Attraversiamo: La Valletta, Malta

The first observation about Malta (from a port hole of the ship) is that it is so uniquely beautiful in such a rustic way!

The second comes when you hit the gangway-- it is hoooooottt. The phrase "melting in Malta," was coined by some in the cast.

But what a unique place! This was one of my very favorite ports.

Reason #1 - Unlike anywhere I had ever been...European, but British, but something else all it's own... all at the same time.

Reason #2 - Who goes to Malta??
Reason #3 - I can't really explain why. It just was.

We visited Malta quite a few times over the course of the summer. The first visit, a large group of us took a trip to the Blue Grotto and took a quick boat ride through the turquoise water in the cliff side caverns. The boat ride was actually extremely short and a bit anticlimactic, but the luminescence of the water and its clarity was truly amazing! There were even places where the water seemed to glow purple from the coral underneath.

I could not get over how much this boat ride in the Blue Grotto reminded me of the movie, The Count of Monte Cristo. Admittedly, I was kind of obsessed with its likeness. However...I was right! The views near the port of the other Maltese islands across the way also had a striking resemblance to shots from the movie, The Gladiator. Once again, it turns out that portions of this movie were also filmed here. In researching these two in particular, I discovered that Malta is actually used as the set location for many movies. In fact, while walking one day, we passed a blocked street that was being used as a movie set. Straw was strewn on the streets old, medieval carts were ready and waiting for when the cast and crew would arrive for filming.

Every apartment here had a closed in balcony and they were usually painted a bold color that contrasted the sandy looking stone buildings. I suppose it was because of the heat that they were enclosed, although, I don't see how that would make much of a difference when I think back to the heat in one of my past houses that had an enclosed glass room.

A sweltering day out with Carissa,...

...Márcio, and Rodolfo.

Everywhere you looked, old pillars and brand new buildings would both be "within spittin' distance," making the contrast so blatant and intriguing. Is it obvious that I liked it here? Maybe just a little? I hope you enjoy the abundance of pictures that reiterate that fact.