Malta: The Heart of the Mediterranean

 

A Good Day to You,

Here I am at Malta International Airport. I'd booked a cab, but the company switched drivers at the last minute so my taxi was twenty minutes late. The driver called me, but the wait was still stressful. Fortunately the airport is not far from the city center. There was no line at check in, and security went quickly. I had time to visit duty free, squirt myself with some expensive perfume, and get a birthday present of Maltese chocolate for a non-blog reader.

I preordered my main courses. There was a nice selection of brunches for the Malta to Zurich leg. We'll see how it works out. Boarding is in ten minutes. I had a very early breakfast, showered and washed my hair and got packed up, making sure my gadgets were fully charged. Then I had to wrestle my bags downstairs--never fun. Going down is worse than going up as I am afraid of falling. Anyway I'm hungry and looking forward to my meal.

And you can see it above--some lovely crepes with spinach and ricotta, plus potatoes.  Because I preordered I had a much nicer brunch than the rest of the Biz Class passengers.

Then I had a Very Tight connection to my flight to LAX. But perks of business class--they sent a special shuttle for us to deliver us from the tarmac to a terminal. I had to take the airport subway, and then I lucked out because there was No Line at Passport Control. But, of course, the gate I needed was at the very end of the terminal. I arrived after boarding started, but--hey--business class. I got a personal escort to the head of the line.

I settled into my seat and graciously accepted my welcome drink. For the starter I had a green salad and an artichoke salad. Here's my main course of haddock, in green pea sauce, plus some roasted veg and mashed potatoes.

Once again, my dinner was much nicer than the other offerings. But I was disappointed that instead of getting to chose a breakfast we were fed another lunch. My pasta salad was boring, and I didn't bother to take a photo. 

I got some decent sleep on the journey, but I'm still kinda jet lagged.

I want to return to Malta. I feel I missed out on a lot of opportunities due to lack of physical credit and debit cards. I had no way to get cash, for example. But I also greatly enjoyed my visit to this fascinating place. I met with nothing but a kind welcome, and I got some solid exercise going up and down those stairs.

Old Bakery Street

 

Good Day to You,

I have enough internet juice to begin a post. I cannot promise I'll be able to publish it. I very much like my accommodations in Valletta--except for the unreliable wireless. The room is comfortable and well equipped.  I have the opposite problem that I did at Perugia. There I had no hot water from the tap. Here the water quickly gets extremely hot, and I need to be careful not to scald myself, but the hot showers are lovely. The staff are friendly and obliging and come to check on my every afternoon.  The day before yesterday, I had them change the linens on my bed, etc.

My apartment building is on a quiet street, and true I have to walk uphill for nearly everything, but it's very well located, and one of my purposes in coming to Europe is to walk and get exercise.

Since I can't find out information or book tickets on-line--or even use the map function, I just walk around. I have a map and can find some points of interest.

One of the most historic streets is Old Bakery Street, one of the oldest streets in Valletta. The bakery is gone, but some history remains. I draw your attention to the buildings. See the protruding enclosed balcony affairs? That is a common feature of Valletta residences. My building doesn't have one, so I don't know what they're like. 

                                                    

Old Bakery Street also features one of those magnificent Baroque churches, this one dedicated to St. Augustine. It is clearly a living church and not a tourist attraction as a service was going on when I visited.

I also took a photo of one of the main piazzas and its al fresco dining.

I enjoyed my apero of olives, almonds, and some sheep's milk cheese. I like ALL cheeses, but as I am old, I find it easier to digest goat and sheeps milk cheeses. I guess there's less lactose? The Maltese rose is the perfect accompaniment. It also works with the tuna I had for dinner.

Upper Barrakka Gardens

 

Good Day to You

I'm catching up on my posts, so this was yesterday's activity, not today's. I had to find something that did not require a ticket. Fortunately Valletta, despite the climbing and All Those Stairs, is fun to walk around. I went down toward the harbor to visit the Victoria Gate.

                                            

One site highly touted is the Upper Barrakka Gardens. There's a Lower Barrakka Garden, too, and I passed it on my way to Fort St. Elmo, but it's under repair, so all I saw was the tops of the trees. But yeah--a park! I was excited. And then very let down. There were plenty of tourists, and the views across the city and harbor are terrific, but the place isn't really a park or garden. It's a piazza with a few flowers and shrubs.

I figured out that all those references to "Melita" were to the Island itself in the Maltese (Melitan?) Language. Melita comes from a Greek word for a species of honey bees, since the islands were and still are famous for their honey. Under Arab influence this became Malta. But there's another theory.  The name could stem from the  Phoenician term "Maleth" meaning refuge, and that makes a lot of sense as well.

Let's talk about Apero. Mine is So Very Med. I have some olives, lush and salty and some raw almonds and a splash of Prosecco to wash it down. I have some bitter extra virgin olive oil, and I'm lovint the Maltese bread and cheeses. I've tried cows milk, sheep's milk and goat milk, which tend toward the hard side, so I slice it thin and enjoy.  I follow the Mediterranean Diet at home and eat a lot of fish. Italian tuna is good. I'll have some for dinner today. I like plain best, but if you want flavors, you can find them. I have settled on my favorite Maltese wine--a rose frizzante, meaning slightly fizzy. It goes with everything.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do the rest of my trip. The weather may turn. There's rain in the forecast for later today and for the rest of my visit. Bad weather may or may not happen, but for now I need to get caught up on my bike race.

Bye for now

Valletta's Latest Attraction: Mysterium Fidei

 After two days of NO INTERNET I finally got the thing to work. My posts for the next few days may be feeble. No internet meant no way to buy tickets or find out what was going on. My phone didn't work well either. I had a hard time getting the weather or receiving emails.

                                               

Good Day to You

I've been sleeping a lot, but I'm always tired. Is this old age catching up with me or am I fighting with a bug I picked up on the plane? It's also significantly colder than I anticipated. Before booking my trip, I did check out the weather and packed accordingly, but weather forecasts aren't 100% reliable, so I'm often uncomfortable when I'm out and about. [The weather has turned warmer.When I was out today I took off my sweater.]

Today I decided to see a newly opened museum in Valletta. They call it a monastery, but it was--and still is?-- a convent of nuns dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria. The foundation is over 400 years old, but just recently opened to the public. I booked a ticket on line--no discount for being old this time.

I found the place and went in. It's clearly a very old building and the tour comprises the cloisters, work room, and some living quarters. Once a girl was accepted (and as she was a bride of Christ a dowry the family had to provide a dowry) she vowed never to leave the confines of the convent. No, not even in death. Nums were buried under the floor in one of the chapels. In Modern Times the Government of Malta decreed that this was no longer possible causing the sister such distress they had to rescind the order.

                              

St. Catherine's was never a wealthy convent, but the nuns lived austerely and dedicated their lives to charity. They produced a lot of food, which they sent out to feed the poor.

The building is bare bones stone with no excess or extravagance. The furnishings are sparse and look uncomfortable. I'd guess it was pretty bleak in winter but protected from the summer's heat.

                                                 

The highlight for me was the lovely cloister garden where the nuns grew herbs, fruit, and vegetables for themselves and the poor. But there was a bonus! I spotted a tiny, orange kitten, and I spoke to it. "Ah. It's Auntie Pil. I will allow her to pet me."

Bye for Now

X

Ft. St. Elmo and Malta's History of Sieges

 

Good Day to You.

Who is St. Elmo, you may be asking, and is he the guy with the fire. Yes. The atmospheric phenomenon where lightening seems to play about ships' masts is associated with him, and he is also the patron and protector of sailors, so it makes sense that the fort was named after him.

A cold sharp wind blew down by the harbor. I'd booked my ticket on line and got a discount for being old. My age has saved me at least fifteen euro so far. As far as the fort and museum goes, if you aren't keen on Military History, spend your time elsewhere. The fort itself is not attractive, and there's little of interest there beyond the museum.

The reward for occupying a strategic position in the Mediterranean sea lanes, is that everyone wants a piece of you. Malta was fairly safe during the Neolithic Period, but once the Bronze Age started so did the attempts to take over.

Fort St. Elmo is considered one of Valletta's major tourist sites. It was built in the late Sixteenth Century by the Knights of St. John, and is a star shaped fortress, which means it was built to withstand artillery. The Ottomans were determined to seize the archipelago and toss out those annoying Christians. They gave it their best shot, and the island suffered--but it held--and not for the last time.

This is the chapel of St. Anne used to commemorate the many dead from the attacks.

The National War Museum of Malta advertises itself as covering a staggering 7,000 years of Military History. This is technically true, but the early periods have thin representation, and the emphasis is on World War II.

