\u201cI\u2019m a Valletta boy\u201d, he says.\u00a0 He grew up in an apartment opposite the main door of St. John\u2019s Co-Cathedral. As a boy in Valletta, he would read books but he would also love to run around exploring everywhere. People say Maltese people have day jobs and also hobbies.\u00a0 Well Jean Paul has more than one hobby. The main thing that peaked my interest was his work on the underground tunnels of Valletta. \u201cWith Valletta, I would say we are maybe 4 or 5 people that actually experienced underground Valletta on their skin,\u201d he says. That\u2019s when I began to lean in because I was so intrigued to hear what he said next. He says it was fun in the beginning.\u00a0 He remembers running into these tunnels as a kid and not knowing where he would exit.\u00a0 He would tell his mother that he was going to study – and according to him it was.<\/p>\n
He shows me his map that outlines waterlines and sewers. He said the Knights took defence to a different level.\u00a0 Instead of building Valletta like Mdina with its winding roads, they decided on the grid pattern with sharp corners. \u201cPrepare a good fortress on the outside. Do two levels of bastions so you can defend against sea and land attacks. The Knights ensured that Valletta was well supplied with water so there are a plethora of wells or cisterns with their own storage.\u00a0 It was like having gold\u201d.\u00a0 He continues by showing me diagrams of wells and the whole physiology of the process whereby water would arrive from Rabat along the Wignacourt aqueduct. He said there was talk about a legend that connected the Grand Master\u2019s Palace to Marsamxett Harbour.\u00a0 He says, \u201cThe legend holds a bit of water because Grand Master Vilhena likely would not have walked through the streets to get to the Manoel Theatre.\u00a0 He could have used a direct passageway.\u201d There is a further legend perhaps that says that there might have been a direct link to Manoel Island he intimates.<\/p>\n
Excerpt from: \u201cValletta – A Personal City Guide by 8 tourist guides from Malta\u201d Midsea books<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jean Paul splits his time between Malta and Ragusa, Sicily. He\u2019s got this distinct look – it\u2019s like part farmer – part bohemian.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":178,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n