Malta

We woke up early in the morning and stepped out onto the balcony and there was Malta shining in the middle of the blue, blue ocean. Malta is incredibly beautiful and old. It sits in the middle of the Mediterranean and was fought over and owned by just about everyone. In 1530 the Spanish King gave Malta to the Knights of St. John for their home and they are the ones that built most of the beautiful things. Most of these Knights were the second sons of the rich families of Europe so a lot of money was poured into Malta. Their mission was to protect Christian pilgrims traveling to and from the Holy Land. The island was fortified by a very deep moat and a huge wall which is mostly still there and makes the island glorious.
After the shipped docked, we took a tour of Valletta which took us to the Palace of the Grand Masters and the Cathedral of St. John. The palace was full of tapestries, paintings, armor, and beautiful gardens. The cathedral was one of the prettiest I have ever seen. It also had the painting "The Beheading of John" by Michael Angelo Caravaggio which was beautiful. The streets of Valletta were cobbled marble, polished smooth from all of the travelers over the years and the buildings almost glittered in the sun. It is truly a beautiful city.
After our tour of Valletta, we boarded buses which took us to Mdina which is the ancient city of Malta. It sits on a hill in the middle of the island and has gorgeous views. This walled city was the center of Malta's culture for 3000 years. It has narrow cobbled streets that twist and turn leading you to the center which has the cathedral. The cathedral wasn't as plush as the one in Valletta, but it was certainly beautiful.