Germany regarded control of Malta as key to their victory in North Africa because of supply lines. The British and the Maltese were determined to resist.  The island and especially the port of Valletta was ruthlessly targeted. The NAZIs hoped to bomb the population into submission.  This did not work.

In gratitude for the courage and determination of the people, King George VI awarded Malta the George Medal, the UK's highest military honor. The medal and hand written letter from the King is proudly displayed in the museum. But as the United States also realized, it's no fun being a colony. Malta gained self government in 1964 and the British Military gave up their bases some ten years later.

And did you know that President George HW Bush met Mihail Gorbachev on Malta? I didn't, but it was a key meeting to end the Cold War. Too bad it didn't last.

Part of Valletta Habor

Bye for now

More Baroque Splendor

Good Day to You,

I got more sleep last night, but I feel more tired. I'll get the start of a bike race this afternoon. At home they come on early in the morning.

So I assumed that the patron saint of the Island of Malta was St. John the Baptist. I assumed wrong. The real patron saint of the island was a man who actually made it here--although his visit may have been accidental.

The Apostle Paul traveled a lot mostly in Western Asia and Greece converting people to Christianity and founding churches left, right, and center. His activities attracted the attention of the Roman authorities, and he was imprisoned more than once. Finally, as apparently he was a Roman Citizen, he appealed to Caesar, so he was sent by ship to Rome.

On the way the ship he was on was wrecked in a storm, and Paul and his fellow passengers swam for their lives reaching the north coast of the island. Several sites are traditionally associated with Paul including a cave where he took shelter and preached from. One story is that he build a fire to comfort his fellow wreckies when he was bitten by a poisonous viper. But he was not affected by the venom, which impressed the on lookers and gave credence to his message.

The church I visited today, commemorates the shipwreck and Paul's stay on Malta. I mostly had the place to myself as I tend to go out early. The decoration is gorgeous and the nave is well provided with frescoes, marble, gilt, and statuary. The visitor does not have to pay to get in, but it is polite to leave a small offering.

                                                

Then I went back to the grocery store because I had plans to do something Maltese to celebrate the bike race. I'll keep you in suspense for a little while.

I did some wandering around before visiting the church because Valletta is just fun to stroll in, except for the stairs. I accept their existence. I don't like using them. I paid attention to the many touristy shops along the main drags in the historic center. I didn't see anything apart from the usual offerings, which I suspect are mass produced and then customized for each location.

The Maltese love a native soft drink called Kimmie. I witnessed one of my fellow passengers--a native of Malta--lunging towards a store selling the stuff when we landed. It's there version of coke, but it's not cola. I'm tasting it. It's vaguely fruity and sort of herbal. I like it straight, but I'm going to add some Prosecco to make a spritz. That's very nice, too and properly celebratory of the bike race.

Bye for now

Prehistory and a Palazzo

                                              

Good Day to You,

Coming to Malta was one of the best travel ideas I've had in a long time. I am thoroughly enjoying Valletta and am even getting used to All Those Stairs. For one thing the city is compact as it is confined to its fortress-like peninsula and is surrounded on three sides by water. But there is a lot of up and down although you'll have a lot of fun things to look at if you ever come.

I booked my ticket for the National Museum of Archeology on line and got a discount for being old. Now Malta has been inhabited since the Neolithic Period, and a lot of the settlements have been preserved, so we're talking about a LOT of archeology. I'm hoping to visit a site or two. I got to the museum pretty early so mostly had the exhibits to myself. Clear explanations of the artifacts are given in Maltese and English. I got the impression that since independence in 1964, the Maltese have made a conscious effort to reclaim their culture heritage, including emphasizing their language. And indeed they have a lot to be proud of.

For example, the statuette at the head of this post is the Sleeping Lady from the Hypogeum outside of Valletta. The statue became famous for the naturalism of the pose and the details of the carving. As she was found in a tomb, she may be an offering to accompany the deceased.  She has captured the hearts and imagination of the Maltese, who regard her as a cultural emblem of their islands.

Note the spiral motifs. We don't understand their significance but spirals carved into stone can be found from Ireland into Central Asia.

I don't think this museum is for everyone. If pottery shards and carved stone bore you, go have a spritz in one of the many outdoor cafes instead,  I happen to like following society from the Neolithic through the Bronze Age and learning about how the Phoenicians recognized the strategic importance of the islands and ran the place as a major trading post.

