Mediterranean Cruise - Day 11 - Wednesday, May 9, 2018

We left the port of Valletta, Malta in the Maltese Islands at 5:15 AM this morning and docked at the neighboring Island of Gozo, also in the Maltese Islands at 8:00 AM.  Locals just use the ferry, which takes some 25 minutes.

This much smaller island of some 30,000 inhabitants boasts the same architecture with the same honey colored limestone construction and winding narrow streets within the city but much more rural. We meet our same guide, Paula this morning and coach through some lovely villages, though appearing devoid of much humanity.  The port area of Mgarro was busy, as it was morning rush hour, but outside of the city, relatively quiet and less traffic.

We traveled first to the city of Xaghra and visited the Gantija (Gigantic) Temples. This UNESCO site dates from 3,600 BC. It is reminiscent of other prehistoric sites, such as Stonehenge where huge stone structures are erected around seemingly sacred sites.  These also are oriented to line up with solar equinox and are accurate for setting times.  These temples are more complete with alters and separate rooms. They are striking and the adjoining museum displays found artifacts which reveal that the temples were honouring fertility figures and the probably deities were women. 

We moved onward then to stop at the eastern seaside salt pans; areas next to the sea that were carved into shallow pans that would fill with sea water, and then, as the season passed, would evaporate the water and leave behind sea salt to be scraped up and sacked for use in trade.  This tradition persists to this day.

We next travel to the capital city of Victoria (Rabat) and tour the Citadel at the high point of the city.  The Citadel was constructed by the Knights of the order of St. John and is the only walled city on Gozo.  This city is no longer occupied, but is now a hunch area to explore the history of this area from the last 1,000 years.  Beautifully restored in most areas, but also left in ruins from the 1693 earthquake.  Wonderful views from the top of the entire island and stretching to the island of Malta.

We stopped for a quick rest break in the village of Xlendi, a seaside resort tucked into a small bay.  Lovely small restaurants lining the shore with apartments and homes rising up the cliffs. Very relaxing.

We jumped back on the tends boats in port and motored out to our waiting ship at 2:30 in preparation for sailing onward.  Gozo was a wonderful stop and many thought they might return for a more leisurely and restful stay in the future.

This evening seven of our party dined in the more secluded and quiet Pinnacle Restaurant for a late dinner.  This separate dining area on the ship boasts a smaller and more attentive staff and a separate menu.  Good food, good service but a late night.  Into our rooms around 10:15.

Mediterranean Cruise - Day 10 - Tuesday, May 8, 2018

We arrive in the port of Valletta, The Republic of Malta this morning at 8:00 A.M. Following our breakfast, we disembark and meet our guide for the day, Paula, at the port and board the coach with our driver Mario.  We bus first to the area of Rabat, a city surrounding the former historical capital of Mdina. We learn that Rabat is an Arab word meaning suburb, and Mdina is an Arab word meaning city.  Needless to say, this island republic strategically located in the middle of the Mediterranean has been conquered by many empires over the centuries.

The only natural resource of Malta is its rock.  When first excavated, the limestone is soft, but hardens upon exposure to the atmosphere.  All the buildings are constructed of this yellowish tan limestone, continuously quarried over the centuries.  As there is no water on the island, until the 1960’s, all water was rainwater collected in rooftop cisterns throughout the city and used sparingly.  Since the late 60’s a massive desalination plant construction has provided more than ample water for the island’s use.

Earliest evidence is of settlement around 3,000 B.C., with control by the Phoenicians, the Arabs, the Romans, the Venetians and the Spanish over the millenia.  In 60 A.D. the Apostle Paul was shipwrecked upon the island and lived in an underground grotto for three months.  Paul managed to convert the entire population to Christianity in this short time period and the Republic remains 95% Roman Catholic Christian to this day. Paul is the patron Saint and touchstone of Malta. Pilgrims and popes journey to visit the grotto, and a church has been erected over the site...

During World War II, Malta was the Mediterranean headquarters for the Allied Navy, and subsequently was heavily bombed throughout the war.  The population dug grottos and shelters throughout the island and used these for days and months at a time to shelter from the bombardment.  We toured these shelters and also the prehistoric grottos used for burial and interment of the dead.

We left Mdina and next coached to Valletta, the capital and the town established by the Order of the Knights of St. John, following their arrival in the mid 1500s.  The Order  controlled and continues to influence the island.  Their massive and ornately furnished Co-Cathedral is mind boggling in its use of gold, silver and art.  The artist Caravaggio spent a number of years here, painting for the Knights.  Three of his most famous works, including the only signed painting, reside in the cathedral. Caravaggio died on Malta at the age of 39 under mysterious circumstances in 1610, his body never being found.

The broad central Main Street of Valletta stretches for close to a mile; beautiful buildings lining the avenue, both old and new.  Some foundations are dated to 1570 and exist side by side with the new parliament building designed by world renowned avant-garde architect Renzo Piano.

Our 5-hour tour wrapped up, we proceed to the dock near our ship and have a lunch of pizza, pasta and beer.  We struggle back on board around 4:00 in time for happy hour and then a late dinner on the Lido deck.  The ship does not depart Valletta until 4:00 AM the next morning, but this group of party go-ers are all back in their cabins by 11:30, leaving the in port partying to the younger generation. However, off the port side of the ship, on shore near the center of town, fireworks erupted; a marvellous display that lasted for many minutes - a fitting salute to our impending departure.