We decided that a good way to see some of the island would be on top of a double decker bus so we bought day tickets for Hop on, Hop Off circular tour of the southern area. We boarded a sightseeing bus just opposite the church across the road from our hotel and travelled a short way along the coast to Sliema where we changed over to our special red bus to start our tour. We sat upstairs, very sunny and VERY windy. A great view, but unfortunately the headphones didn't work very well, (no matter how many sets we tried!) so we didn't really get the commentary. This means that, although we saw lots of wonderful sights, we have no idea what they were!

Not totally true, but almost. We travelled along the coast and admired the beautiful, rocky coastline along the way. No beaches but rocky ledges abound. Everywhere you see buildings built of honey coloured limestone looking dusty and sleepy in the sun. Narrow streets and many, many churches, some with two clocks which is quite a feature of Malta. We passed through Valletta, the capital, and down by the harbour and everywhere there is evidence of how embattled Malta has been over hundreds of years. Its prime position in the Mediterranean has made Malta a target for many invaders. Fortifications, towers and turrets are everywhere you look, in fact the whole island gives the impression of being one giant fortress.

We only hopped off a couple of times during our tour, and the first was at the fishing visit of Marsaxlokk.