Much later on my folks, the Normans stuck their oars in. They'd taken over Sicily, and that island is not far away. Day trips by ferry to Catania are on offer. I'm not taking one, however, but this fact is relevant to my next stop.

La Casa Rocca Piccola is a urban palazzo still owned and occupied by the de Piro Family who obtained it from the Knight of St. John who built it. I booked on line and requested an audio guide rather than the guided tour. This is the sort of place I love to visit.  It's not huge or grande, but more of a palazzo intimo as the rooms were human scale, but packed with hundreds of years worth of the family's collections.

Beautiful furniture is in abundance, so is art of all kinds plus the family's possessions. I shamelessly snooped at their book shelves, delighted to find that we owned some of the same books.  The audio guide was narrated by one of the family and was interesting and informative. One interesting fact that kept coming up was the connection among aristocrats between Malta and Sicily--most families owning land on both islands and a lot of intermarriage between the two islands as well.

I was tired by then, but I still had to make yet another trip to the grocery store. My apero today features some Maltese olives, almonds I brought from home (although I was bemused by the display of California almonds at the store), and some cheese and red wine. This was all most tasty and satifying.  I'll have tuna for dinner, and I got a bottle of Maltese rose, so we'll see how that goes. I follow the Mediterranean Diet at home, so it's a genuine pleasure to follow it while--actually in the Mediterranean.

Bye for now

The Knights of St. John

 

I was a genuine tourist today. I meant after my historical sites visit to walk down by the harbor but the weather has turned and it's rainy and blustery. The harbor will still be there when the sun comes out.

I bought my tickets on line, getting discounts for being old. I chose my targets because they are major sites, but also nearby me and to each other.

The premier and must see place for visitors is the Co Cathedral of St. John, built in the late sixteenth century in the Baroque Style. The St. John in question is the Baptist, the patron of the Knights. The exterior is plain by Baroque standards and designedly so, for all the glory is within. I was stunned! There's a concept in Art History called horror vacui or fear of empty spaces. Whoever decorated the church certainly felt this because every available surface is coated in some kind of decoration. It overwhelms the viewer yet leaves a sense of harmony and elevation. My photos do not convey the splendor of the place. An informative auto guide is included in the admission, and explains the art works and a lot of the symbolism woven into the decorations.

But that's not the only attraction--especially for me. Let's talk about Michelangelo Merisi known as Caravaggio. The poor mutt had some kind of personalty disorder. He was deeply and sincerely religious, but he simply could not stay out of trouble and committed violent acts. He came to Malta fleeing a murder charge in Rome and decided that if he became a brother in the Order of St. John he could control his impulses and live in virtue. And he did for a while. In gratitude he painted a masterpiece: The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist.  Alas, his demons caught up with him, and he was flogged for misbehavior and expelled from the order and Malta. He died soon afterwards still on the run. But boy, could the man paint. His works have a narrative power and heart grabbing drama that is unsurpassed. His models were people from the streets, which gives his work a directness that still appeals after many centuries. His artistic influence spread across Europe.

After finishing with the Cathedral, I proceeded to the Grand Master's Palace. Now Jean de la Vallette lived simply, but as the order grew in power and wealth, subsequent Grand Masters needed a bigger venue to hold meetings and host distinguish visitors. The building was damaged by German bombs in the "Second Siege of Malta" and has. been restored. It was an interesting visit, but frankly a let down after the Cathedral. The Palace had been used by the British as their headquarters during their long colonial rule, so most of the traces of the Grand Masters were swept aside.

I emerged into the cold and wet and visited the grocery store for more supples. I got a Maltese version of Cabernet Sauvignon--fine, but a bit rough tasting. More bread. It's really good. I seldom eat bread at home, but go to town on it in Europe. I had toast with hummus for breakfast, which was nice and kept me going. I got some Italian cold cuts, since Sicily isn't far away and also some Italian tuna as well as some Maltese cheese.

Let's try the cheese. It's cows milk and very firm. I brought some water crackers from home, and they will serve as the cheese delivery system. Nice. Nothing special, but the cheese and crackers go well with the wine.

More tourist action on the morrow. Valetta is a fascinating place, so I hope you can enjoy it as much as I do.

Welcome to Valetta

Good Day to You

Here's glimpse of Valletta and its harbor. We'll we seeing a lot more of both!

I got some decent sleep and also decided to give myself an easy orientation day. I have time here, and don't need to be in a rush. 

