MMO rotation on the Ramform Valiant - Scenes in port in Malta before transiting to Egypt
View from the hotel restaurant with the hotel pool in the foreground
Entrance to the reception and lobby in the Hotel Gran Excelsior
A famous Valletta Bus
Many tourists in the streets of Valletta
Valletta architecture
Changing of the guard in Valletta
Beautiful harbour view, Valletta
Following 4 photos: around the Valletta waterfront
The Ramform Valiant, in Valletta harbour
More photos around Valletta
Beautiful Valletta architecture
Warship Paintings
Memorials to warships lost when Malta was the most intensively bombed spot during WWII
Siege Bell statue
At the foot of the Siege bell memorial- this figure symbolizes the 7000 killed during the Siege of Malta 1940 - 1943
Her Majesties Voice aka HMV
Outside the Antonio D’Amato Record Shop in Valletta
Triton Fountain, Valletta
At the city gate square and the island's main bus terminal
Following two photos: Malta Aviation Museum
I passed here quickly while on the bus so was only able to grab a quick snapshot of this Douglas DC-3 which was built in 1945 and delivered to the RAF. After the war it flew with Eagle Aviation as G-AMPT.
Maltese vineyards
More less ancient but also interesting architecture
Following five photos: more views around the island
Horse drawn carriages in Valletta
Malta is very Roman Catholic
These gas pumps were on the sidewalk
You would probably need to stop traffic to fill up here!
In October, shortly after I returned home from East Africa (see previous post), I was contacted by a consulting company about a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) job starting in November in the Mediterranean waters offshore of Egypt. This sounded potentially interesting so I jumped at the opportunity. By the end of the month I was airborne and headed to Malta to join the ship. Funnily enough, although I'd heard of Malta and knew that it was in the Mediterranean, I didn't really know much about this little island republic off of Sicily and north of Libya.
Upon arrival to Malta I was taken to the beautiful Gran Hotel Excelsior in the city of Valletta, the capital of Malta. The hotel was a absolutely beautiful overlooking the Marsamxett Harbour and Manoel Island, with comfortable rooms and close to the main area of this historical UNESCO world heritage location. After a lovely dinner at the hotel restaurant and a good night's sleep (which was badly needed after two fairly long flights from Victoria to Frankfurt to Malta!) I met with the two client reps who would also be working the job with me and a company shore rep and we were taken to the ship in the port of Malta.
I quickly worked on orienting myself to this new vessel and started to introduce myself to the crew I would be working with over the next few weeks. One of the most important things upon arriving to a new vessel is to get the layout of the vessel as quickly as possible since, especially on the larger vessels i.e. with 7 decks, it is easy to get lost! This PGS operated vessel, the Ramform Valiant, was definitely the nicest I had been on yet with comfortable, mostly single cabins, a lovely galley with carvings from Africa, a nice big bridge, a swimming pool on deck, a decent gym and a sauna.I started to settle in to my cabin and the office I'd be sharing with the two client reps next to the instrument room, where most of the survey activities such as navigation and air-gun control, are conducted.
We were supposed to leave later the day we joined the ship but a hull inspection had revealed a hairline crack so we wouldn't be leaving port until that was fixed...and this meant another 4 or 5 days in port before we could depart on our transit to Egypt. Lucky for me this meant I could do some office and administrative work in the mornings and venture out to explore Valletta and the island in the afternoons! I had a lovely time taking in the historical sites of Valletta and also did the hop on, hop off bus tour around the island. Oh and warning to those with limited time...the journey around one loop of these tours can take 2 or 3 hours! Just be sure you are able to get the last bus back to your original departure point!
Following are photos I took of the beautiful Valletta city centre and sites around the island:
Source: WorldAtlas.ca
Upon arrival to Malta I was taken to the beautiful Gran Hotel Excelsior in the city of Valletta, the capital of Malta. The hotel was a absolutely beautiful overlooking the Marsamxett Harbour and Manoel Island, with comfortable rooms and close to the main area of this historical UNESCO world heritage location. After a lovely dinner at the hotel restaurant and a good night's sleep (which was badly needed after two fairly long flights from Victoria to Frankfurt to Malta!) I met with the two client reps who would also be working the job with me and a company shore rep and we were taken to the ship in the port of Malta.
I quickly worked on orienting myself to this new vessel and started to introduce myself to the crew I would be working with over the next few weeks. One of the most important things upon arriving to a new vessel is to get the layout of the vessel as quickly as possible since, especially on the larger vessels i.e. with 7 decks, it is easy to get lost! This PGS operated vessel, the Ramform Valiant, was definitely the nicest I had been on yet with comfortable, mostly single cabins, a lovely galley with carvings from Africa, a nice big bridge, a swimming pool on deck, a decent gym and a sauna.I started to settle in to my cabin and the office I'd be sharing with the two client reps next to the instrument room, where most of the survey activities such as navigation and air-gun control, are conducted.
We were supposed to leave later the day we joined the ship but a hull inspection had revealed a hairline crack so we wouldn't be leaving port until that was fixed...and this meant another 4 or 5 days in port before we could depart on our transit to Egypt. Lucky for me this meant I could do some office and administrative work in the mornings and venture out to explore Valletta and the island in the afternoons! I had a lovely time taking in the historical sites of Valletta and also did the hop on, hop off bus tour around the island. Oh and warning to those with limited time...the journey around one loop of these tours can take 2 or 3 hours! Just be sure you are able to get the last bus back to your original departure point!
Following are photos I took of the beautiful Valletta city centre and sites around the island:
Fort St Elmo built by the nights of St John, 1552
View from the hotel restaurant with the hotel pool in the foreground
Entrance to the reception and lobby in the Hotel Gran Excelsior
A famous Valletta Bus
Many tourists in the streets of Valletta
Valletta architecture
Changing of the guard in Valletta
Beautiful harbour view, Valletta
Following 4 photos: around the Valletta waterfront
The Ramform Valiant, in Valletta harbour
More photos around Valletta
Beautiful Valletta architecture
Warship Paintings
Memorials to warships lost when Malta was the most intensively bombed spot during WWII
Siege Bell statue
At the foot of the Siege bell memorial- this figure symbolizes the 7000 killed during the Siege of Malta 1940 - 1943
Her Majesties Voice aka HMV
Outside the Antonio D’Amato Record Shop in Valletta
Triton Fountain, Valletta
At the city gate square and the island's main bus terminal
Following two photos: Malta Aviation Museum
I passed here quickly while on the bus so was only able to grab a quick snapshot of this Douglas DC-3 which was built in 1945 and delivered to the RAF. After the war it flew with Eagle Aviation as G-AMPT.
Maltese vineyards
More less ancient but also interesting architecture
Following five photos: more views around the island
Horse drawn carriages in Valletta
Malta is very Roman Catholic
These gas pumps were on the sidewalk
You would probably need to stop traffic to fill up here!
Church in Valletta
