What a gorgeous sunny day!! And what a lovely picturesque island, Madeira. Madeira’s mystery begins in beauty, but the enigma is enhanced by suggestions that it may be the remains of the “lost continent” Atlantis. Famous for its Madeira wines, as well as delicate embroideries and laces, Madeira has a fascinating and rich history. It is the site of remains of 16th and 17th century forts and the 15th century Cathedral of Santa Clara. Grapevines were introduced in 1419. Madeira wine is one of the oldest of all fortified wines. The British occupied here in 1801 and 1807 and became enamored of the wine. It is said that the Duke of Clarence actually drowned in a vat of it!
We have no scheduled tour here and take our time leaving the ship to go into town. We get lucky and share a cab with two crew members into the town center. From there we walk down a few blocks and purchase tickets for the HOHO bus. Climbing on we head to the upper open deck and find seats at the very front for an unobstructed view. This bus will take us all over Funchal proper and up to the fishing village of Camara’ de Lobos on the eastern end of the island. Starting in town we zig zag back and forth, up and down and around seeing ancient buildings, monasteries, nunneries, the embroidery factory, world famous Blandy’s Wine Lodge, and the cable cars to Monte. Up and out of the city we head into the countryside along the coast to Camara’ de Lobos. On the way we are treated to the site of banana farms, grape arbors, and persimmon trees interspersed together and terraced into the side of steep rocky mountains. In fact almost everything more than a few blocks back from the coast is chiseled and terraces into the rocks. Verdant, lush, green with splashes of bright colored blooms this is almost like a tropical setting in the Carribean. We ride the HOHO one complete circuit then get off to buy tickets for the cable car to Monte.
Monte is only 4 miles from Funchal, but nearly 2000 feet higher up. Islanders enjoy their “life in the slow lane”. Hiking and swimming are popular sports, but the high mountains are also used for an unusual sport (originally, the wicker sled ride was a necessary form of transportation). Utilizing traditional craft, wicker “sleds” are used for joy riding down the islands steep terrain. We ride the cable car round trip, hop back on the HOHO and head straight for the famous Blandy’s Wine Lodge, where we buy several bottles of really good, really cheap wine.
Earlier in the day we had asked several different locals for recommendations for a local place to have dinner and unanimously the answer was Santo Antonio in Camera‘ de Lobos. At 6:30 the four of us hail a taxi and head for the food! We are not disappointed! With a nod to the Brazilian Bar-B-Q we experienced in Rio last spring the food is served family style and the meat hangs on long spits from hooks built into the table. We indulge in chicken, beef, and T-bone steak served up with fries and something similar but tastier than polenta, a corn mixture fried and cut into bit sized squares that is like eating cream style corn as finger food. Local Sangria is our beverage choice and the guys order two different desserts to share. At the end of the meal our bill for everything totaled E55. And our taxi driver waited for us for 2hrs and charged E45 for the round trip from the ship. We are now fortified for our seven day crossing beginning day after tomorrow afternoon.
The next day we hop back on the HOHO and buy several more bottles of wine to sustain us on our crossing.
Ah ...homeward bound.
We love to travel. People tell me I should be a travel agent because of all the things we do,the places we go, and the money we save. Our grandaughter,Sophia,tells everyone that we are on a "field trip" while we are gone, thus the name. I hope you find helpful, interesting information about different locales, ideas on how to get the most for your money, and be entertained in the process. Welcome. Connie
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Cadiz/Seville, Spain
Cadiz stands on a peninsula jutting out into a bay. Named Gadir by the Phoenicians, who founded it as a trading port in 1100 BC, it was later controlled by the Carthaginians before it became a thriving Roman port. It fades during the Visigoths and Moors but came back into prominence in the early 16th century as the launch point of journeys to the “New World” of the Americas. Sir Francis Drake later raided Cadiz in the struggle to control trade in America. The city was one of few in Spain able to withstand a siege by Napoleon’s army.
Today however, we will venture out from Cadiz port about an hour or so to Sevilla. Upon arrival we are apprised of all the orange trees. However these are not orange trees as we know them, but inedible ones that are bitter and only used to make marmalade. The Seville orange is world reknown and most of the marmalade sold in England comes from Spain.
