We
are staying a little bit off the beaten track. Although our apartment
is clean and reasonably comfortable, the building itself is very, very
old. The steps to our unit on the fourth floor are a nightmare -
narrow, uneven, and no handrails. Fortunately there is a tiny modern
lift. The only steps I have needed to negotiate are the ones near the
ground floor. Even those five steps are of uneven heights, and I have
needed to be super careful.
These steps are an
indication of what we have found all around the city. Valletta, the
capital, is built on a hill. Roads and alleys go up and down, and steps
stairs seem to pop up at random intervals. I use a cane consistently.
We
have been here for four full days so far and have had fun exploring the
area. Some places we have just come across by chance. For instance,
St. Paul’s Co-Cathedral is just up the hill from where we are staying.
It is called a Co-Cathedral as there is no resident bishop. We attended
the Sunday Service there, along with a visiting forty-two member
Cambridge choir. The music was great. After the service, refreshments
were served - tea, coffee, juice, cake - and would you believe it, a
choice of red or white wine, all serviced outside on the portico.
One
of our best experiences was today when we toured a hospital infirmary
built in the 1500’s by the Knights of St. John. This ancient building
stretched six levels underground. The main ward was capable of housing
900 patients, who paid for their stay. This gave them their own bed and
a private toilet. The ward was huge, well over one hundred metres in
length. The next level down was another ward of the same dimensions
where people with no money could receive free care. However, at this
level, there were four patients to a bed and they shared one toilet.
There were no women allowed in the hospital as either patients, staff,
or visitors. All staff were men. If sick, women stayed at home and
were cared for by nuns.
The fifth and sixth
levels down were built as escape tunnels for the Knights. Currently
these levels are closed to visitors because of rising sea levels and
water is beginning to seep in.
The tour was part of the Malta Experience, an
audiovisual presentation of the history of Malta followed by the
walking tour of the ancient infirmary. One infirmary level is now
converted to a reception area, used for weddings and other functions.
There are four pictures with this post:
Picture 1 - Street view near our apartment building.
Picture 2 - Sue standing beside the baptismal font at St. Paul’s.
Picture 3 - Sue standing in the low ceiling tunnel at the Infirmary.
Picture 4 - Lunch outside
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