Saturday, November 5, 2022

The Three Cities and Marsaxlokk, Malta   November 5, 2022

Rain had been forecast for today and it came in the night with a thunderstorm. The sky cleared and I headed out for the Three Cities which are east of Valletta across the Grand Harbour.  Waterfront Valletta-


Leaving Valletta-




Three Cities includes Senglea, Vittoriosa (formerly called Birgu) and Cospicua-





On entering into Three Cities, it felt like I was in Venice and then…gondolas-


I crossed a foot bridge and was in Vittoriosa which is walled of course-


I stopped in at Annunciation Church also known as The Carmelite Church.  It’s in Baroque style and was built between 1660 and 1675. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693 and rebuilt in 1702. During the French occupation it was ransacked and valuables were stolen to fund Napoleon’s wars-




Next I visited Saint Lawrence-


It’s obviously named after Saint Lawrence, the patron saint of Vittoriosa.   Assistance to the needy was one of his biggest priorities so when Emperor Valerian ordered the church treasures to be brought to him, St. Lawrence brought beggars saying they were the real church treasures. The emperor was furious and condemned Saint Lawrence to be roasted alive on a gridiron.  In this statue St. Lawrence is dressed as a deacon and he bears a silver frond and girdiron; the instruments of his martyrdom-


Also in the church: floor tiles-


A side altar-


The front altar-

The dome above the front altar-


My favourite thing: the pipe organ-


A side altar with marble walls-


The ceiling-


Fort Angelo is on the tip of the city, jutting into the Grand Harbour-






Fancy balconies in Victoria Square-


Another view of the harbour-


Next I went to Senglea to see the Basilica of Our Lady of Victories but it was closed-


Senglea is also fortified-




I caught the ferry back to Valletta and then caught a bus to Marsaxlokk, a fishing village-




to meet Brenda Cann for lupper-


She is volunteer teaching English to refugees and living in a Franciscan home. She has spent many years in Malta and really likes it here. We ate at a restaurant overlooking the water –


Our choices of catch of the day-


I had red snapper-


It was very good but a lot of work to eat!  And then the rain came-



The restaurant we chose did not have anywhere inside to eat. The umbrellas were very good and we only got slightly damp from the wind blowing the rain around. Soon, we were the only table left.  It was very funny-


It was great to visit with Brenda and to catch up. It has been a long time.

I easily caught a bus home and considered going to a movie but decided to get home before it rained anymore. I have had a great time in Malta and tomorrow fly at 2:35 PM to Dubai. Moving on! I can’t believe how quickly time is passing!

P.S.

For Hayes.  He calls cows moos and dogs raw raws.  I wonder what he will call this bear-




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