Angeles (Ong ga lace), our guide, meets us at a park like area to lead us through a visit to the sites of the 1929 World’s Fair, the old city outside the walls of Reales Alcazres “the Alcazar”, and of course the palace itself. These and the ancient custom of bull fighting are among just some of the sites and stories of Sevilla or Seville. The fair site is extremely well preserved and each of the buildings and venues are in use today. The entire site is covered with exquisite hand-made tile work in every conceivable design and color. The plaza of the main area is enormous and contains several bridges representing the different “states” that existed at the time along with their coats of arms done in tile on the steps and tops. All of the handrails, light post, planters, plant urns, and benches are covered in tile or made from ceramic. In most cases each tells a story of some kind relating to the history of Spain through the centuries. On our way back to our bus we traverse a small park whose central site is a huge tree surrounded by a statue depicting the Three Stages of Love from first blush to the final aged finale with inclusion of cupid in his different forms. Because the tree continues to grow it is necessary to cut the surround on occasion and add expansion sections to it. This entire area is covered with horse drawn carriages taking people site-seeing. Most of the customers are locals and wedding participants with brides and grooms dressed in beautiful native garments. Angeles has decided we will walk the old Jewish ghetto outside the walls first. Here is a maze of winding, uneven cobbled alleyways jumbled together with convents and private homes and businesses crammed together. No cars can come into this area unless there is a garage for them to park in. The properties with garages are the most expensive and valuable in the whole city. We follow Angeles closely because getting lost in here would be very easy to do. She stops to show us a street so narrow it is called the “kissing street“ since it is possible to stand on a balcony on either side of the street and kiss across with no problem. An average sized person can stand in the middle and place their hands on the houses on each side of the street. Finally it is time to enter Reales Alcazres “the Alcazar”. Reales Alcazres is a palace similar in style of the Alhambra but not near so elegant, is much smaller, and sadly beautiful considering the creator Peter I of Castille (known as “Pedro el Cruel”). It took 30 years to complete the most magnificent parts of the complex using a combination of wood, elaborate stucco, and magnificent azulejos (hand painted tile), and lavish gardens. At the end of our time with Angeles I go back to the main exit where I spotted a man creating watercolor. He and his wife are very elderly, but his little paintings are exquisite and I buy one plus a tiny bookmark depicting the “kissing street”. Now we have a few free hours and it is time once again to find FOOD! We spot what appears to be a target rich environment down a side street that looks familiar since we think we might have passed this way during our old city walk. It is called Dona’ Lina and is very small, cramped, and very busy with local traffic. Oh Yeah! We find a tiny table for 4 and wedge ourselves between other tables to get seated. No one minds moving over a bit here, a bit there so we can sit. It is all done with little fuss and many smiles and thanks in both Spanish and English. We order tapas once again since this menu boasts items not seen in other ports. Deep fried anchovies again,
potatoes, chorizo, pork, fresh bread to die for, Sangria, and for dessert a platter of mixed flans. I personally don’t care for flan or custard but the others said it was wonderful. Sated once again it is time to meet our driver and head back to Cadiz and our ship. Tonight we have a Halloween costume party and I have found a fan, castanets, and a rose embroidered shawl to transform myself into “The Lady of Spain”. Tony will be my OPEC oil executive with the help of one of my caftans and a napkin filched from the Lido Restaurant tied with a long scarf. David and Susan are Dorothy and the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz fame. Your need to understand that Susan is 6 feet tall in her stocking feet and with the Ruby Red Slippers she made, stands a statuesque 6’3”. They won the costume contest and we came in second in a game of wrap a mummy with toilet paper. Hey!, don't laugh it netted us a free bottle of champagne!
Today however, we will venture out from Cadiz port about an hour or so to Sevilla. Upon arrival we are apprised of all the orange trees. However these are not orange trees as we know them, but inedible ones that are bitter and only used to make marmalade. The Seville orange is world reknown and most of the marmalade sold in England comes from Spain.
