Celebrity Silhouette Postcard #8 Valletta, Malta

A completely different panorama for our sail into Valletta and with the sun just up and it was already starting to feel very warm. There were some quite spectacular colours being provided from the old fortified walls of Valletta.
I can fully understand why some people are really taken by the sail into Valletta having now done it myself.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="Sailing into Valletta"][/caption]



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="Sail in scene Valletta"][/caption]



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="Valletta Cruise Terminal"][/caption]



Off the ship we decided to take the City Sightseeing HoHo bus on the red route. Buying tickets just outside the cruise terminal we wandered along the road to the stop only to find a massive queue.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="Queue for the HoHo outside the terminal"][/caption]



So we set about finding the stop prior to this one so we could get on the bus before this lot. We managed to locate it without too much bother and guess what........

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="The queue for the HoHo the stop before"][/caption]



No queue, and when the bus arrived it was practically empty.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="Practically empty HoHo bus"][/caption]



When we arrived back round to the terminal we felt pretty smug as there was a stampede by the others to find seats. Anyway sitting on the top of the bus provided a welcome breeze as we wound our way round the route. We had intended to get off at a couple of places but there were never any available seats for people getting on at any of the stops we got to. It would have been nice to see the Blue Grotto but we were worried we may never get back being as the buses only run every 45 minutes and if this bus was anything to go by then we could get stuck. So we stayed on and returned back to Valletta, the whole route taking just over 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Back to Valletta, which on first appearances seemed to be a fortified maze and then turned out to be a very picturesque little town. We set off on foot to explore the old town.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="One of the many Valletta streets"][/caption]



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="Another typical Valletta scene"][/caption]



There is some absolutely fantastic architecture tucked away down the little side streets and I was particularly interested in the bay windows which seemed to be everywhere. We wandered around for a couple of hours up and down the shady streets enjoying the views.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="A Valletta Street with many of the bay windows"][/caption]



Having stopped for a drink outside the library we made our way back to the lift which is free if you are going down but not if you are going up. It does provide a nice convenient way to getting back down to the cruise terminal. I can't for the life of me remember the name of it. I know it begins with a B but that's it.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="The Lift"][/caption]



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1000" caption="In port with the Costa Favalosa"][/caption]



Back on board time for lunch folowed by a couple of hours in the sun before sailing away just before the Costa Favalosa. Tomorrow is a sea day so I will again try and find something of value to post.



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