on the walls outside of the houses. A bit like Spain. They appear to favour Greenfinches here who sing beautifully but we’d rather they were flying about, mind you if they were they’d be shot so it’s a rock and a hard place really.
Valletta to Zebbug
We have been offered a bed for the night in the middle of the island which is only 9 miles from north to south and about 16 from east to west, but map reading is extremely complicated! On the map there are red roads, yellow and white but on the ground there seems to be a lot more plus the reds and the whites seem to carry the same amount of traffic – it’s all very confusing! We set off from Valletta toward Naxxar and then Mosta which is quite a climb but from the top the views at spectacular. There are towns in all directions perched on top of the hills. We stopped for a picnic lunch in Naaxar in front of an enormous spread of flowering Stocks which smelt lovely, and a Working Mens Club – men and club about summed it up. There were birds singing everywhere and it took us a while to realise they are all in tiny cages hanging on the walls outside of the houses. A bit like Spain. They appear to favour Greenfinches here who sing beautifully but we’d rather they were flying about, mind you if they were they’d be shot so it’s a rock and a hard place really.
Where we had our 6 months to the day lunch. The picture of us was so awful this will have to do!
After Mosta it was pretty flat and rural, there were Sardinian Warblers to look at and we saw a Swallowtail Butterfly which is a first on this trip so we were very chuffed with that.
Eventually we found our way to Zebbug and to Tess’s house where suddenly everything became terribly comfortable and it was like being back at home!
To our amazement we arrived on the day that Jesus was being walked through the streets of Zebbug. (These sort of events usually happen 24 hours after or 2 days before we are there) Tess' husband has been asked if he would like to be one of the carriers, but as he's 6' 4'' and the others aren't much over 5' 8'' it's as well he never has!
Eventually we found our way to Zebbug and to Tess’s house where suddenly everything became terribly comfortable and it was like being back at home!
To our amazement we arrived on the day that Jesus was being walked through the streets of Zebbug. (These sort of events usually happen 24 hours after or 2 days before we are there) Tess' husband has been asked if he would like to be one of the carriers, but as he's 6' 4'' and the others aren't much over 5' 8'' it's as well he never has!
Friday 12th March
Zebbug – Rabat, Mdina – Zebbug.
After breakfast we set off on the bikes to find the highest point on the island which is (we think) Rabat. But first we had to visit Mdina the former capital of Malta and known as the silent city. Mdina is an ancient walled city with a grand entrance and cathedral; the latter we didn’t visit as it couldn’t come close St John’s in Valletta. Instead we contented ourselves with walking through the narrow streets and looking at the view from the battlements. There are no cars in Mdina which makes walking around it very pleasant. What we were really looking for was somewhere for lunch in the sun. All the restaurants seemed to be in basements from where we would have emerge blinking like moles and wishing we’d had a bit more sun. So we went across to Rabat (home to the mysterious Catacombs) and found a bar on the square. Now this shows just how charming the Maltese are, the bar didn’t have the particular Maltese pastizzi (cheese or chickpea wrapped in filo pastry) which we wanted to try, so the bar owner gave us a drink and went to the shop which sells them and brought them to us. So kind and unexpected!
View toward Valletta from Rabat
Gates to Rabat
Across the square was the church of St Paul – he who was shipwrecked here in 60AD. Beneath the church is a grotto with a statue of said saint which has been there for a very long time. He used to preach there and it had a very ancient feel to it. Various Popes have visited and kissed the statues hand and the current one is due here to do the same thing in early April this year. You can imagine the excitement at that!
St Paul's Church with the Catacomb he preached in and where the pope will visit next month.
St Paul's Church with the Catacomb he preached in and where the pope will visit next month.
Further up the road are ‘the Catacombs’ - which are astonishing. When entering you can have no idea how far underground they extend and with not many people there it is quite scary because tunnels disappear in all directions and very soon you have absolutely no idea where you are or which way will get you back. Vivi and I leapfrogged each other so that one of us always could remember which direction we had come from.
The Catacombs - acres of them
Since Tess had offered to have us for a second night it seemed rude to refuse so we didn’t and cycled back to what we now call home and for another exceedingly comfortable evening!
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