Angeles (Ong ga lace), our guide, meets us at a park like area to lead us through a visit to the sites of the 1929 World’s Fair, the old city outside the walls of Reales Alcazres “the Alcazar”, and of course the palace itself. These and the ancient custom of bull fighting are among just some of the sites and stories of Sevilla or Seville. The fair site is extremely well preserved and each of the buildings and venues are in use today. The entire site is covered with exquisite hand-made tile work in every conceivable design and color. The plaza of the main area is enormous and contains several bridges representing the different “states” that existed at the time along with their coats of arms done in tile on the steps and tops. All of the handrails, light post, planters, plant urns, and benches are covered in tile or made from ceramic. In most cases each tells a story of some kind relating to the history of Spain through the centuries. On our way back to our bus we traverse a small park whose central site is a huge tree surrounded by a statue depicting the Three Stages of Love from first blush to the final aged finale with inclusion of cupid in his different forms. Because the tree continues to grow it is necessary to cut the surround on occasion and add expansion sections to it. This entire area is covered with horse drawn carriages taking people site-seeing. Most of the customers are locals and wedding participants with brides and grooms dressed in beautiful native garments. Angeles has decided we will walk the old Jewish ghetto outside the walls first. Here is a maze of winding, uneven cobbled alleyways jumbled together with convents and private homes and businesses crammed together. No cars can come into this area unless there is a garage for them to park in. The properties with garages are the most expensive and valuable in the whole city. We follow Angeles closely because getting lost in here would be very easy to do. She stops to show us a street so narrow it is called the “kissing street“ since it is possible to stand on a balcony on either side of the street and kiss across with no problem. An average sized person can stand in the middle and place their hands on the houses on each side of the street. Finally it is time to enter Reales Alcazres “the Alcazar”. Reales Alcazres is a palace similar in style of the Alhambra but not near so elegant, is much smaller, and sadly beautiful considering the creator Peter I of Castille (known as “Pedro el Cruel”). It took 30 years to complete the most magnificent parts of the complex using a combination of wood, elaborate stucco, and magnificent azulejos (hand painted tile), and lavish gardens. At the end of our time with Angeles I go back to the main exit where I spotted a man creating watercolor. He and his wife are very elderly, but his little paintings are exquisite and I buy one plus a tiny bookmark depicting the “kissing street”. Now we have a few free hours and it is time once again to find FOOD! We spot what appears to be a target rich environment down a side street that looks familiar since we think we might have passed this way during our old city walk. It is called Dona’ Lina and is very small, cramped, and very busy with local traffic. Oh Yeah! We find a tiny table for 4 and wedge ourselves between other tables to get seated. No one minds moving over a bit here, a bit there so we can sit. It is all done with little fuss and many smiles and thanks in both Spanish and English. We order tapas once again since this menu boasts items not seen in other ports. Deep fried anchovies again,
potatoes, chorizo, pork, fresh bread to die for, Sangria, and for dessert a platter of mixed flans. I personally don’t care for flan or custard but the others said it was wonderful. Sated once again it is time to meet our driver and head back to Cadiz and our ship. Tonight we have a Halloween costume party and I have found a fan, castanets, and a rose embroidered shawl to transform myself into “The Lady of Spain”. Tony will be my OPEC oil executive with the help of one of my caftans and a napkin filched from the Lido Restaurant tied with a long scarf. David and Susan are Dorothy and the Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz fame. Your need to understand that Susan is 6 feet tall in her stocking feet and with the Ruby Red Slippers she made, stands a statuesque 6’3”. They won the costume contest and we came in second in a game of wrap a mummy with toilet paper. Hey!, don't laugh it netted us a free bottle of champagne!
Barcelona, Spain
This city’s history has much to do with invasions and conquest. Its history dates back to 988 when Barcelona won independence and identified more with being Catalonia than Spain. By the 1400’s Catalonia was linked with other regions of Spain and this lasted until the 1700’s. Today, the Catalan people still consider themselves independent and not part of Spain.
