Wied Iz-Zurrieq

Wied iz-Zurrieq is a valley on the coast of Malta. The Steep slope of the valley continues underwater. The bottom falls to 30 mtrs plus. The location comes to its full glory at night as crabs, hidden during the day. Only for today I will post two photos to show you the valley.

'Il-Gnien ta San Gorg' - St.Georges bay's Garden 2

Looking further on to the right from yesterday's photo you will see this.

'Il-Gnien ta San Gorg' - St.Georges bay's Garden

This is a small garden and is found in St.George's Bay area in Birzebbuga. This is the area I grew up in, and I must admit we used to come and play in this garden very very often. Today in the middle of the garden they have added a couple of swings a slide and two climbing frames, it's my kids turn to play here now.

Birzebbuga - Post Office

This is our local post office. Amongst alot of things at the post office one can buy stamps, and pay bills.

Floriana Granaries 'il-Fosos'

The knights of St.John built underground granaries known in Maltese as 'il-fosos', to store wheat as near possible to their centres of activity in the main harbour. The Floriana granaries are the most famous. These were capable of storing 57328 'salma' (equivalent to around 290,000 litres). These were still in use hundreds of years later, especially during world war II when food supplies brought by escorted convoys were at the mercy of the German and Italian warplane and warships.

Floriana Parish

This church is renowned in Malta for the many paintings by the late Maltese painters Emvin Cremona and Paul Camilleri Cauchi. Various other works of art include the red velvet sacred vestment and altar cloths, silverware,the canopy over the main altar and the Statue of the Patron Saint St.Publius.

Mediterranean Conference Centre - Valletta

The Mediterranean Conference Centre is located adjacent to Fort St.Elmo, overlooking the grand harbour, (behind from where I was standing when I took the previous two posts). It is a very imposing building and is the former "Sacra Imfermeria" of the order of St.John of Jerusalem. If you enter their website www.mcc.com.mt and click on History you will be able to see some of the beautiful architectural features this building has inside

The Valletta Breakwater

From the position in which I took the photo I posted yesterday we turn to the left side and we have the Valletta breakwater. Here a ship enters the Grand Harbour at Valletta, once locked with heavy chains for the Ottoman Turks.

Back to the 'CITY'

The City - Valletta, is surrounded by bastions and war memorials. This photo shows the 'Siege Bell, World War II memorial'(I was using my point and shoot only so I couldn't zoom in well enough). This is a memorial to the people who died during WWII. Malta was severly bombed by the Axis powers during the war. The bell is rung daily at noon. It is situated between fort St.Elmo and the Lower barrakka gardens.

Sliema seafront - 3

Underneath the new buildings and the newly done seafront, there is an untouched landscape.

Touring Sliema Seafront - 2

I shall give you a small tour round the Sliema seafront , hope you enjoy it.

Sliema seafront - 1

It is now the time of year where a stroll, jog or fast walk becomes necessary. You know summer is round the corner and everyone would want to loose the winter extras!!

St. Paul's Street - Valletta

Hotel Phoenicia Malta

A distinguished old style hotel, the Phoenicia stands in a commanding position just outside the city gates of Valletta.

'Il-Wied' The valley

Looking further on to the left of yesterday's photo here is the valley what we call in maltese 'il-wied'.

Birzebbuga

The road you can see next to the buildings on the right hand side of the photo is the main road leading in and out of Birzebbuga. Opposite on the left side is the valley what in Maltese we call 'il-wied'. Also you can see boats which are placed here in the winter and in summer this is used as a car park.

The Upper 'Barrakka' Gardens - 2

This is another part from the upper barrakka gardens.

Looking down from the 'Barrakka'

These bastions where purposely built to protect the city, no one was meant to climb up these walls.

The Lower 'Barrakka' Gardens

There are two monuments in the lower gardens, one dedicated to Alexander Ball and another in remembrance of the Great Siege of Malta.

The Upper 'Barrakka' Gardens

Upper barrakka Gardens is a public garden in Valletta. It offers a panpramic view of the Grand Harbour. The origins of the upper Barrakka Gardens go back to 1661 when in effect it was a private garden belonging to the Italian Knights.

Floriana

This is a view of Floriana. Floriana is found exactly next to Valletta. The photo was taken from the Valletta bastions.

Floriana is named after the Italian military engineer Pietro Paolo Floriani who was responsible for building the town's fortifications. However, the actual building of the residential town was the work of the Portuguese Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena.

Oldest house in Cospicua

This is the oldest house in cospicua, has plenty of features such as rampant arch, vaults and basement with manmade gutters for rainwater. This photo was also given to me by my friend Laetitia.

Zejtun Roof tops -'Bjut'

This is how the roof tops (bjut in maltese) of Maltese houses are, unlike most of the northern countries here in Malta the roof is used. We use it for hanging out the washing, for having a bbq in the summer and creating a roof garden.


Happy Easter to everyone

Good Friday Procession - Zejtun

This statue is of Jesus praying in the garden for his disciples.

Every year on Good Friday in some of the Maltese towns a procession is held reconstructing the story of Jesus when he was crucified. This is the Zejtun town. Zejtun is also found on the southern part of the island and is close to Birzebbuga.


















Jesus Sentenced to be Crucified.

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again saying "Hail, king of the Jews" and slapped him in the face. ......... as soon as the chief priests and their officials saw him, they shouted "Crucify! Crucify!".

Good Friday

This is a photo showing a miniature model display of the story of the crucification.





This is a photo displaying salt painting depicting parts from the bible. Paintings are made using only coloured salt and a spoon to build up the picture. some paintings are made with rice or barley or small dried pasta shapes





This is the Cospicua parish church altar. Cospicua is part of the three cities.


The photos and information of today where given to me by my friend Laetitia. She has taken so many more, maybe I will show you more in the next couple of days.

In Malta tonight in most of the main towns there will processions with statues reconstructing the whole event of the crucifiction, they are so impressive.

On one of my walks I was looking down at the sea and realised how clear it was . This my friends is the mediterranean sea. Following is a poetic expression my friend Laetitia pointed out and since it is beautiful I wanted to share it.

A smile costs nothing, but gives a lot.

It enriches those who receive it without making poorer those who give it.

A smile takes only a moment, but the memory of it can last forever.

No one is so rich, or so mighty, that they can get a long without a smile.

And no one is so poor that they cannot be made richer by a smile.

A smile creates happiness in the home, fosters goodwill in business and is the

counter sign of friendship.

A smile brings rest to the weary, cheer to the discouraged, sunshine to the

sad and is nature's best cure for trouble

Yet it cannot be bought, begged, borrowed, or stolen
for it is of no value to anyone until it is given away.

Some people are too tired to give a smile so give them one of yours as no one needs a smile so much as he who has no more of his own to give.

Palm Sunday - Christian Calendar

In the Christian Calendar Palm Sunday marks the begining of the holy week, when the church commemorates the crucifixion of Christ on Good Friday and the resurrection on Easter Sunday. The service marks Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem a week before being crucified. How do you celebrate this week in your country?

BBQ season open

Yesterday in our town the bbq season was open !! Someone also had the courage to swim, personally I think it is still a bit cold to swim. If you notice well in the photo there is a ball flying in mid air. Two boys from our group where playing ball.