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Malta
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On the island of
Gozo is this wonderful spectacle where the land meets the
sea.
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On the Road to Mdina
Quite a nifty little
jeep that took us all round Malta, both on and off road. The
city of Mdina can be seen in the background.
At this point I should
thank Andrew who was tireless in his efforts of transporting
me round the islands. I could have wished for no better guide
- his knowledge of this country is second to none. |
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The Silent City
Mdina is known as 'The
Silent City'. It is easy to believe that this is due to the
often deserted, and narrow streets.
Is that the only reason?
Read The Mdina Touch and find out for yourself... |
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The Opera House
The ruins of the old
Opera House can be seen on the right of the photograph. Destroyed
by bombs in the Second World War, the shell of this once magnificent
building is now used as a carpark. |
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Grand
Harbour - Valletta. |
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St
Pauls bay and Bugibba are the main holiday accomodation areas
for tourists. Almost a purpose built complex with sometimes
startling contrasts. Some of the back streets and the rear of
hotels offer a sight that differs greatly from the beautiful
coastline. |
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Mdina.
The old Capital of Malta overlooks some lush farmland. |
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Mdina
is known as the "Silent City".
It is easy to see why when you see
these photographs of narrow, deserted streets flanked by the
almost windowless walls of tall buildings.
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An
enjoyable mini-adventure is to take the ferry to Gozo and explore
Malta's Sister Island. |
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Xlendi
is a tiny village at the head of a landlocked bay. To the right
of the photograph you can see the "Nun's Steps" zig
zagging up the side of the mountain. |
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Looking
back on Xlendi from the top of the "Nun's Steps"
you can see the building that houses the "Moby Dick Cafe"
where Steve Parker sat looking out to sea in "The Mdina
Touch".
A cliff top path leads from the "Nun's
Steps" around to a secluded cave where the sea washes
in to form a pool. Nuns from a nearby convent used this pool
to bathe in the sea where they would not be overlooked.
Part way along the path is a gate that
the nuns could lock after they had passed through to ensure
their privacy whilst bathing. |
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Public
transport in Malta is provided by ancient buses. The ones in
the photograph are relatively modern compared to some. |
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WWW.edwardjkelly.com
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The
Palace of the Grand Masters at Valletta.
The drab exterior belies the magnificent
splendour of the rooms, apartments and corridors within. |
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St
Lazarus's Curtain - Grand Harbour. "Where the tide ebbs
and flows twice in twenty-four hours." |
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The
onetime wealth and grandeur of Valletta is reflected in the
magnificent galleries or balconies that overhang the streets.
I have never seen anyone use these but I am sure they watch
from behind the curtains! |
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Local
legend says that the shallow treads of the steps in Valletta
was to allow the knights, when suited up in their armour, to
climb them. Unable to bend their knees they would shuffle up
in a stiff legged gait swinging their leg first out to one side
and then forward onto the next step. |
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The
Popeye village. I once used three rolls of film taking photographs
of this film set, such is the quaint beauty that I didn't
want to miss one part of it.
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The
entranceway to the Rotunda Church at Mosta. |
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All
churches in Malta are the receptacles for the wealth of generations
of Maltese families. This church in Mosta is no exception.
The interior is palatial.
The mighty dome is rivaled in size
only by St Peter's in Rome and St Sophia's in Istanbul. |
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The
ruins of the Citadel on Gozo where refuge was sought from the
turks. The cathedral is just visible on the left. |
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"Fungus
Rock" just off the shore of Gozo was forbidden territory.
The red fungus that grew there was prized by the Knights as
a cure for dysentery and haemorrhaging.. |
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This
is a mysterious little shelter along the barren coastline of
western Gozo. |
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The
"Inland Sea" provides a welcome harbour for boats
during stormy weather. |
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Rabat,
the sister town of Mdina, has a vast network of catacombs.
The most famous is St Paul's Catacombs dating from the 4th
and 5th centuries.
There are, however, some older catacombs,
parts of which remain unexcavated and uncharted. It is these
that feature in "The Mdina Touch".
It is easy to become disorientated
and its possible to wander ever further into the network of
tunnels and become hopelessly lost. With no natural or artificial
light these catacombs are not a place for the faint hearted
- You will only be able to see for as long as the batteries
in your torch last. |
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