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This blog is dedicated to Malta - my island home. My aim is not to bore you with history but to share my thoughts and a few facts together with a photo or two. For a more in -depth background of the island please go here. The purpose of this blog is not to point out the short-comings of the island. There are plenty that do that already. My wish is to show you the beauty of an island at the cross roads of the Mediterranean, a melting pot of history; a place where fact and fiction are sometimes fused to create unique myths and legends; a country that has been conquered so many times that our culture is a mish mesh of the lands that surround us and of lands far away. I confess that my greatest desire is to make you fall in love with this tiny enchanting island.

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Tuesday, 10 May 2011

Her Majesty

New Year's Eve in Valletta (3)

Still proudly surveying her surroundings, this statue of Queen Victoria by Sicilian sculptor Giuseppe Valenti has kept the memory of Her Majesty very much alive in our capital city. Behind the  statue is the beautiful building housing the National Library.

New Year's Eve in Valletta (2)

The statue itself is in a square which is surrounded by a number of cafeterias and is a very popular place to stop for a coffee while on a shopping spree an errand in our capital city. I can only imagine the thousands of conversations that Her Majesty must have eavesdropped on  - from business transactions to the whispers of lovers – there is not much that goes on in this square that can escape her penetrating gaze.

New Year's Eve in Valletta (4)

The statue of Queen Victoria was erected in 1891 to mark the 50th anniversary of her reign and the first centenary of British colonial rule in Malta.

Queen Victoria Statue

Republic Square (formerly Queen’s Square)

Valletta

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8 comments:

  1. Diane AZ10 May 2011 at 23:06

    Lovely statue, beautiful details in her clothing and jewelry.

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  2. Genie -- Paris and Beyond11 May 2011 at 01:19

    The lighting in these photos is soft and golden and I love that last photo with the contrasting background. Again, you show us the beauty of your island country.

    Bises,
    Genie

    ReplyDelete
  3. cieldequimper11 May 2011 at 08:35

    Running errands are we?!! Queen Vic looks majestic, which I suppose is the whole point. The building is gorgeous!

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  4. Kayni11 May 2011 at 16:36

    i bet Queen Victoria is well informed with all the people talking around her.

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  5. Gattina12 May 2011 at 07:53

    She was the ideal model for making sculputures, she was such an imposing person. There are lots of statues of her at the South East coast of England where she used to spend holidays in Brighton.

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  6. Julie@beingRUBY15 May 2011 at 03:24

    How fabulous!! /we have something similar here in Sydney and I'm trying to remember where.. probably the Queen Victoria Building. hahaha that would make sense. I must check it out..

    Thanks so much for your recent comments.. and sorry I so tardy to visit.. can I blame blogger? hehe

    Have a lovely weekend.. ciao xxx Julie

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  7. Champagne Macarons16 May 2011 at 02:14

    Beautiful statue. I'm always amazed at the craftsmanship.
    Wishing you a beautiful week ahead! xoxo, B

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  8. Victoria19 May 2011 at 20:47

    Wow..stununing and gorgeous photos Loree...you always dazzle me with the fabulous-beauty you share! and hey..so cool to see a statue the same name as little ol' me! Beautiful!
    Have a sparkling wkd ahead...
    Kiki

    ReplyDelete

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