While I was hunting around the internet for information on Sliema garbage collection and recycling this morning, I came to the Sliema local council webpage. I did get the information I was looking for there, but what was fantastic was there were many photos available for viewing (and downloading) showing scenes of Sliema from years ago. Of course, then we spent the next couple of hours looking through the photos and trying to figure out where and when they were taken. Having been here in 1985 also came in to play because Christine had taken photos of the paper-copy pictures we had from that visit so they would be digitized. We looked at some of those as well. All this really fascinated us.
A few days ago I posted the photo on the right and said that the old facades now had to be spared when new buildings were being built today. And here’s what that building looked like many years ago. Great that I took that picture and found its mate in the Sliema council archives.
This isn’t exactly a true comparison, but this shows part of the esplanade looking towards Fortizza, just at the edge of the right-hand side and what it looks like today.
There was also a photo showing the area across the street from us looking towards Exile Point. I don’t have a street level view currently, but it’s the same view as we see from our balcony.
We are looking for more old photos online, and found some from the late 1800s, but they are part of a slideshow for a YouTube music video, but we’re certainly documenting as much history as we can. Christine is really reliving her roots here in Malta and we’re having fun piecing things together.
After lunch we decided to walk to Manoel Island which is between Sliema and Valletta in Marsamxett Harbor. There was a fort built there by the Knights of St. John in the early 1700s. The British Navy used this fort as headquarters for its naval operations during WWII.
We thought we’d find more on the island, but now it is a huge boat marina. The fort is in ruins, but there is a major renovation underway to rebuild it. The best part of walking around Manoel Island is it afforded a couple of really nice views of Sliema Creek and Valletta (creek is the term used for the bodies of water fingering off the two major harbors, Marsamxett and Grand Harbours).
We liked looking at all the boats and yachts.
At the very end of the marina we came across the Indian Empress, a huge yacht over 300 feet in length with a crew of 30. I read that it can be chartered for 750,000 euros per week!
We walked back to Sliema along the Strand and ended up at the restaurant of Marks and Spencer for a beverage. It’s on the 4th floor of the building and had a lovely outside terrace with great views.
We then debated about taking a bus back home, but opted to walk all the way around the front. I’m glad we did because we went through Tigne Point, a place where there used to be military barracks. Unfortunately, the barracks are in ruins, but they are being renovated. At any rate, from Tigne Point, you also get great views of Valletta and the entrance to Marsamxett Harbor.
It was a long walk home and we were tired. We had dinner and rather collapsed afterwards. We ended the day looking out at our nighttime view.
Before & after — great idea. Invites study.