Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Valletta day 12

The Feast of St Paul takes over entirely today - it is a public holiday, most shops are shut, the bells ring, and Bands play. We wandered around and watch the young men from the Pauli Society (looks like an excuse for a good drink the rest of the year) move various banners around and their big fan shaped device which blocks off a whole road. Some time tonight St Paul on his horse - we have no idea where the horse comes in to it - he looks more like St George than anything else - will be winched back down from his pedestal and carried by a dozen fit men on their shoulders around the streets, and back to the Church. The Bands are a cross between the Salvation Army and a dance band. They blow for a bit walk a bit, drink a bit and mill around, then it is all repeated again!

The photos include the Mid day gun, and the boy with the huge piece of chocolate cake, he was sweet. We also have video of the canon being fired and some of the other which were also fired in a salute to the Patron Saint. The Phonebox and Red letter box make you think of home, they are all over the town.

***************** The last photos are of he fireworks for the end of the Feast Day and night time views over Valletta from our hotel roof ************

We've just been sent some Crick marina photos - thanks graham - looks like the boats were nearly covered right up.
From Drop Box

Monday, February 09, 2009

Valletta day 11

Big day out to an underground temple!
We booked a few days ago to visit the Temple at Hal-Saflieni known as the Hypogeum. This is a World Heritage site and much protected, so much so that only groups of 10 are allowed in at once, and only 60-80 a day.
First of all we had the bus adventure first, carefully looking up and finding a no. 11 which was listed as going there. Waited at the bus terminus for ages, no no. 11, seems to have vanished and been replaced by a 115. Anyway the driver said he knew where to drop us off, wrong temple, never mind ask a lot of people and a quick walk got us to the door with seconds to spare - you are not allowed in late!
We saw the obligatory film, and then eased our way through an audio tour down three levels underground. Slightly strange, everything that might have been there had been cleaned out, so now only the underground caverns are left, which are very impressive, but needed a few artifacts - and bones to bring them to life.
Cameras were confiscated before the start, so no photos, but it was well work a visit.
We went out to see the fireworks over the grand harbour tonight, but no sign of them. Large firecrackers around 6.30 and again just now (10 local) but all we found was yet another brass band outside the church of St Paul.
And tomorrow is the actual feast day when it goes on all day.
I hear more fireworks now! But I'm not going out to see.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Valletta day 10

Sunday and the very first rain shower - we were still in bed at the time so no problem.
We visited the local (really, just a few hundred yards from the hotel) Scottish/Methodist Church for their 10.30 service, and were amused in the announcements to hear an appeal for help with moving furniture and cleaning the manse. Just what our church had been up to before we left home. They are due a new minister on Feb 20th, so are fairly excited, being the only church of their type on the island can make them feel isolated, especially with the staunch catholic nature of the community.
Over lunch in an open air restaurant we were regaled with a detailed report of the football from last night - apparently Valletta were nearly robbed of the match, but came through in the penalties 4-1.
The statues lining the streets are still wrapped up, apart from the one I photoed which is resting on two huge sawing horse type devices in the street. We assume it is heading somewhere, but has not yet arrived!

Tomorrow we are going to the Hypogeum in Ħal-Saflieni,is a subterranean structure excavated c. 2500 B.C., probably our last major outing.

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Valletta day 9

Saturday and still snowing at home we hear. Slow morning buying the local Malta Times and reading it whilst sat in the sun. Then the wind got up and we retreated to look around the Grand Masters Palace. Once the official and private residence of the Grand Order of St John. The palace is now the president's office and seat of the Maltese Parliament, but the State RFooms are open to the public. You go up the 'back stairs' and past the Opposition Whips Office to get in!
The Armoury is also on the tour and has a vast collection of Knights armour and weapons.

In the evening we went and saw some of the Band procession for the start of the Feast of St Paul. It looked to be going on all night. Crowd control (or lack of crowd) was complication as far as the police were concerned by a local football match between deadly rivals - every so often a crown surged out of a bar cheering and then quickly returned to watch again.
I can see why now I've just found the score.
Valletta 2 Floriana 2 - Valletta through on penalties

League leaders Hibs were eliminated from the FA Trophy this evening and Valletta just managed to scrape through on penalities.

Friday, February 06, 2009

Valletta day 8 update

Having a frustrating time with the software that I use to add the GPS position data to the photos. The original software which worked last year now pretends to work, edits the files and leaves them of zero length!
One replacement works but is crude to say the least, and the last one I've found tonight is really good, and can even add position information, but this depends on a web server apparently being used by a very large number of Apple iPhone users, and so its very busy. Anyway I hope that by tonight all the photos will have correct position info and show in the right place on a Google Map. Fingers crossed.
Watching Sky News and seeing the snow at the moment, which I was at home to play in it -.