We meet our new partners in crime, David and Susan and the other couple on our Florence excursion, Dick and Helen on the pier. Our guide, Xavier (Ha vee air), a young man that is Catalonian and is very knowledgeable about Barcelona and probably their most famous resident Gaudi (Gow dee’). Our goal today is to see all the major sites, especially those of Gaudi. We start with a drive around the city with a little history. Then stops at several structures designed by Gaudi. He was such a prolific designer that there is actually a book of just the buildings he designed in and around Barcelona. Our first stop is at Parc Guell, originally intended to be a housing development designed by Gaudi for the very rich. It was to have a total of 60 homes and actually be a complete city within its’ walls. Whimsy is the order of the day as are all of Gaudi’s designs, with swirling undulating walls, tile work, and the telling of what seems to be fairy tales. Walt Disney could have received part of his inspiration for Disneyland from Gaudi, such is the fantasy quality of his designs and work. His most visible work of course is Catedral de la Sagrada Familia (Holy Family
Cathedral). He did not intend it to be a church, but typical of Gaudi, it became an obsession. Begun in 1882, is was far from finished when he died in 1926. The last 8 years if his life he worked almost exclusively on it. It is still incomplete and the estimate now is that it will be another 25 years before it is done. Gaudi was a man well ahead of his time-he even used recycled materials and his work today would be considered very modern. He never married and had no children. He is said to have told his mistress in his early years, when she said she wanted to get married that he “was too busy”. He said that decision haunted him in his later years as he died old and alone.
At the end of our tour Xavier drops us at Las Ramblas, the famous promenade, the infamous tourist trap of Barcelona. We venture forward and off side streets in search of real food. Our goal is a local eatery with few or no tourists, no English on the menu, good house wine and homey atmosphere. After rejecting a few we find our target, a tiny doorway leading past a bar to a widening area in the back. The owner speaks only a few words of English and we a few in Spanish. Using this and sign language we manage to order a variety of his house specialties that we have left to his discretion. The food continues to arrive and finally covers every available table surface. Deep fried anchovies, chicken, pork, beef, potatoes, salad, empanadas made with vegetables and meat. An entire table of “tapas” or “little plates”. Beer and red wine, coffee and a
bottle of cognac with instructions to drink all we wanted. Two hours later, our bellies and brains saturated we ask for the bill. Our host sits down at the end of the table and begins to figure on a piece of scrap paper with a short stub of a pencil that was whittled to a point, probably with a pocket knife. Evidently Tony looked like the man in charge or possibly more understanding of the offerta (offer) of E25 per person. The proprietor asked if we thought that a fair price for our feast. We all agreed and he said “are you sure?”. Our yes reply brought handshakes and many thanks as he insisted on pouring more cognac in each of the coffee cups. I asked to buy my cup as usual and he presented it to me with a flourish. After another round of handshakes, adios, and gracias we departed with full stomachs, light heads and memories of a special day indeed.
We meet our new partners in crime, David and Susan and the other couple on our Florence excursion, Dick and Helen on the pier. Our guide, Xavier (Ha vee air), a young man that is Catalonian and is very knowledgeable about Barcelona and probably their most famous resident Gaudi (Gow dee’). Our goal today is to see all the major sites, especially those of Gaudi. We start with a drive around the city with a little history. Then stops at several structures designed by Gaudi. He was such a prolific designer that there is actually a book of just the buildings he designed in and around Barcelona. Our first stop is at Parc Guell, originally intended to be a housing development designed by Gaudi for the very rich. It was to have a total of 60 homes and actually be a complete city within its’ walls. Whimsy is the order of the day as are all of Gaudi’s designs, with swirling undulating walls, tile work, and the telling of what seems to be fairy tales. Walt Disney could have received part of his inspiration for Disneyland from Gaudi, such is the fantasy quality of his designs and work. His most visible work of course is Catedral de la Sagrada Familia (Holy Family
Cathedral). He did not intend it to be a church, but typical of Gaudi, it became an obsession. Begun in 1882, is was far from finished when he died in 1926. The last 8 years if his life he worked almost exclusively on it. It is still incomplete and the estimate now is that it will be another 25 years before it is done. Gaudi was a man well ahead of his time-he even used recycled materials and his work today would be considered very modern. He never married and had no children. He is said to have told his mistress in his early years, when she said she wanted to get married that he “was too busy”. He said that decision haunted him in his later years as he died old and alone.
