We are definitely becoming aclimatized and sleeping a more normal schedule. Our days pass in a blur. It's a lot like home in that the days are winter short but we do get 1 1/2 hours more of sunlight here. When we go out for the day it is likely to be from about 10:00am til maybe 3:00pm. We have to make plans to go to Valletta and Mdina in the evenings to see the Christmas displays and lights. We are so not night time people anymore so it will be a test of our endurance. Especially when you have to take a bus back and then walk a couple of blocks.
There is a population of about 450,000 people on Malta and 300,000 cars. Therefore taxis are not very common and those that you do find charge way too much.
Walked to our local wine seller this morning and ordered our boxes of Spanish wine to be delivered this afternoon when we get back. Other than groceries we don't have to carry any of the heavy stuff like wine and water.
Today the bus we were transferring onto wouldn't start. After 20 minutes a replacement bus came for us in the terminal. Everyone has to get off and then the panic to get onto the next bus becomes a little pushy shovey. A little bus rage ensued between a Brit and an Irishman, lol.....both wives were not happy with their partners. We had the Irish couple in front of us and the British couple behind us. It was all I could do not to turn around and tell him to chill out. But I maintained my dignity and didn't get involved.
This time as we went into Mdina it was very quiet. We spent a couple of hours in St Paul's Cathedral and its museum. This is said to be the sight where in 60 AD Publius? met with St Paul after he was shipwrecked on the tiny Islands in what today is called St Paul's Bay. I'm not sure of the older history, but the church was destroyed in the earthquake of 1693. Reconstruction was finished by 1705 and is what we see today.
It is hard to describe the beauty of this church, I'm not usually that impressed with a lot of the googaws inside many Catholic Churches but St Paul's really is, as stated in a brochure, a "Jewell in the Crown".
The main floor is comprised of memorial marble slabs representing dozens, if not hundreds of the Knights of St John of Malta.
Today the walled city really did live up to its name of the "Silent City". Knowing we can continue to come back we left and walked a few blocks to the city of Rabat. It's a little strange to call these places cities because they seem no more than neighbourhoods. But each has its own Kunsill Lokali, or local council and of course their own parish church.
We stop for lunch in the sunshine in a cafe looking across the square to Rabats own beautiful church. We both had lunch specials. I had my cappuccino and Bob a HopLeaf beer.
As we strolled back through the town towards our bus stop, the gods were with us and our bus was waiting. Thank goodness the driver needed a smoke or we might not have made it. We are discovering that almost every bus in this part of Malta goes through or near St Paul's Bay. A short walk up the hill and we are home.
Four o'clock and our wine is delivered. We roasted chicken, baked potatoes and fresh carrots and dinner tasted basic but good.
Thoughts and observations ....like all of Europe a lot of people still smoke. Malta does not have homeless people that we have seen any sign of yet. Our Landlord Ron told us that there is no reason for anyone to not have a job. Even if it is an entry level type of job, all education, training, even university is free. No excuse to not get ahead. Malta has no natural resources, no rivers, no forests, no mines. It is well thought of in the European Union. Somewhat like Switzerland it is a neutral country regarding world politics. It has no armed forces. It has an immigration problem with people escaping from war torn African countries. It has agreements with the United States and other countries to take an allotted number of immigrants every year. I don't know if Canada participates in this agreement.
I like their coffee:) I like their language, and I like their scarves....collecting a few more...not the silk ones of Bellagio, a heavier type, more pedestrian not so much elegance.
I'm finding it hard to start my blog each day because there is just so much to see and learn about that I often don't know where to begin. But I do know where to end ...it's almost 8:00pm and this is it for today.
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