R. Doug Wicker's Blog, page 117

54 Days at Sea — Malta; Random Valletta views

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Valletta panorama

Today I present some random views of our stroll through Valletta, Malta:

54 Days at Sea — Valletta sights and the Carmelite Basilica

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Banners for the Feast of St. Augustine

Another church of note here in Valletta, Malta, is the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. This church was built around the same time as St. John’s Co-Cathedral.

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Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Valletta

This domed minor basilica is a UNESCO World Heritage site, but it’s not the original church. Because of severe damage during WWII, this Carmelite church was rebuilt beginning in 1958 and completed in 1981.

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Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Val...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Malta Favorites 2

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Malta after Sunrise

More Malta favorites:

Happy Halloween — The Apollyon Particle

 

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The Apollyon Particle — A Halloween Tale of Terror

Time for this year’s Halloween Story. If you enjoy it, please “Like” it below and spread the word. If you don’t, keep your mouth shut or suffer the wrath of Apollyon:

Friday, September 12, 2019

For immediate dissemination from Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (CERN):

My name is Dr. Vlad Draken, and I led the team that brought us to this catastrophe. The following is a brief synopsis of how we arrived here, what Apollyon has br...

54 Days at Sea — Malta; St. John’s Co-Cathedral

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Saint John’s Co-Cathedral

In Valletta, the capital of Malta, is St. John’s Co-Cathedral. This co-cathedral was built by the Order of St. John (Knights Hospitaller) over a five-year period ending in 1577.

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Saint John’s Co-Cathedral

You may know the Malta branch of Knights Hospitaller under different names — Knights of Malta. This was one fascinating group. For more information, read History of Malta under the Order of St. John.

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Saint John’s Co-Cathedral

While the exterior is rather plain and du...

54 Days at Sea — Strolling in Valletta

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Banners for the upcoming Feast of St. Augustine, Valletta

One of the striking aspects of strolling the streets of Valletta, Malta, are the colors that abound everywhere. For instance, in May there’s a week-long Feast of St. Augustine, and vivid red-and-gold banners fly everywhere. Even though M.S. Prinsendam arrived some three weeks before the festival, the banners were already in evidence over many streets. And below is a photo of a Valletta vendor vending various vines beneath a vaulted ver...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Malta Favorites 1

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Bedford bus with Greyhound Decal

Here is the first of four Malta Fun Photo Friday favorites:

54 Days at Sea — Setting foot onto Malta

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Valletta Waterfront

There is a lot of history in the Mediterranean, and the island nation of Malta (Republic of Malta) is the focal point for a lot of it. And while Malta is actually an archipelago consisting of many islands (many not more than large rocks jutting from the sea), only the three largest are inhabited. The island we’re on today is Malta Island, and the city we’ll be exploring is the capital Valletta.

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Valletta Waterfront

The cruise ship port in the Grand Harbor is alongside an ar...

54 Days at Sea — Malta; Sailing into the Grand Harbor

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Prinsendam sails into Grand Harbor, Malta

The captain of the M.S. Prinsendam warned us that we best be up early for our entry into the Grand Harbor (also called the Port of Valletta), Malta, if we wanted to see one of the most spectacular arrivals of the cruise. He was absolutely correct. The sun was low on the horizon, giving the ancient Maltese fortification and city walls a soft, warm glow.

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Grand Harbor (Port of Vallerta), Malta

Malta is, if anything, even more spectacular than even Santor...

Fun Photo Friday — 54 Days at Sea, Santorini Favorites 2

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Santorini Mule Train

Today is our last look at the colorful destination of Santorini, Greece: