Travelblog Day Four

We all got up to Rodrigo's fabulous mini-quiches before departing on the bus for Valletta. A two dollar 45 minutes bus ride was better than any carnival or amusement park ride I've ever been on. Our lady driver was amazing. I believe the rule in Malta is drive down the middle of the narrow street until you meet an oncoming car then swerve left at the last possible second. It feels a little like a constant game of chicken. Park at your peril because these buses can only barely squeeze down the lane, and when we encountered a delivery truck blocking the street, my seatmate nearly blew a gasket. The bus driver was honking and a girl on a mobile was looking very stressed in the street. I assume it was her delivery. Anyway, they eventually moved and our capable driver safely delivered us to the walls of the city of Valletta, Malta's capital. The Triton fountain was under refurbishment so we missed that.

This is what the street of Valletta look like.

Our first mission was to find a battery for Ethan's camera which died at a most unfortunate time. We asked in shop after shop and were led to several different camera shops, but no luck finding the right battery. Our big destination after viewing the Grand Harbour from Upper Barrakka Gardens was St. John's Co-Cathedral. I did not realize I would come face to face with Caravaggio's breathtaking painting Beheading of St John the Baptist in the Oratory of the church. No photography allowed and could not do it justice anyway. Caravaggio was imprisoned for time in Malta, that cad, and completed this in 1608 two years before his untimely death. The raking light and the realism of his work, particularly the anatomy of his figures is un-be-lievable. It's incredible how this art holds up 400 plus years later, physically and emotionally.

We walked some more and chose a quaint indoor trattoria and we were all pleased with our Italian fare, especially the pillowy four cheese gnocchi that I can't stop thinking about. We then headed back to the bus, picking up gelato (found the advisably brown pistachio) and blended coffee drinks. Can you believe I passed?

Back to the villa for a nap and a long poolside swim and social time. Another wonderful day in Malta!