We’ve spent the first few days here exploring our neighborhood and beyond. Our location in Sliema has worked out well. There are nearby bus and ferry stops, a grocery store, gelato shop, restaurants and even a yoga studio just ten minutes away.
Saturday we took a bus to Mdina (pronounced M – deena) about one hour (unless you miss the stop as we did and then it’s one hour and 30 minutes!) away. The cost is €1.20 on any bus for a 2 hour window. The bus is modern and efficient though the driver must have been a retired race car driver as he sped and lurched through the narrow roadways causing passengers to fly forward during frequent quick stops!
Mdina was Malta’s first capital city. The entire city is confined within fortified walls and had a population of around 400 people today.
One of the main attractions is St. Paul’s Cathedral shown below.
The interior is baroque in style and beautiful.
The Cathedral Museum next door was more interesting than expected with a large exhibition of woodcuts and etchings by Albrecht Durer plus a variety of other works and artifacts. I liked this painting titled ‘Greek Ladies’ by Antoine Favray, Malta (1789).
The Mdina city streets are narrow – many too narrow for cars – only a few residents’ cars, emergency vehicles, and wedding or funeral vehicles are allowed. That’s partly why it’s nicknamed ‘the Silent City’.
For lunch we tried the traditional Maltese platter for two – cheese, sausages, olives, capers, tuna dip, bean dip, water biscuits and sun-dried tomatoes. Just right for lunch!
We’ve carved out space at the kitchen table and we’re taking some time today to catch up on reading, correspondence, etc.
Here’s Larry busy at work.
The weather is pleasant – the temps nearly 60 degrees. We’ll rest a bit and explore more later – all is well in Malta!