At the end of our tour Xavier drops us at Las Ramblas, the famous promenade, the infamous tourist trap of Barcelona. We venture forward and off side streets in search of real food. Our goal is a local eatery with few or no tourists, no English on the menu, good house wine and homey atmosphere. After rejecting a few we find our target, a tiny doorway leading past a bar to a widening area in the back. The owner speaks only a few words of English and we a few in Spanish. Using this and sign language we manage to order a variety of his house specialties that we have left to his discretion. The food continues to arrive and finally covers every available table surface. Deep fried anchovies, chicken, pork, beef, potatoes, salad, empanadas made with vegetables and meat. An entire table of “tapas” or “little plates”. Beer and red wine, coffee and a
bottle of cognac with instructions to drink all we wanted. Two hours later, our bellies and brains saturated we ask for the bill. Our host sits down at the end of the table and begins to figure on a piece of scrap paper with a short stub of a pencil that was whittled to a point, probably with a pocket knife. Evidently Tony looked like the man in charge or possibly more understanding of the offerta (offer) of E25 per person. The proprietor asked if we thought that a fair price for our feast. We all agreed and he said “are you sure?”. Our yes reply brought handshakes and many thanks as he insisted on pouring more cognac in each of the coffee cups. I asked to buy my cup as usual and he presented it to me with a flourish. After another round of handshakes, adios, and gracias we departed with full stomachs, light heads and memories of a special day indeed.
Cartagena, Spain
The history here is long and rich indeed. The city is on a site selected by Hasdrubal, brother-in-law to Hannibal of elephant fame. In 219BC Hannibal brought his armies (and elephants) to Iberia and captured Roman-allied Saguntum (Sagunto). It was the Second Punic War (Carthage vs. Rome) and even though Hannibal was initially victorious, the war ended with his decisive defeat at Zama near Carthage in 202BC.
We are off on our own to discover this beautiful town. At the dock we meet up with Trevor and Frieda, our dinner mates and decide to tag along with them for a bit.
I happen upon a 2E store. Reminds me of our $1 stores back home. 10E later I leave with a bag containing earrings to go with my Halloween costume, 2 bracelets made of polished stones and beads, a suede cowboy hat for Lee Anne to wear with her summer dresses and a nickel silver cuff bracelet that looks quite expensive. I receive comments on the cuff every time I wear it.
Cobbled streets, Roman ruins, even relics from the Phoenicians all contribute to the long and rich history here. We trek through winding wide avenues and small alleyways in search of nothing in particular. We are just enjoying the excellent sunshine and mild breeze blowing in from the harbor.
Trevor and Frieda take in a church and a mass. We decide to make our way to Plaza de San Francisco (San Francisco Square). On our way we happen upon what appears to be an archaeological dig in the middle of an old residential area. We can see through the fence what appears at first to be caves. Then on down, alleys and building walls well below what is now street level appear. It is not until later that we understand what we are seeing.
After leaving the square we happen on Trevor and Frieda again and get to hear about the beautiful cathedral they visited. We join them for a cup of coffee at a quaint sidewalk cafe where I obtain a coffee cup from a very friendly waiter who even brings me a bag to put it in. Afterward we continue on our leisurely stroll of Cartagena with no direct destination in mind.
We arrive at the Museo TeatRomano de Cartagena (Roman Theater Museum). This theater was built in the late 1st century BC and still retains its’ excellent acoustics. One can speak in a normal voice from anywhere inside and be heard with concise clarity. Small parts have been restored to what the original probably looked like to help the visitor imagine what a wonderful place it must have been. Now we realize that the excavation we saw earlier is actually part of this city during Roman times. This was the most well spent E4 (senior price - regular was only E5) we have ever spent and we were extremely happy we had decided to see it.
We start heading back to port and stop at a whardfside bistro for a cool drink since the day has turned out quite warm. There I offer to purchase another coffee cup but the manager is a young man who seems to think that all American tourists will pay anything for what they want. He started his price at 20E!! Then to my misfortune Trevor decided to try and help me negotiate by saying I might pay 10E! Trevor and I have now come to an understanding, He will not help negotiate prices and I will not threaten to make Frieda a widow. For the rest of the trip we laugh about this incident. I declined to purchase the cup by the way.
On the way back to the ship there are an abundance of tall palm trees. While looking at them we notice that the stumps of the removed fronds are different colors and comment on why this was. We speculate that perhaps they paint them with something to prevent disease or leaking sap of some kind. Later we discover they are not painted at all. In fact it was parrots in a riot of colors perched on the stubs of the removed fronds. There were hundreds of them!
We are off on our own to discover this beautiful town. At the dock we meet up with Trevor and Frieda, our dinner mates and decide to tag along with them for a bit.
