Strait Street, Valletta

Just one of the many signs from the past to be found in Malta.
This one is in Strait Street Valletta, which during its hey day was full of bars, restaurants, bordellos, rooming houses and music venues where servicemen would go to relax after long periods at sea. Alcohol and money would flow like water, prompting illicit behavior and bouts of violence as servicemen showed their drunken fighting skills to the crowds. In the earlier days of the street, duels were not uncommon.
The street was also called “The Gut,” a name that appropriately indicated its reputation as the seedy (but fun) underbelly of Valletta.