I slept terribly last night- couldn't sleep for ages then was awake from the crack of dawn. I've slept really badly since I've been here and I'm now quite sleep deprived, and feeling it. I figured if I'm up I might as well go out so caught the 7am bus to Sliema. I hadn't planned to visit this area as it didn't interest me, but it has a lovely promenade so had a nice walk along the waterfront there pat boats bobbing & the sun rising over the blue sea. I walked around the peninsula to catch the 8:30am ferry across the Marmaxett harbour to Valletta. This was such a nice thing to do! Malta is very much a waterside country with some of the most dramatic views featuring thousands of years old buildings perched atop limestone outcrops with water below. It was good to see Valletta from the sea, then later on in the day I saw it from the Grand Harbour on the other side as I caught the ferry to the three cities to the south. The boat rides cost just €1.50 one way and are well worth it for the views.

In the morning I did the activity that I had returned to Valletta to do- guided tour of the "war tunnels" originally dug beneath the city by the Knights of St John during the siege of 1565 then extended during WWII to house British intelligence and naval headquarters, then later on in the Cold War, used by NATO. I am definitely not a history buff. I find it interesting but I don't seek out historic things to do and my brain does not retain historical information. But these tunnels were utterly fabulous. It was really incredible to discover this network beneath the city, deep within the limestone that was so crucial during these wars. The guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable and gave the information in a way that made it come to life. Parts of the network were being restored, other parts were yet to be done but all fascinating.

After lunch I caught another harbour ferry across the Grand Harbour (the other side of Valletta peninsula) to spend a couple of hours wandering the streets of ancient, tranquil Vittoriosa. This is where the Knights of St John first made their settlement in the 1500s and some buildings date back to then. One thing I've noticed about Malta is the lack of shops selling snacks. There are lots of little cafes but hardly any supermarkets (at least in the areas I've been) and not many other small convenience stores either. This combined with the total lack of vegan options means I can't just "buy a snack" when I feel tired, as I would normally do. I can only have ice cream if I plan to go to one of the few places on the island that has vegan ice cream options. This day was hot- I'm not sure if it's unlucky coincidence or the warming effect of buildings but the two hottest days of my trip so far have been the two I spent in cities, complete sunshine. Other days have had cloudy periods, which make it more bearable. I was hot and tired and wanted ice cream so I caught the ferry back to Valletta to make a quick return visit to Theobroma for the raw vegan ice cream they make on site.
My day ended here as I was too tired, too hot and my feet hurt too much to do anything else apart from go back to the hotel.