The Land of the Knights of St. John

After leaving Tunisia, our next port of call was Valetta.  The city is the capital of the island of Malta and a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its beauty and historical significance.  Built by the Knights of St. John in the 16^th century, when you sail into port or walk through the city centre, it is clear they built it with the intent to withstand any attack especially from the Muslim Ottomans.  Valetta was designed by military engineers and it remains fundamentally the Knights’ city. The layout has changed little over the centuries.  The city boasts grand baroque architecture, fortified walls, and charming narrow streets overlooking the Mediterranean.  Visitors are drawn to landmarks like St. John’s Co-Cathedral, the Grandmaster’s Palace, and the Upper Barrakka Gardens with sweeping harbour views.  As we sailed into the harbour, we had a good view of the fortress, fortifications, and the location of the gardens.  

As I had visited Valetta and Malta’s former capital, Mdina, before, I chose a shore excursion called Panoramic Malta.  Unlike the one yesterday, this one did not disappoint.  

We headed out of the port to the pretty scenic village of Marsaxlokk (pronounced ‘marsa-schlock’).  The fishing boats in the village are painted in yellow, blue, and red – signifying the sun, sky and human heart.  There are two eyes painted on the bow to help the boat “see” its way.  There was a small market selling local products plus souvenirs.  I tasted a pistachio paste and had to buy a couple of jars because it was so delicious.  However, because I hadn’t brought my pack with me, I added a cloth shopping bag and the mandatory fridge magnet to my purchases.  

After about an hour there, we were driven across the island.  During our drive, we learned that people living here don’t pay property taxes; pay income tax ranging between 15-35% depending on their income; education right through university is free as is health care and day care.  The VAT is 18% and there is also a vehicle tax.  Much of the landscape we saw was covered with dry-stone walls which our guide, Helena, said are called “rubble walls” here.  We also saw lots of prickly pear cactus which is sometimes used as a fence.  Our next stop was the Dingli Cliffs where we could see beautiful views of the coastline and sea.  

We drove to Mdina and stopped there for about ½ hour for a photo stop.  This a fortified city in the Western Region and it was the island's capital from antiquity to the medieval period. The city has not spread beyond its ancient walls, and has a population of 250.

That was the end of our panoramic tour.  I was glad to have seen so much more of the island that I had before.  Malta has a very rich and interesting history.  Now, we are on to two stops in Italy.  Time is flying by!