It is a beautiful morning, the ship started to sail at 6.30 am into Malta Grand Harbour. Children�s breakfast was brought forward to 7 am and adult breakfast to 7.45 so that we could be ready to land. We were unable to sail right into the landing stage as our ship was too large, but there were lots of small ships waiting along side of us to take us across. When we got round in the Grand Harbour itself, Malta looked really lovely. Clean stone buildings built high, and sort of palm trees here and there between them. We waited our turn for a small boat � they were all rowing boats (as usual, Malcolm was missing!). They were spotlessly clean and most of them were ornamented. The fellows were shouting to one another, and it sounded terrible to us, as we couldn�t understand a word. We arrived over the other side. The sun was shining and the day was hot. We had only two hours to spare so we were rather disappointed at not being able to see more of the interesting places. It was a Fiesta day. Everyone was going to church, (by the way Malta is a Roman Catholic island). The priests, most of them old, were all over the place, in nearly every street ringing bells and calling the people to church. The streets were mostly up steps, but we went into the little town of Valletta by means of a lift, at the side of a rock 60 � 70 ft high. It cost us 2d each. We could spend English money, but they weren�t supposed to take an English pound note. There is no shortage in Malta, but prices for some things are fairly high. Jacob�s Fancy Puff cream biscuits and Cadbury�s chocolate were double the English price. The Easter novelties and eggs were lovely. If we�d had longer we would have taken a car and gone a tour round the island. However, we found ourselves back on the little boat again and up the steps of the ship in time for children�s dinner at 11.30 am. We sailed at about 1.pm. A number of Maltese had boarded the ship, and were waving their goodbyes to the people on the landing stage. In the afternoon we sat with Mavis and Derrick Forest, who belonged to the F.E.T.A.S. Club in Manchester with us. We spent the time chatting. After 8 pm dinner, we went to the film show (High Noon). We had eaten such a grand meal that I�m afraid I disgraced myself and fell asleep three times during the show, so back to our cabins we went to bed. We put our watches on another half hour at midnight. |
| Thursday 19th March 1953 |
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