Valletta day 8

Interesting day - another exciting bus ride. This time to Siggiewi, apparently British troops used to call it 'Siggy Wiggy'. The home of a large, now disused quarry. It houses a museum and exposition of the history of Sandstone mining. Strange rushed affair with the all too common headphones and MP3 player, taking you from place to place full tilt. The best idea was to turn the player off between each talk so one could take it in, in peace! Very quiet town/village, the centre of which consisted of the obligatory Catholic church and socialist club, with a seat so you could wait for the bus. The locals were very friendly, and have all been watching Sky news and seeing the snow in England. They have never seen snow here, or at least not for at least 50 years, although they do have very heavy hail occasionally.

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Valletta day 7

A glorious sunny day - forecast was cloud/rain! But we had a clear blue sky and sun all day. It was a 'day off' day today, we just wandered the town and ended up back in our favourite spot overlooking the Grand Harbour from Upper Barrakka Gardens. Just a few pictures, the front of the hotel and the little cafe in the gardens.

The excitement is building up here for the St Paul's Feast celebrations this weekend, plinths all over the place and lights in preparation for the parades that take place - we are looking forward to the fireworks over the Grand Harbour on Monday and various parades of Bands.

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Valletta day 6

Well here we are half way through the holiday and yet to take a bus! So today we went to the bus terminus - a large roundabout surrounded by bus stands and found a bus to Mdina. The buses all seem to be single deckers cast off from early britsh fleets of around the 50s. The bus we took went down the main road towards Mdina, and then diverted around Rabat and the surrounded villages before returning to Mdina. Traversing some alarming bumpy and narrow side roads on the way. I'll try to put a link here to a Google earth path to show what I mean (it will have to wait till I return to the UK, this laptop hasn't got the required software).
And so we explored 'The Historic Citadel of Mdina'. Another Cathedral - 'co' to Valletta, this one the Cathedral of St Paul. Had a snack lunch sat up on the bastions overlooking the surrounding countryside - which showed why Mdina was built were it was. The highest point around.

The final photos are back in Valletta, we were drinking coffee trying to make out what the thing on the wall was when this cute little girl started to look all around with the reveresed binoculars.

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Valletta day 5

A more peaceful day.
Across to the other side of Valletta - in fact just a few yards right from the Hotel to Hastings Gardens. Quiet overlooking Sliema and its bays, high rise flats and harbours.
We then walked all the way around the tip of Valletta and back to Upper Barracka Gardens in time for the 12 o'clock gun. After a peaceful sit in the sun we moved in to the centre of town for pizza and refreshments, and to watch the locals about their business.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Valletta day 4

So this was the Historic Sites Visit day - we a vengeance!
We signed up for trips to 'The saluting Battery' at Valletta, which is just below the gardens we had already found. Interesting, and we were there to witness at first hand the firing of the noon day gun.
Then on the minibus to the malta at War museum, here we watched a film of Malta GC (george vross) for the ingnorant amongst you and then were conducted around the tunnels all dug out by hand in the very early days of the war as shelters, mainly by women as the men were away at war.
Finally on to Fort Rinella with the only surviving 100 ton gun. This was one of a very few made in the late 1800 and as for all of them was never actually fired in anger!
All the sites are supported by volunteers, and staffed by young men pretending to be soldiers - they did a good job.

A very interesting day, but we are now brain damaged - too much information.
Swordfish promised for our evening meal.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Valletta day 3

Today was a bit less hectic, visited the Sunday market. Interesting, some local produce and also a couple of 'car boot' type stalls which looked as if they were leftovers from WW11. Included containers of broken Chandeliers and Army style telephones. We retuned to the gardens for Coffee and a sit in the sun, we had to retreat after a while as a gale come up and threatened to blow us all away.

We found a nice square further in the town and ate a light lunch whilst being entertained by the local menfolk preparing a pedestal for the 'Statue of St Paul', this next week being his ship wreck celebrations.

Valletta day 2

Started the day with a fire alarm! Got dressed grabbed valuables rushed to fire exit (front door) only to be met with the night portrt saying 'no problem' something in the bar had overheated, it was all smoke and no flames, so we could go back to bed. Good job too as not many people had taken notice in the first place!
After that we walked down a very hilly road where the pavement was a series of stone steps, very tiring and someone complained it hurt her ankles.
We went to 'The Malta Experience' and watched a film about the history of Malta, basically a tiny rock in the middle of the trade routes which over the course of 3000 years everyone wanted, and got, apart from the Germans who failed.
Walked around a bit and found the Upper Barracca Gardens" ? A great place to sit and watch across the harbour. Plenty of sun and coffee and drinks on hand - what more could we ask?
Spent the evening in the Hotel Bar....