I happen upon a 2E store. Reminds me of our $1 stores back home. 10E later I leave with a bag containing earrings to go with my Halloween costume, 2 bracelets made of polished stones and beads, a suede cowboy hat for Lee Anne to wear with her summer dresses and a nickel silver cuff bracelet that looks quite expensive. I receive comments on the cuff every time I wear it.
Cobbled streets, Roman ruins, even relics from the Phoenicians all contribute to the long and rich history here. We trek through winding wide avenues and small alleyways in search of nothing in particular. We are just enjoying the excellent sunshine and mild breeze blowing in from the harbor.
Trevor and Frieda take in a church and a mass. We decide to make our way to Plaza de San Francisco (San Francisco Square). On our way we happen upon what appears to be an archaeological dig in the middle of an old residential area. We can see through the fence what appears at first to be caves. Then on down, alleys and building walls well below what is now street level appear. It is not until later that we understand what we are seeing.
After leaving the square we happen on Trevor and Frieda again and get to hear about the beautiful cathedral they visited. We join them for a cup of coffee at a quaint sidewalk cafe where I obtain a coffee cup from a very friendly waiter who even brings me a bag to put it in. Afterward we continue on our leisurely stroll of Cartagena with no direct destination in mind.
We arrive at the Museo TeatRomano de Cartagena (Roman Theater Museum). This theater was built in the late 1st century BC and still retains its’ excellent acoustics. One can speak in a normal voice from anywhere inside and be heard with concise clarity. Small parts have been restored to what the original probably looked like to help the visitor imagine what a wonderful place it must have been. Now we realize that the excavation we saw earlier is actually part of this city during Roman times. This was the most well spent E4 (senior price - regular was only E5) we have ever spent and we were extremely happy we had decided to see it.
We start heading back to port and stop at a whardfside bistro for a cool drink since the day has turned out quite warm. There I offer to purchase another coffee cup but the manager is a young man who seems to think that all American tourists will pay anything for what they want. He started his price at 20E!! Then to my misfortune Trevor decided to try and help me negotiate by saying I might pay 10E! Trevor and I have now come to an understanding, He will not help negotiate prices and I will not threaten to make Frieda a widow. For the rest of the trip we laugh about this incident. I declined to purchase the cup by the way.
On the way back to the ship there are an abundance of tall palm trees. While looking at them we notice that the stumps of the removed fronds are different colors and comment on why this was. We speculate that perhaps they paint them with something to prevent disease or leaking sap of some kind. Later we discover they are not painted at all. In fact it was parrots in a riot of colors perched on the stubs of the removed fronds. There were hundreds of them!
Valletta, Malta
Our day in Malta was spent in the company of Vivian and Bob (our cohorts from Katakolon) and another couple from Canada, Coreen and Ken. We met them on Cruise Critic also and have teamed up to share a van and driver for the day. Coreen and Ken are on this trip to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Just newly weds compared to us.
We step off the ship and directly in front of the gangway is Ronald our guide and the van for our outing. We start with a short driving tour of Floriana and Valletta before heading for the ancient capital city of Mdina located at the highest point on Malta. Before reaching Mdina we stop for a scenic view of where we have been. Here even though at quite a distance we can clearly see the Mosta, the round domed church which is the third largest unsupported dome in Europe. The largest is St Peter’s in Rome, the second is the Hage’ Sophia in Istanbul and the Mosta is third. We have now been privileged to see all three. During WWII a bomb was dropped thru the dome during mass. As God would have it the bomb bounced three times before
embedding itself in the floor without exploding. The dome was repaired, the hole in the floor was not and it now contains a replica of the bomb.
Mdina is a walled medieval city that is very beautiful. Now days most of the buildings house shops geared toward the thousands of tourists who visit each year and features Malta glass shops, and of course shops selling Maltese crosses and replicas of the infamous Maltese Falcon and many restaurants. It is easy to get lost in the maze of narrow streets that wind serpent like around and through each other. But eventually you find your way back to the entrance and over the moat bridge. You can hire a horse drawn cab but the easiest way is just to walk. The horse drawn cabs are only allowed to enter Mdina if both the cab and the horse have rubber shoes so as not to damage the cobbled streets.
