Monday Evening, March 15 St. John's Cathedral, Grand Masters' Palace, Sliema

Dear kids and grands,

Glad to hear everyone got off all right and on time this morning! We spent the morning walking through the markets in Valletta--lots and lots of stalls with cheap tacky tourist stuff! Many people out and about--much busier than when we walked last evening.

We visited several terrific spots today--the best was St. John's Conventual Cathedral, built for the Knights of Malta after they held off the Turks during the Great Seige in 1563. Fabulous baroque archetecture--every inch of surface area carved, painted, gilded, tiled or variously decorated with twisty columns, marble statues, cherabim & seraphim! We saw some huge paintings by a couple of prominant Italian painters--Mattia Preti (also a sculptor) and Carravaggio--who also has painting in the Louvre. His most famous painting, a huge depiction of the beheading of St. John, is in Italy being restored (rats) but we did get to see a smaller copy of it....

The cathedral houses some of the most fabulous tapestries--so detailed it is hard to believe they are woven and not painted. The tapestries hang from the walls just as they did hundreds of years ago--they are not behind glass barriers or anything--you can walk right up and look at the threads (tiny signs ask "please do not touch"-and there is video surveillance (fines are levied!). These tapestries are floor to ceiling height, and ceiling is easlily 20 feet tall!! They are depictions of Biblical scenes (garden of Eden, life of John the Baptist, etc.) and one egotistical Grand Master of the Knights (the one who shelled out the money for the tapestries!). It is hard to believe these "rugs" are older than our country...

We had a quick and yummy lunch at a little "cupboard" size stall across from St. Paul's Church in Valletta--it is a tiny place we saw in the Guide book, listed as a local lunch spot--quite crowded, and just a walk up counter on the street! We got pizza (sooo goood! all fresh veggies and Italian cheese!) and pasta and ate on the steps of St. Paul's. The little man was so busy and so tickled that we were from USA that he said--"go, eat and enjoy, come back and pay when you are finished eating!" so we did! The whole lunch, including a bottle of 7-up for each of us, was about $4 US!

We also visited the Grand Master's Palace, the official parliament building. There we saw the Armoury--a whole gallery of suits of armour (these people were so tiny, I don't think I could wear one of their suits!), some worn by quite famous fellows, and covered with exquisite and complicated engraving--boy do they lool heavy and uncomfortable! That is why all of the "stair" streets here have such shallow (3-4 inch) steps--so the knights could climb them in their armour! Also saw crossbows, cannons, carriages and all kinds of intricately emroidered vestments from the various Grand Masters.

We took a ferry this evening across the Grand Harbour to Sliema (the night club, hotel and condo capital of Malta!) The first building we saw was a Burger King (how depressing!) We wandered the promenade--a long windy brick path that circles the city along the waters edge (but high up along the bastions). We saw the bath houses, the golden stone beaches (with wading pools carved into the limestone!) and many many condos, high rises, etc. The wide boulevard, mediterranean architecture, condos and clubs reminded us of Miami Beach. We had dinner at a little tiny (6-8 tables) British fish N chips shoppe run by a fellow with a Brit accent but who looked Maltese; we were the only customers and got red carpet treatment. Lovely fresh crisp salad with the best lettuce and beets, cucumbers and sweet onions. Also tasty fish and french fries (chips).

We have discovered that public bathrooms in Malta are common and scrupulously clean (hurray!) but are often out of toilet paper and paper towels! (I'm carrying kleenex everywhere). We rode the bus back to Valletta (about 15 minute ride). At the bus stop we met a couple from Libya with a 2 month old baby who invited us to take our next holidy in Libya! He was so nice and quite friendly--excellent English, and not the least bit upset that we were American. He says Libya is cheap and quite beautiful. He is the head of a Cargo Service (shipping) company that runs out of Libya and Ghana (he gave Jeff his card). The bus ride cost about 30 cents apiece--definitely the way to get around! Our driver from the airport drove just like the guide books say--like a maniac with a death wish, and in a fancy Mercedes Benz, no less. He must be good--there wasn't a scratch on it, but he's lucky I didn't wet my pants in the back seat!

Tomorrow we head for the Megalithic ruins and possibly Gordon's parents'--they live in a nearby town. Hope I am not boring you with all of this! Please print out a copy of these e-mails so I can have a record of our trip!


Love to all, Mom/Faye

PS--our girls would be stars here--we keep seeing Malta women with desperately awful dye jobs, trying to be blonde!! (why, when they have such glorious thick dark hair is beyond me!)

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