Malta October 30th 2007
Ta' Qali Craft Centre and Valletta.
As tommorrow was forecast to be the best day of the week, weather wise, we had already decided that we would hit Comino then. So the first thing on the agenda today was off to Ramla Bay and Marfa Jetty, just over the Marfa Ridge, to check out the availability of ferry services. No problem, found The Royal C. Ferries, running every hour. There are plenty of other ways to get to Comino but we just liked the fact that with this service you could stay as long as you liked.
On the way back over Marfa ridge you get some great views of Mellieha and Mellieha Bay.
It looks a bit overcast in the picture to the left, it was but still pleasantly warm.
View of Mellieha & Bay from Marfa Ridge.
So after the now familiar 'stop the car I want to take a picture', from my photographer, resulting in the termination of mobile operations for about five minutes, it was off to The Ta' Qali Craft Centre. Would it be open this time ? Absolutely, I had asked at the hotel this time to make sure.
For me Craft Centers and the like can be taken or left, whatever, but My photographer, er . . . , Kathy, does like them, so we all must. Anyway we got there, it was open and it is probably the only craft center that I have really enjoyed spending time at. I think that from my perspective a big part of my interest was in the fact that the Craft Center is housed in and around what was a WW II and beyond, RAF Base. There are remnants of this all over. Also it is a very good craft center and a must for anyone looking for that perfect souvenier or present at very reasonable prices.
The Ta' Qali Craft Centre is not really a place to take pictures but Kathy did get the one on the right of Daniel and Rosie, which we think we couldn't have planned if we had tried.
We spent a good two or three hours there, just browsing around and buying a few presents. Just before we about to leave, experienced our first and penultimate spots of rain that week.
Daniel & Rosie.
Mission accomplished, as far as the craft center goes, it was back to the car and off to Valletta. taking tha most direct route to Valletta was the first really unpleasant piece of driving. Some of the roads near to the Capital get extremel busy which coupled with complete unfamiliarity of where you wish to go did get quite stressful, but we got where we wanted.
We managed to find a carpark easy enough, just to one side of the Hotel Phoenicia, (looks very nice), which was a very short walk to Valletta's City Gate.
Very convenient but I will say that it is far easier to Bus it to Valletta.
Triton Fountain, Valletta.
First stop was a quick visit to the top or western end of Old Mint Street where we used to live.
I think that we lived towards or near the bottom of the 'valley' shown in the image to the right, but in an apartment on the left. That is all my parents can remember, would be nice to find out exactly though.
So off we wandered, around a few backstreets of Valletta, and to be honest I could do that all day, but there are three others who could not. There is just so much to see and find hidden in Valletta.
Eventually we returned to Republic Street for a look at the shops and somthing to eat.
Old Mint Street, Valletta.
Then Kathy spotted St. Johns Co-Cathedral and in we went. Once inside, you are just lost in the most ornate craftmanship I have ever seen. In some ways we were lucky as there was a lot of restoration work taking place allowing us to see just how much work is involved and intricate some of it is. If you are at all interested in the history of Malta, St. Johns Co-Cathedral is a must see with so much to be learned from the audio tour alone.
Below are just a few pictures from inside, it would be impracticable to show every detail here.
St. Johns Co-Cathedral, Valletta.
St. Johns Co-Cathedral, Valletta.
St. Johns Co-Cathedral, Valletta.
St. Johns Co-Cathedral, Valletta.
Getting on for teatime, getting dark, kiddies getting ratty and all getting hungry, it was now, before leaving Valletta, McDonalds time again.
Once more into the car and back to the Hotel. This time if I remember correctly we managed to park in the Town Square, which, as we found in the morning is a mistake if you are responsible for cleaning the car !
Triton Fountain, Valletta (in the dark).
Once sorted we set off for a couple of drinks in a local bar in the town square, followed by a few more back at the hotel, while my photographer indulged in another internet session. And so it was we were tired enough to sleep another night.
Click here to read about Wednesday 31st October.
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