Malta, week 3
When we last reported, there were only the four of us living in our half of the apartment building. But on Thursday, February 7, our twelve wonderful Luther students joined us in Malta. They all arrived mostly on time, with all their luggage, and with smiles on their faces.
The day before their arrival, we went on a special trip to the Dingli Cliffs, on the western coast of Malta. It was a beautiful day, and the cliffs were stunning. The bus trip routed us through Rabat and Mdina, the ancient capital of Malta, where we will return soon with the students.
The beautiful Dingli Cliffs
A huge yucca plant, with Valletta in the background
Our other big event was yesterday, Sunday, February 10. This is the feast day for St. Paul’s Shipwreck, an important day in the Maltese calendar (it’s actually a national holiday). This day commemorates St. Paul’s short sojourn to Malta, when he was shipwrecked on the island. There is a church dedicated to this event in Valletta, and on February 10, they hold a festa, or feast. This consists of several masses in the morning, parades with brass bands in the afternoon, and processions and fireworks in the evening. We made it to the middle part of the day, and enjoyed seeing the city all decked out with colorful banners and ticker-tape (well, the 2019 equivalent, which is shredded recycled paper, mostly old sudoku puzzles, it seems).
Valletta on festa day
The band plays a lot during the day, so players often take a break. Sometimes, it’s a smoking break.
Sean Joyce
February 16, 2019 at 9:15 am //
What Fun! Prayers for the Joyce / Self party and all the college students. With Love from the Lone Star State!