| Cruise
to Malta |
| By Raymond
T Clement |
| You have
seen Napoli, been to Capri, visited Sorrento, and toured the Amalfi
Coast, now back to Rome? Maybe not. Are you intrigued by the idea of a
cooling sea cruise to an exotic island nation that has been at the crossroads
of the Mediterranean since antiquity, been plundered innumerable times
by pirates, and played host to a storied band of knights? Why this
island was even once pawned by an impoverished king to pay his debts.
The place is
Malta, and if it sounds good then book passage on the Grimaldi Ferries
“Malta Express” that sails from Salerno every Thursday. One can stay a
week, or if your collecting countries, three days, returning to Salerno
on Saturday after a Friday of sightseeing and shopping. |
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| But your mini-vacation
starts topside as George the bartender prepares a refreshing drink
to begin the nineteen hour voyage that begins at noon and arrives in the
Port of Valetta, Malta at 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning. “The Love
Boat it ain’t,” opines George, as he checks his supplies. It is what
is known in the trade as a Ro-Ro (roll on-roll off), carrying truck trailers
with cargo for Malta and other Mediterranean ports. It has passenger accommodations
that are spare, but comfortable. There is a TV in the lounge along with
the ubiquitous slot machines. Deck chairs for taking the good sea air,
and sort of a promenade for those wishing to get some exercise.
You are served
three meals a day in a spotless dining room hosted by a kitchen staff of
Filipino nationals. The crew is in fact international in character, crewed
by Bulgarian officers, with a sprinkling of Italians. As he mixes
your drink George explains that there are twenty eight members in the crew
who rotate on a nine month on, three month off cycle.
A blast on
the horn signals our departure for Malta on one of those crystalline blue
days that Italy is famous for. |
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| Although a
slight haze is already forming along the shoreline heralding a warm day
in the Italian sun, a cooling breeze greets one on deck. The scenery
of the coast is spectacular. At dusk one passes the massive presence
of Stromboli, and as night falls the lights along the Straits of Messina
appear on the horizon and the call for the evening meal is made. It is
served “family style”, and it is difficult not to make new friends as the
ship makes its way through the straits to the open sea.
It is not hard
to fall asleep with the rock-a-bye motion of the boat through the smooth
waters, and the light of morning finds one entering the habor of Valetta,
intrigued by the massive walls that have often repelled, but have also
fallen prey to raiding corsairs. With an on time arrival we have a full
day to visit the island’s capital and chief city. The trip through customs
is quick and courteous as the primary source of income for Malta is tourism. |
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Offshore
Resources Gallery
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| The most obvious
aspect of Malta are its fortifications. They were mainly built by the
Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem (better known as the Knights
of Malta)who were originally established to aid the wounded during the
Crusades. Later they adopted a more military bent. First on Rhodes,
copying the piratical methods of the Corsairs; then on Malta at the beginning
eleventh century, where they prospered, taking control and gaining
sovereignty in 1530. The Knights of Malta ruled until the close of the
eighteenth century when the British made Malta a colony which was granted
independence shortly after the end of World War II.
Any tour of
the island must include a visit to the churches of Saints’ Battista and
Barbara to view the paintings of Mattia Preti, also known as the Cavalier
of Calabria because he was as good with the sword as he was with the brush.
Legend has it that between Rome and Malta, with a brief stop in Naples,
he dispatched more than a dozen who roused his ire.
At Valetta
at the age of eighty he died of a blood infection after a bad shave from
his barber. |
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| St. Paul
(of the Road to Damascus fame) was shipwrecked here on his way to Rome.
After spending a few months to convert the inhabitants he continued his
journey. A small stone chapel commemorates the point of his arrival. It
is a short distance from Valetta, easily reached by public transportation.
It should be visited for it is one of the confirmed, verified historical
facts concerning the travels of St. Paul around the Mediterrean. For such
a small country Malta has had an awful lot of history.
However, a
visit to the market stalls of Valetta will occupy the visitor for hours,
so it is best to see those historical vistas before joining the throngs
that clog the streets. There are real bargains here, and one is expected
to haggle over the price. It is almost an insult not to do so! There are
fine examples of glass and ceramic art by local craftsman.
Some of the
work in gold and silver is worth a second look also. |
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Offshore
Resources Gallery
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| Food is an
important part of Maltese life and one must at least sample some of the
local specialties. Being an island nation has made fish a staple of the
diet, and is prepared in many tempting ways. if one is going to spend a
week there are many fine establishments for evening dining, but since we
are on a one day tour a late after noon lunch is more in order since the
ship departs for Salerno at seven in the evening.
A quiet restaurant
called Trattoria Parolaccia, tucked away at 137 Archbishop Street in Valetta,
right around the corner from the Palace Building, was given a try. It did
not disappoint. A nice touch was a visit from the kitchen of the chef to
describe the specials of the day. The food was very good, the local wine
serviceable, and the service impeccable.
Time left for
a quiet walk back to the ship. From the prometory on which Valetta is sited
one is offered a panorama of the harbor, the battlements, towers, and ramparts
of the “Fortress Malta.” One passes through a park with formal gardens,
and monuments dedicated to the brave men and women that defended their
island home, successfully, in World War II.
Arriving back
on board we were informed that there would be a delayed departure awaiting
cargo being off-loaded from another ship. The “Malta Express” is a working
vessel, and if one was to find fault this would be a point, but this offered
an opportunity to meet with the ship’s master, Captain Zhivko Zhekov. He
is only thirty-nine years of age but has already spent 17 of those years
at sea. This is his third command. He talked of the delay, which
he said was beyond his control. He mentioned he had ordered the kitchen
to prepare something special for dessert in a small gesture to make amends
(it turned out to be strawberry shortcake). He said that Grimaldi Ferries
was committed to making the journey aboard a pleasant experience for passengers
and tourists. While the trip to Valencia in Spain carries some vacationers
the one to Malta is more slanted to the tourist and schedules are adhered
to a much as possible he added.
A few hours
later, in the lounge, the crew that had gone off duty joined the passengers
in the lounge for a nighcap. The sea had come up a bit, the Captain excused
himself to visit the bridge, and the passengers began to filter back to
their cabins.
Most of this
return journey would be made in darkness,but the morning light would bring
the Italian coast into high relief off the starboard side. The sea had
been a little unkind during the night, kicking up some swells that made
the return a little uncomfortable, but with a full load the ship rode it
pretty well. At about 4:00 o’clock the skyline of Salerno came into view
(only two hours off schedule). Although the journey had been less than
three days it seemed like a much longer, enjoyable, vacation. Malta is
now in the bag of memories.
English is
the official language of Malta; although a language, Aramic in derivation,
is spoken by many Maltese. The “Parolaccia Trattoria Restaurant”
is small and reservations are strongly suggested, especially for the evening.
Tel. 250169. Contact Grimaldi Ferries at 081 496 444 in Naples for
Reservations and Sailing Times. |
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