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Norwegian Jade
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Norwegian Jade Cruise Photos
From:
Norwegian Jade Cruise Review
Day 2: Valletta, Malta (2)
From the top of the Upper Barrakka Lift, we walked to
Valletta's business district, passing impressive buildings along the way.
Valletta's main shopping street was filled with stalls that
sold souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, and other tourist items.
Downtown Valletta also had many established businesses that
catered to residents of Malta, along with green street decorations that had no
meaning for tourists like us.
A streetsweeper kept the attractive stone pavement spick
and span.
In another street, intrepid visitors (apparently unafraid
of Malta's steep hills) set out on a Segway Tour.
Many of Valletta's public signs were in English, but a few--such as this
cryptic sign--were in a language understood only by certain people and small
dogs.
We later ran the text through Google Translate, which told
us that the sign meant:
"Property of Police Malta is illegal to remove or taken
WITHOUT permission. On execute this I illegality being sued."
As midday approached, we retraced our steps to the Upper
Barrakka Gardens and the Saluting Battery
that faced the Grand Harbour.
The cannons sat quietly above the ramparts, with their
muzzles pointed over the bow of Norwegian Jade.
Visitors gathered around a cannon while a soldier explained
how it worked.
Shortly before noon, tourists were shooed away and the
soldier loaded powder into his cannon's breech.
Next, the soldier stood alongside the cannon and raised
his arm in a salute.
At 12 p.m., the Noon Gun was fired. (This photo is blurry
because a woman next to Cheryl cried out and bumped against her when the cannon
went off with a loud "boom.")
After the smoke dispersed, the soldier left and the
tourists took over.
We returned to the center of town and found the
Malta Tourist Information Office, where a helpful employee answered our questions about the town.
We also visited the public lavatories around the corner, which
had self-cleaning pay toilets.
Under the arcades of Republic Square, we saw a
blue-and-white booth where an elderly gent was selling drinks.
A local man insisted that we try the almond-based drink,
which was a kind of horchata with lemon.
We each ordered a glass, and the drink was indeed refreshing
on a hot summer day.
We continued to wander through the city center. Near the
Triton Fountain at the western end of downtown, we found Valletta's Bus
Terminus, where public buses went to towns and villages around the island.
Why share a seat with a stranger when you can hook up with
someone before you board the bus?
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