{"id":1801,"date":"2020-01-28T07:30:40","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T12:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/?p=1801"},"modified":"2022-07-11T16:35:11","modified_gmt":"2022-07-11T20:35:11","slug":"three-cities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/2020\/01\/28\/three-cities\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Cities"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The <strong>Three Cities<\/strong> area is just across the harbor from Valletta &#8211; Vittoriosa (also called Birgu), Singlea, and Cospicua. In reality, they are just three small towns, each only a few hundred meters across.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1794\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1794\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5400-1-scaled.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1794\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5400-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5400-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5400-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5400-1-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5400-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5400-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5400-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1794\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Vittoriosa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The options for getting there from Valletta are bus, ferry, or water taxi &#8211; a small gondola with a motor called a <em>dghajsa<\/em>. We paid \u20ac2.00 each to make the crossing in the dghajsa with 4 other passengers from Greece. The &#8220;pilot&#8221; was careful to position us according to weight so that the load was equally distributed.<\/p>\n<div style=\"width: 525px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-1801-1\" width=\"525\" height=\"295\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5382.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5382.mp4\">https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5382.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p>Once on the other side, we admired the beautiful and enormous yachts in the harbor.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5390-scaled.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1796\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5390-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5390-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5390-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5390-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5390-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5390-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5390-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The <strong>Malta at War Museum<\/strong> is not as sophisticated as the war museums we visited in Poland but the highlight is a tour of an actual World War II underground shelter. Because Three Cities is right next to the harbor, it was extensively bombed and these hand-dug tunnels held up to 500 people overnight. The ceiling is low and we were issued hardhats &#8211; likely less effective when worn backwards&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5392-scaled.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1797\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5392-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5392-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5392-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5392-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5392-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5392-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1798\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1798\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5393-scaled.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1798\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5393-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5393-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5393-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5393-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5393-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5393-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1798\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Individual Space for a Family<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After our tour, we stopped by a quiet outdoor cafe for coffee and <em>imqaert<\/em>, a local specialty. Pastry filled with dates and then deep-fried.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5394-scaled.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1799\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5394-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5394-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5394-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5394-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5394-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5394-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>A traditional street food in Malta is called <em>Pastizzi &#8211; <\/em>a savory puff pastry with various fillings &#8211; ricotta, mashed peas, or creamy chicken. In Malta, you&#8217;re never far from a pastizzeria. Below, Larry is trying one under the watchful eye of the vendor. These make for a quick, cheap, and filling lunch.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5378-scaled.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1800\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5378-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5378-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5378-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5378-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5378-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5378-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_5378-2048x1536.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Back in Valletta, we walked to the ferry port to get a closer look at this large ship.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1803\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1803\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_20200127_160344_original-scaled.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-1803\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_20200127_160344_original-scaled.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_20200127_160344_original-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_20200127_160344_original-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_20200127_160344_original-113x150.jpg 113w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_20200127_160344_original-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/img_20200127_160344_original-1536x2048.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 767px) 89vw, (max-width: 1000px) 54vw, (max-width: 1071px) 543px, 580px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1803\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Electric Powered Ship<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Larry talked to the security guy at the harbor and learned that the ship is an all-electric-powered ferry &#8211; the first that this security guy has ever seen. He checked the log and told us that it&#8217;s a new ferry, made in Scandinavia (possibly Norway) and just stopped in Malta to re-charge &#8211; destination unknown.<\/p>\n<p>The sky is blue and the temps are up to 62 degrees. All is well!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Three Cities area is just across the harbor from Valletta &#8211; Vittoriosa (also called Birgu), Singlea, and Cospicua. In reality, they are just three small towns, each only a few hundred meters across. The options for getting there from Valletta are bus, ferry, or water taxi &#8211; a small gondola with a motor called &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/2020\/01\/28\/three-cities\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Three Cities&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1801","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-malta-and-sicily"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1801"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3568,"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1801\/revisions\/3568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/travel.woodring.us\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}