Malta

I'm writing this at the end of our third full day of the cruise, our first full day at sea.  I couldn't write about our day yesterday because I was EXHAUSTED. People who wore fitbits said we walked over 6 miles yesterday - on cobblestones with no lunch break until 2:30.  Clif and I are two of the youngest people on our bus of 46, and we were pushed to our limits.  Part of the problem is that our own tour - 650 of us - create a HUGE line at every place we need to go.  So we spent at least 1.5 hours just standing in line.  Our bus was full of intrepid troopers, but good Lord, we all needed a day to decompress today.  Of course, we still had an hour and a half lecture/worship time  with Adam Hamilton but it was on the ship - no buses or lines required!

Now that I'm done complaining, we saw some cool things in Malta!  The view of the sunrise on the stone buildings was breathtaking.  I felt transported back in time.  We saw the traditional place it is believed that Paul's ship ran aground - St. Paul's island.  Then we went to Mdina, the city where the governor Publius lived.  Paul converted him and he became the first bishop of Malta.  The city is enchanting with narrow streets and tall stone buildings built in the 1300s  where people still live and work.

Next we toured the ruins of the home of a wealthy Roman family.  It is believed to have been inhabited when Paul was on the island so it is likely he visited or even dined with that family.

Then we went to Valletta to see St. Paul's Cathedral.  It was incredibly ornate.

We had lunch with local Maltese foods and saw the preparations for an Indian wedding that was estimated to cost $4 million.  They even closed a street for it!