Church of Saint Paul's Shipwreck, Valletta

It has taken me quite a while to venture inside this church. Looks quite impressive from the front, saints carved from stone, but still just another building you pass by without pausing for too long.

Well here's my suggestion to you, friend:  Pop your head in the door.  Doesn't cost you anything, unless you want to contribute to the very worthy restoration efforts.  And you will find yourself inside a building created out of love, and faith, and a whole lot of money.  We are told that the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is the greatest ceiling in the history of the world, which may well be true, but when I was there I was rapidly shuttled through in a throng of tourists which didn't leave much time for contemplation.  You can take your time in this church, which features a pretty impressive ceiling of it's own. 

St John's Co-Cathedral and 'The Antichrist of Painting'

St John's

Right up there among the most worthwhile buildings to visit in Malta, particularly impressive once you go inside. Among other things, it is home to what is generally regarded as one of the artist Caravaggios best paintings.  He spent a short time in Malta whilst on the run from the law after accidentally killing someone in a duel, and so a few of his paintings have ended up here as a result.  Man kills another man 400 years ago in a Roman backstreet, and beautiful paintings hang on Maltese church wall today.  That's life.

wow.

Have you ever seen the Mona Lisa in the Louvre in Paris?  If you haven't, don't bother, it looks just like that image you have of it in your head.   And also you won't have to contend with 40 people taking terrible photos of it through a thick plexiglass screen, so they can show their unimpressed friends on facebook.  The 'Mona Lisa' may be the most famous painting in the world but it's certainly not the best.  It only acquired it's fame in the early 20th century by virtue of being stolen and so appeared in papers all over the world.  I don't even buy that stuff about 'capturing her enigmatic smile'.  I reckon that's something art critics came up with when everyone started asking them what the big deal about it was.