Friday, August 10, was quite a day for our unique Grand Harbour as from the early hours cruise liners commenced their glorious entry into what must be one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.

It is quite a spectacle watching the great liners manoeuvre to their designated berths, the thousands of tourists on them totally mesmerised by what is on view taking photographs. The Gardjola (watch tower), at the point of the Senglea bastions, with the sun shining on the honey-coloured stonework welcomed these visitors to our historic beautiful island while keeping an eye on the one mooring at Senglea Boiler Wharf.

It makes one so proud to see such admiration of our homeland by so many tourists; all the colourful flags adorning the harbour provide another dimension.

I had reason to visit Valletta and, certainly, the atmosphere around the War Memorial was buzzing. I had never seen so many people at any one time making their way up Triq Ġlormu Cassar into Valletta. You could clearly see the excitement in their eyes as they approached the majestic Auberge de Castille.

Hordes of tourists go to the Upper Barrakka to view the majestic harbour from a different angle. How heartening it is to see the lift project progressing well. For many of my age the lift was very much a vital link between the harbour and Valletta.

I reckon that on this particular day every taxi, karozzin, coach, open double-decker bus and any other means of transport was fully occupied.

To those who seem to look with blinkers at the cruise liner trade, this particular day must have proved that cruise liners can provide bread and butter for many Maltese workers as well as much-needed revenue for our little island.