This is my apartment. Note the stone walls and beamed ceiling. It's well equipped on a quiet street.

I arrived quite late at night so no groceries. I brought tea and some almonds and I snaffled some Imquaret from my airplane dinner. These are date fritters and helped make a decent breakfast. On the plane I also sampled some Maltese bread and goat cheese. Both very nice!

Valletta is the capital of the independent Republic of Malta, a member of the EU. English is one of the official languages, but the Maltese have their own tongue, and from what I can tell use a lot of English and Italian loan words. The currency is the Euro. Now I assumed since it was the EU and all, Malta would use Continental plugs.  Fortunately, I checked before I came. Malta was a British Colony for many years, so the plugs are the same as the UK, and they drive on the left.

The city was founded in 1566 by Jean de La Vallette, the brilliant, but ruthless Grand Master of the Knights of St. John. Located at a strategic crossroad of the Mediterranean, he conceived of Malta as a fortress against Islamic pirates, and the city's and island's heavy fortification remained and were last tested during World War II when the island and its people held off a determined German invasion. 

But this Early Modern and Modern History is nothing compared to Malta's long past of human habitation. How did people get here, and why did they even think to come looking? But Malta was settled in the Stone Age and boasts the oldest standing temples on Earth. We should visit!

Valletta is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and a noted exemplar of Baroque Architecture, which you will be hearing a Lot About in this blog. The Grand Master had his city laid out in a grid form, so it's impossible to get badly lost, but oh my--there are a lot of stairs, too.

This is the Triton Fountain near the castle. But I was there to find the Tourist Office.

I just spent time wandering around. I did make my way to the tourist office and got a map. I strolled a couple of the main drags and licked some windows. I tried to get some cash with my digital debit card. Nope. But I did find a fabulous grocery store not far from my apartment where the card worked!  

I don't think the Maltese go for Apero, but there are plenty of Italian visitors as Sicily not far away, so Apero is a thing here, and it is definitely a thing with me. Let's have a sip of Maltese white wine.  It's slightly effervescent and a bit sour, but refreshing. I got some Maltese bread--very chewy but good and some tuna spread. Since I can't get the induction stove top to work, this will do for dinner as well.

Tomorrow I promise some actual tourist action. Until then, bye.

Am I Still Welcome?

 The short answer seems to be yes, despite the recent actions of the United States, U.S. Citizens are in fact still welcome in Europe. But keep in mind that so far I have dealt only with folks in the tourist biz, except for my kind and friendly seatmate on the flight here from Zurich, we'll have to see when I'm out and about tomorrow.

I did something Really Dumb, but (spoiler alert) I think it's going to be all right thanks to the magic of technology. I knew I had to pack my credit and debit cards, but I got distracted and--well--didn't. Uh oh. Fortunately I have my bank's mobile app on the phone and was able to load my credit card into the phone's wallet, and used this to pay for my taxi into town. I also obtained a digital debit card, but I haven't figured out how to use it yet. Europeans do EVERYTHING on their phones. Me? Not so much.

I flew business class from LAX to Zurich with Swiss Air. The last time I flew Swiss I was in coach and was bitterly disappointed that the cheese that came with the meal was American cheddar. Seriously?

This time was different. I was in an older plane and the seat was smaller than I was used to--perfectly comfortable though. I was in the window and the aisle seat was occupied by a kindly man who urged me to wake him up if I needed to get out. Fortunately he moved seats, so I was not trapped.

The service and the food were first rate! It didn't hurt that the flight attendant was a very handsome young man. Here is a shot of the amenity kit and the sleeping shirt (which I took but didn't use) he passed out.

Some nuts and champagne to welcome me aboard.

Behold the starter. I had smoked duck with more champagne. I had preordered a meal. I've done it before, and it never seems to work out for me, but the nice flight attendant brought me some lovely fish instead. Yum.

And here are the remains of the Swiss breakfast I scarfed up.

We arrived in Zurich, and I thought the new entry system would be a giant pain because the media keeps warning us. Nope. They took my finger prints and my photo and examined my passport. It was like normal.

I spent most of my layover trying to figure out how to use money with my mobile bank app. It's good to learn new things, I guess. The flight to Malta was crowded and noisy, but I did have a pleasant seatmate and a good dinner with more duck! No wine. I was already jet lagged.

Stay turned for more adventure and tech solutions.