After leaving Mdina we drive on some of the worst roads we have encountered on our trip. We discover that we are driving on what was the British runway. Evidently they didn’t care about dips and rolls and potholes for the planes landing and taking off. I imagine this is what a stagecoach felt like in the old west. Yee! Ha! Podna!!
We head out for the Dingli Cliffs and some spectacular views of the opposite side of the island. From there it is Blue Grotto time. Tucked into a small fishing boat with an 8hp Evinrude outboard we venture into the ocean along the cliffs. In and out of small niches in the lava rock and then into the main cave of the Grotto. The water here is iridescent blues and greens, we assume caused by the lava rock. It is so clear you can see the bottom even out of the main source of light. Personally I think it was a rip-off at E7 per person but you don’t know till you have been there. The rest of our little band was very impressed so I more or less hmm’d and hawed also and kept my own council.
At 1pm we enter the Hypogeum, a series of caves scooped from solid rock in the middle of the city that was created in excess of 5000 years ago by pre-historic man as a necropolis. Over a period of 1000 years over 7000 souls were interred in these underground caves. They were discovered by accident at the turn of
the last century and are still being studied. There are several of these on the island.
The tour is in close quarters and if you can’t climb stairs don’t go. It was very interesting to see some of the paintings still visible on the ceilings and walls. And the outside of some of the chambers are carved to resemble monoliths that can be found above ground. This was all accomplished using only tools made of rock, flint and bone.
We say goodbye to Ronald and re-board our ship. Time for a quick nap before dinner.
We step off the ship and directly in front of the gangway is Ronald our guide and the van for our outing. We start with a short driving tour of Floriana and Valletta before heading for the ancient capital city of Mdina located at the highest point on Malta. Before reaching Mdina we stop for a scenic view of where we have been. Here even though at quite a distance we can clearly see the Mosta, the round domed church which is the third largest unsupported dome in Europe. The largest is St Peter’s in Rome, the second is the Hage’ Sophia in Istanbul and the Mosta is third. We have now been privileged to see all three. During WWII a bomb was dropped thru the dome during mass. As God would have it the bomb bounced three times before
embedding itself in the floor without exploding. The dome was repaired, the hole in the floor was not and it now contains a replica of the bomb.
Mdina is a walled medieval city that is very beautiful. Now days most of the buildings house shops geared toward the thousands of tourists who visit each year and features Malta glass shops, and of course shops selling Maltese crosses and replicas of the infamous Maltese Falcon and many restaurants. It is easy to get lost in the maze of narrow streets that wind serpent like around and through each other. But eventually you find your way back to the entrance and over the moat bridge. You can hire a horse drawn cab but the easiest way is just to walk. The horse drawn cabs are only allowed to enter Mdina if both the cab and the horse have rubber shoes so as not to damage the cobbled streets.
After leaving Mdina we drive on some of the worst roads we have encountered on our trip. We discover that we are driving on what was the British runway. Evidently they didn’t care about dips and rolls and potholes for the planes landing and taking off. I imagine this is what a stagecoach felt like in the old west. Yee! Ha! Podna!!
We head out for the Dingli Cliffs and some spectacular views of the opposite side of the island. From there it is Blue Grotto time. Tucked into a small fishing boat with an 8hp Evinrude outboard we venture into the ocean along the cliffs. In and out of small niches in the lava rock and then into the main cave of the Grotto. The water here is iridescent blues and greens, we assume caused by the lava rock. It is so clear you can see the bottom even out of the main source of light. Personally I think it was a rip-off at E7 per person but you don’t know till you have been there. The rest of our little band was very impressed so I more or less hmm’d and hawed also and kept my own council.
At 1pm we enter the Hypogeum, a series of caves scooped from solid rock in the middle of the city that was created in excess of 5000 years ago by pre-historic man as a necropolis. Over a period of 1000 years over 7000 souls were interred in these underground caves. They were discovered by accident at the turn of
the last century and are still being studied. There are several of these on the island.
The tour is in close quarters and if you can’t climb stairs don’t go. It was very interesting to see some of the paintings still visible on the ceilings and walls. And the outside of some of the chambers are carved to resemble monoliths that can be found above ground. This was all accomplished using only tools made of rock, flint and bone.
We say goodbye to Ronald and re-board our ship. Time for a quick nap before dinner.
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