Saturday 18 May 2019

...but we ended up on this one. At least we were early enough to get a front seat.



Setting sail .......



Sliemma ferry plying it's trade.



Front seat view.



Off we go!



Heading around Manoel Island.....



Fort Manoel.



Former isolation hospital.



Ex-Belgian Navy minesweeper A963 - now used for charters.



Buildings on the island.



Martime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta.



Largest vessel in the squadron - the Emer Class P62.



Protector Class offshore patrol vessels P51 and P52.



Diciotti Class offshore patrol vessel P61.
That yellow ball followed us round all day.....



Malta Yacht Club.



Austal Class inshore patrol boats - P21.



Heading back past Floriana.



Past the former hospital.



Sliema to port, approaching Valletta to starboard.....



Heading out of the harbour into rougher waters......



Rounding the headland of Fort St Elmo.....



Into the choppy waters of the Mediterranean.



Heading for St Elmo bridge.



Into the calmer waters of Grand Harbour.



The bell tower and reclining Unknown Soldier monument.



Royal Naval Hospital, Bighi.



Closer view of the bell tower.



Eliana Marino Ro-Ro cargo ship leaving Grand Harbour.



Three types of cruise ship.



Upper Barrakka gardens.



Wednesday's Marella Discovery has been replaced by the Marella Celebration cruise ship.



The lift to the upper gardens seen from the water.



Luxury windjammer Sea Cloud cruise ship.



Giant floating hotel - the Riviera cruise ship.



Colourful doors denoting different warehouses.



Much more modest cruising - the MV Arethusa.



Arethusa and Riviera comparison.



The more industrial side of Grand Harbour - grain silos.



Giraffe crane at Dock No 6.



Chinese-built dry dock.



Dockyard Creek.



There's that yellow ball again!



Royal Navy survey vessel - HMS Echo.



Church of St Lawrence.



Follow the yellow ball.......



Looking across to Valletta from Vittoriosa (Dockyard Creek).



Riviera cruise ship - and that yellow ball!



Back into Grand Harbour - note the lift and Upper Barrakka Gardens.



Exit from Dockyard Creek....



The ramparts at the entrance.



Fort St Angelo.



I wonder what Plan A was???



Vittoriosa skyline.



Rich man's marina.



Returning to Grand Harbour.



Malta planetarium.



Heading back out to sea.



Are we going round the breakwater?........



... no... under the bridge!



Avoiding the sailing dinghies as we return to Sliema.



Valletta FC flag.



Riviera cruise ship departing.



Heading up towards Barrakka Gardens - past the lift.



Inside the gardens.



Down on the gun battery level......



Rich man's yacht looking for a parking space....



.... in the marina.....



Descending some steep steps in search of the Lascaris War Rooms......



The dome of the Church of Our Lady of Liesse.



Victoria Gate.



Quick!! - there's a parking slot.....



Long underground passage to the War Rooms.



Inside the War Rooms - from where the aerial defence of Malta was conducted.



Plotting table showing Sicily and tiny Malta.



The blue and red circles show the extent of the radar coverage.



What it says....



Huge wall map - and our guide James,



Time for a rest and a beer at our favourite watering hole before catching the ferry back to our hotel.



The local brew......



I am smiling!