So with tomorrow's port coming up quickly, we will give you all some info on Malta. Located south of Italy, Malta and its capital, Valletta, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. It has a rich past, but suffered much destruction during the WWII air raids. A huge effort was made to restore the city, and now it is a much desired destination for many.
The population of Malta is 405,165 people that speak Maltese and English. Actual Malta is a trio of sun-bleached islands with an area of 122 square miles. It has a strange blend of 9th century Arabia, 1950's colonial Britain, and Sicilian-style food. Most visitors know this small nation, independent since 1964, for summertime beaches and sizzling nightlife. But beneath the blue sky and gold sand gloss, you can find ancient temples, patron saints, cathedrals, palaces, gardens, and baroque architecture. In a word….impressive.
In past centuries, these islands were plagued with pirates, but were fought off by 16th century crusading knights. Eventually, 19th century Brits created naval bases as a back-up. It is hard to imagine that the ancient stone monuments were built before the ancient Egyptians even thought of the pyramids. We would guess that the modern party-seekers care less as they dance until dawn in the party towns of St. Julian's, Sliema, and Paceville.
The best time to visit is February to June. After that, it is hot, hot, hot and crowded.
The things to see are the most impressive sail-in to the port of Valletta, with the rising sun giving a golden glow on the fortified ancient walls of the city. The must-see citadel of Mdina, a short drive across the harbor is a good way to spend an afternoon. If you happen to be in the right place at the right time, you will hear the thunderous blast of the afternoon cannon going off.
You can visit the mysterious subterranean necropolis of Hypogeum. Or go to Marsaxlokk, a picture-postcard fishing village with fresh seafood to die for.
Things to do are take in the Roman Maltese and British history at the Maritime Museum, or attend a performance at Valletta's Manoel Theater, one of Europe's oldest dating back to 1731. It has been suggested to enjoy a cocktail in the courtyard bar before the show.
Swim, slash, and frolic in the turquoise waters of the Blue Lagoon. But probably not this time of year. We heard the Captain mention that the water temperatures are in the low 70's. Brrrrrr…….
A better idea is to party like a Maltese during a "festa", which is an infectious mix of music, food, and fireworks. For sure, a summer activity. On our first and last visit here in 2008, we seem to recall that there was a huge amount of young people with the "gothic" look….long, black leather coats, tattoos and multiple body piercings. They did look party-hardy.
What do they eat here? A treat called pastizza, a ricotta-stuffed puff pastry. Another specialty is aljotta, garlic-spiked fish and tomato broth with rice. Fenek is rabbit with spaghetti or baked in a pie.
What do you drink in Malta? Judging that it is a party island, anything goes, but the locals like a rum and Kinnie, a bitter orange, herb-flavored soft drink with rum. Or there is always beer such as Cisk Lager or Hopleaf Ale.
The trademarks are crusading knights (you might catch some of these robed and armor-clad "knights" walking the streets to take photos with you for a pittance. Falcons, Maltese crosses, beaches, and lots of British tourists fall in this category.
A random fact is that dozens of movies have been filmed in Malta, including the Gladiator and Troy, with Brad Pitt. Also, Malta is the only country in Europe where divorce is illegal.
There are nine tour offered from the ship. They range in time from 3 to 4 ½ hours, and cost $60 to $135. They include trips to temples, museums, churches, and different nearby cities. Being that tomorrow happens to be Palm Sunday, many of the sights may not be opened. That applies to the shops as well.
One tour includes a 45 minute video of the history of Malta with snacks. Another takes in the old and new capitals, with a stop at the gardens and the cathedral (which may be closed). We discovered last time we were here, that we could have walked directly to most all of these sites right from the ship.
Trips out of town include a drive to Marsaxlokk fishing village with a handicraft market, a winery, and a glass-blowing factory. If you buy one bottle of wine per person, the corkage fee will be waived.
There is a boat ride in a Maltese dghajsa vessel at Vittoriosa across from Valletta.
A tour we took last time went to Mdina, the old capital was neat. The Knights of St. John (1530) were in control of Malta for 238 years, turning the country into a great power in the Mediterranean. As the oldest city on the island, it gives you the feeling of living in medieval times…dangerous and frightening.
A shore excursion talk was given from Malta to Ft. Lauderdale. Gosh, that covers the rest of this trip. The ports left to visit include Palma de Mallorca, Barcelona, Cadiz, Casablanca (we hope), and Funchal. Guess there are still openings for tours in those cities. Later at 2pm, there was a talk on what to see and do in Malta. Sure hope the weather is good, and not raining.
A new and final guest chef is onboard, and someone we know well. His name is George Geary, and has sailed on almost every world cruise for several years now. He turned up the heat in the Culinary Arts center this morning with his first of many demos.
The games for Grand Dollars continued with the new cruise director, Erin Duffey. Although we do not remember her, she was an assistant to Gene Young a few years ago.
Today was the first time in a long while that we went to the dining room for lunch. Barb joined us for a very pleasant lunch, which allowed us to linger until 2pm. And the best part was having strawberry shortcake for dessert. Our waiter, Agung, knowing how much we all love it, added more strawberries to each plate. He is a good guy.
A new movie was shown in the Wajang…..Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Will look for it on TV tomorrow night.
Although we looked several times today, we seemed to miss the occasional dolphins that crossed our path. Walking was easy, because it was cold outside. There were fewer than 10 people exercising, and even fewer than that laying on the lounges. Those that were, covered up with several woolen blankets, even wearing hats and gloves. One good thing, the rough seas and high winds never materialized. The Captain said during his PM talk that the storm tracking towards us from Africa had stalled. Sure hope it stays that way for a few days.
The theme for the evening meal was dubbed Medieval Dinner, with the room transformed with cardboard banners, rather tacky and cheap, but better than nothing, as on most gala nights. The gloss and the glitter of the past decorations all long gone we are afraid. We were invited to step back in time of epic battles, jousting tournaments, royal feasts, knights and maidens to relive the era of chivalry and revelry. Wonder who writes this stuff? The only ones dressed for the occasion were the waiters and their assistants. Also the head waiters wore robes of gold. The best dressed were the door greeters or the yum-yum fellows, who dressed like Beefeater guards. The down-side was that the poor guys were extremely hot under all that heavy clothing and hats. By 9pm, they had taken off the headgear, and also started removing ceiling decorations. Taking down the cardboard banners could wait until we were gone at the very least. Barb made sure to tell the head honchos not to do that. To make her point, she offered to take off her chair covering when she left. Think someone got the message?
Our guest host was actually Carol, our watercolor teacher, who we and Barb had requested when we talked to Philip at lunchtime. He promised he would make it happen, so we got lucky, and she was there. And as our acting host, she brought the wine to the table. Wine or not, we love having her as our guest.
On stage tonight was the team of singers and dancers of the Amsterdam. The performance was called Bellissima, a classical show in concert-style setting, promising a sophisticated and refined experience. Once again, who writes this stuff? A good show….yes, always entertaining.
But the evening was not over yet, as we had gifts waiting for us in our room. Almost forgot about getting those every now and then. The last one was back at the end of March with the portable cell phone chargers. These were boxes the size of a set of checkbooks, but contained custom-made Lego models of the MS Amsterdam. No kidding. Puzzles, so to speak. Something that has to be constructed with careful reading of the instructions. Our kids grew up with Legos, but this must be an adult hobby as well. We will have to ask Aart, our Dutch buddy, who is an expert on everything Lego, as this is up his alley. A unique gift for sure, it did get a chuckle from both of us.
Hope we wake up early enough to see sunny skies and the medieval city and harbor of Valletta, Malta.
Bill & Mary Ann
