Tuesday the 12th and take as read from now on the morning routine will follow in the same vain unless otherwise stated, I shall be slightly increasing the gym work out each day, for instance I pushed the stepper to seven and one half minutes, the curls from twenty five to fifty, and threw in ten sit ups on the roman chair just for good measure, had the pool to myself for the quick dip.
Breakfast was as yesterday what made today different was the students, there was a marked contrast the old brigade sat in almost stony silence while the kids talked like Gatling guns twenty words to the second, maybe the old guard had heard a roumer that there next word might be there last!
I decided to make today church day as you will soon discover, I catch the bus to Valletta but jump off in a town called Mosta the reason being I have heard a story about the main church called “Church of Santa Marija Assunta” or Mosta Dome for short.
The claim to fame is that on April 9th 1942 the local populass where sheltering inside the church from yet another Germany air raid when a large bomb pierced the dome, hit the church floor and skidded amongst the congregation without exploding! Now with that sort of divine intervention even I might be converted from atheism, it is a splendid example of a church wonderful dome, and even has a replica of the bomb in a side room it’s a monster of an object.
I take some photographs buy two obligatory fridge magnets and light a candle for some of my lost family members and also remember Mrs Sabin *
Then it’s catch another bus into the capital for more sightseeing , I’m beginning to get a feel for this city, yesterday I walked quite a way around the bay in Valletta so decide to see some more of it off I go and what a panorama it is buildings and ships of all shapes and sizes, but it’s the churches that catch the eye they dominate this wonderful island.
As I wonder aimlessly along my eye is caught by a poster fixed to a phone booth, asking “are you sexually active, if so remember you need protection, there is a young lady posing holding a cycling helmet!! I think to myself is this sex education Maltese style and I wonder what the teenage pregnancy rates are? A cycling helmet I’d heard of a Dutch cap but this is a new one on me.
After a while I move back towards the centre of the city, and come across a small rotund church that looks of interest it’s called “Sarria Church” I enter about to do the usual tourist trick quick look round few photos and on to the next objective, as I entered it was soon obvious to me that I was the only tourist in there, I sat down looked around me there were twenty one people of both sexes and all age ranges from early twenties up to seventies I would think, I abandoned my photographic idea it just did not feel right, I felt I was intruding, these people were here for a religious experience all in deep thought, I was here to take pretty pictures, so I sat for a few minutes in meditation almost hoping to be converted, then quietly left.
I had only gone a few hundred yards when I stumbled up on another magnificent church (I did warn you about churches and Malta) this one was called “St.Publius Parish Church” it dominates the rather large square, now I must revert to type again, only to be foiled due to the fact it was closed until 16.00pm and that was three and one half hours away, so will leave that for another day.
Strolling along in the sunlight in January is a definite plus for me, every January since I was fifteen years of age I have been at work until this one, that’s forty eight long years so this is a real bonus I really did hate the UK at this time of year, soon my eye is caught by a wall sign indicating the way to “St. Paul Shipwreck” yes another church, but only this morning at breakfast I’d read about this place, so it’s a must to visit, I soon find it, and the sign on the door says free entrance, I push the door nothing happens so I push the other door same result locked, but according to the opening hours it should be open, I stand looking at the door as if I’m one of Ali babas forty thieves and if I say open sezame it will, but it doesn’t, then a couple walk up and try the door, at that point a voice from the other side of the street says closed till 16.00, here we go again.
I walk round the outside of yet another church, but this one is really imposing turns out to be St. John’s Co-Cathedral , and what more it’s open, just my luck it’s not free, 6 euros entrance not a fortune but not for today
Time for a snack so as I’m near the Capri Bar why not buy another roll, they are cheap and tasty at just one Euro thirty, I sit outside St. John’s on a bench in the afternoon sunshine. eat my roll and take a cherry juice drink from my flask, jump on the bus and back to base.
I shower , change and make my way to the lounge laptop under one arm, drink in the other hand, I sit writing down my thoughts of the day, but my attention is drawn to the conversations all around me, from a group of oldies listening to an elderly woman saying what a disgrace Bob Monkehouse had been in a show she had once been to, “his material was so vulgar she declares, and some of his visual actions well they were disgusting, as the conversation continued back and forth within the group, it then turns out she really meant Roy Chubby Brown, so rest in peace Bob your reputation is still intact.
I eavesdrop on another group discussing a film that is to be shown this evening “The Green Mile” good film I hear as one guy tries to describe the plot of the film, I fear if he give any more information there will be very little point in viewing the film, there’s this great big black guy he’s a giant brings a mouse back to life, is he the bird man of Alcatraz a woman in the group asks? He must know her well because he nearly has a coronary turning red in the face as he tells her in no uncertain terms to stop talking rubbish, that’s and old black and white film with Bert Lancaster!! This film has Tom Hanks in it, I give him credit he knows what he’s talking about.
At last time to eat again, good choice of food again, I choose the fish you can never go wrong with fish me thinks, I was wrong, should have gone with the chicken.
The students arrive for dinner and the decibel level climbs well past morgue level, a breath of fresh air.
I spend the rest of the evening struggling to connect my laptop to WIFI so I can get in touch with loved ones I even assist the help of one of the hotel staff, a guy called one on reception, after much head scratching I manage to get on line, but no luck with my emails, so I’m forced to use “Facebook” to send messages.
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