What a wonderful day on a beautiful island with golden/beige sandstone buildings set around a spectacular harbor. This well fortified city was built by the St John's Hospitallers when they came to Malta after being booted off Rhodes. I have an interest in the Templars and Hospitallers since my first pilgrimage in 2002 when I visited the Templar Castle in Ponferrada. Therefore, Malta was a destination I was excited to visit on this cruise. It was a bright, sunny, hot, and yet simply beautiful day.
I am going to let the photographs show how Malta shines .... this first shot is what we saw at dawn as we sailed into the harbor.
We visit Tarxien Prehistoric Temples which date from 2,800 B.C. and here imagination and diagrams were needed to have an idea where the fallen rocks would have been, what building they came from etc. I have chosen to show you the legs of "Fat Lady" a fertility figure and a restored pottery bowl.
St John This is on the outside of a building (I forget which). We visited the beautiful St John Co-Cathedral with two works by Caravaggio in the Oratory, one is the huge painting The Beheading of St John, the other is St Jerome Writing.
Just a little taste of British in Malta ....
At the end of the day ... M/V Discovery from the cliffs above and the beautiful harbor views.
Ahhhhhh Malta.... when I lived in Belgium, Franz, a friend of mine used to go there from the time she was a child and she would share photos with me.....beeeeeautiful and on my bucket list....
ReplyDeleteSail on dear friends!!!!
Sounds as if you are really having a wonderful time....I would love to be on an island with lovely sunshine and crisp air.....Can't wait for Sicily!
ReplyDeleteThe sights of Malta will stay with me forever ... it was absolutely magical. I was reminded of Salamanca, Spain with its golden stonework however, Salamanca does not have a spectacular harbor.
ReplyDeleteIt has been wonderful Dawn. I loved the fact that I did not get sick last night, remember the Irish Sea it was almost as rough as that trip with you. I think it is the Reiki that kept me balanced.
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