The staff of StagePool enjoyed a well-deserved rest here on Sunday afternoon !
from left to right: yours truly, �sa (who's not longer working for us now), Anna-Clara, Alexandra, Johan and Thomas
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| Malta 2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The ways of the European Union have often been mystifying, but when something good comes your way, you don't start wondering but simply grab it. Our company had been awarded money by the EU to take part in some business research scheme and this money was used to "strengthen company morale" with a trip to Malta. Ah well. Ever one to discover new places I was glad we had chosen a place I hadn't known yet and the story of Malta is certainly a singular one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| For many centuries a sparsely populated rock in the southern Mediterranean Malta was given to the Knights of St.John after their eviction from Rhodes by the Ottomans. Neither knights nor the local population were happy at first, but they learned to get along. The great siege of Malta took place in 1565 and I dare you read Ernle Bradford's book of the same title without crying. For months the Ottomans laid siege to the crumblings fortresses of St.Elmo and St.Angelo on the great harbour and yet failed to take them. When they had finally left with their tails between their legs, the knights began with the construction of their new capital Valletta, named after the Grand Master Jean de la Vallette who had guided them to victory during the siege. Above is the skyline of Valletta as seen from our hotel in Sliema. Below a look across the yacht harbour from the same vantage point. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Below is Fort St.Angelo, which was the last refuge of knights and Maltese during the grand siege and which the Ottomans failed to capture despite their overwhelming majority. In the background to the left is Fort Ricasoli, more famous these days for being used as a movie set. Both "Gladiator" with Russell Crowe and "Troy" with Brad Pitt were shot here. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Having been converted by the apostle St.Paul in 1st century already, the Maltese have always been big on Catholicism. Unforunately I wasn't able to visit St.John's Co-Cathedral (the main cathedral of the knights of St.John) because it was closed for the EU celebrations, but here are some other nice churches: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| No, the Romans were NOT responsible for this one. It's a monument to Captain Alexander Bell, the English navy man who took over Malta from Napoleon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A nice example of the Maltese architecture, the knights had brought with them | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Twice a month the Malta Tourist Board puts up the colourful "In Guardia" spectacle inside Fort St.Elmo, re-enacting the big time of the knights of St.John, demonstrating their historical costumes and weapons. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Malta may be in the Mediterranean and keeps trying to push its tourist industry on, but it's not spoiled for great beaches. This here is Mellieha Beach in the north-western corner of Malta and about as good as it gets. The staff of StagePool enjoyed a well-deserved rest here on Sunday afternoon ! |
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| And that's us as of May 2004: from left to right: yours truly, �sa (who's not longer working for us now), Anna-Clara, Alexandra, Johan and Thomas |
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