Another nice sunrise, although once the sun comes up, the humidity rises with it.
I woke around 5am, after putting the light out at 11pm last night. A very solid 6 hour sleep. I got up around 5:30am and caught up on the blog from yesterday. I didn't go down to breakfast until after 7:30, as today is Sunday and I'm going to have a relaxing day.
When I went to use the lift to go down to breakfast, it was not working, so walked down the emergency exit stairs to the ground floor and to the breakfast room. The hotel is a small hotel. 30 rooms over 6 floors and only 1 lift and no porters. You will appreciate this, John & Carole Muir.
After a hearty breakfast, I then walked up the 100 stairs (yes, I counted them) which have a riser about twice the height of a normal stair, to my 6th floor room, with outdoor balcony. :) (Note to self. Take a photo of stair risers tomorrow). That walk up wasn't too bad.
My plan for today was to visit the Lascaris War Rooms, War Rooms & NATO Tunnels, Upper Barrakk Gardens and St. Johns Co-Cathedral. Hmmmm. Should have checked what days things were opened.
After leaving the hotel and walking for only a few minutes, I started following the signs to the Lascaris War Rooms. After walking down, I don't know how many steps, I then continued through a tunnel to the entrance.
It's closed on Sundays.
So I back-tracked along the tunnel (at least it was coolish) and up about 400 stairs and continued onto the Upper Barrakk Gardens.
A couple of stray cats who had just been fed by a local resident.
One thing I haven't mentioned, is that almost all housing is multi story apartments. The only 'houses' that I have been aware of, have been in the old parts of the 'old' cities. There might be single dwellings out in the suburbs.
Before visiting the Gardens, I walked over to Castille Place and took a few photos of the white sculptures that are there.
Then to the Upper Barrakk Gardens.
and a view of The Saluting Battery below.
It was only about 10am and the noon day 'Live" cannon firing was still a couple of hours away.
As I walked out of the Gardens, I spotted another sculpture on the other side of the Castile Place. It is called "A Flame which never dies" and was inaugurated in July 2017. It is a tribute to all the Maltese who worked passionately, so that the Maltese people could become master of their own fate as a nation and determine their future. The work is by artist Valerio Schembri.
Another white sculpture. Something about a man going to sleep on an empty stomach will dream of bread. I think.
I called into a souvenir shop to check things out and then while walking through a side street saw a lovely door knocker.
I was going to visit St. Johns Co-Cathedral but as I had a sleepless top on, gave that a miss. I now plan on visiting there tomorrow. I then continued on walking.
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| Fort St. Angelo |
I found a restaurant in Merchants Street, so stopped to have some lunch.
A very delicious Caesar Salad
With a nice large cool drink
After lunch I headed back to the Upper Barrakk Gardens. The noon canon firing had started but was still going on when I arrived back there. Certainly not a "Live" firing as they advertise, or perhaps it's only a recording on Sundays. :)
As it was really hot & humid, I made tracks back to the hotel.
The walk up to my room was exhausting and as soon as I was in the room, I stripped off and had a shower. Also washed the clothes as they were very damp and my hair, even though I had only washed it this morning.
I went out again in the afternoon, taking a few more photos,
but returned to the hotel fairly early, to get away from the humidity.
I don't know what is worse. Hot & humid or the cold.
Night all.
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