Going for Gold

On Thursday, we spent a day visiting some of the sights in Valletta. Our first stop was St John’s Catholic Cathedral in the centre of the city. A ramp took us to the top of the steps, and to the front of the queue. Having had our bags and Racheal’s wheelchair searched, we were admitted to the ornate, gold covered interior and join the line of people slowly making their way around the various smaller chapels surrounding the nave. It was interesting to watch a lady restoring one of the large paintings too.

As we were in Valletta, we returned to the house for lunch before heading out again. This time we set off down the hill towards the end of the peninsula. As it had started to rain we decided to visit The Malta Experience, a 45 minute documentary on the history of the country. Summer and I listened to the commentary through headphones, but the film also had sound effects which Racheal could hear.

Afterwards, we joined a short guided tour of La Sacra Infermeria built in 1574. It was the hospital of the Order of the Knights of St John where the knights cared for the sick, but only male patients. (Female patients were cared for on their own homes by nuns, or at the convent if they were in need of constant nursing.) In the hospital, which could accommodate up to 900 patients, were two wards, one for the rich and one for the poor. The first having single beds with a toilet to each bed, the latter having large beds with four or five to a bed, but still a toilet for each bed. The vaulted wards held over a hundred patients and each patient had a number painted on the wall. Windows along one side looked out onto a garden growing aromatic plants grown both for their medicinal properties and to hide the smell of the latrines. Our guide, Anna, was very knowledgeable and obviously enjoyed sharing her love of this fascinating building with anyone who had an interest.

When we left, the sun had come out again and we were able to enjoy a cafe stop outside overlooking the Grand Harbour. But the fine weather was short lived and our walk back was punctuated with sharp showers and the need to shelter in doorways to avoid the hail.