Malta: A Tiny Slice of Heaven at the Crossroads of Culture

I’ve mentioned in other posts that my trip to Malta sprang from one of my core travel philosophies – if you know someone in an interesting, far away place that you might never otherwise have occasion to visit, pack your bags and go for it. October, 2007 was an interesting time to be in the archipelago nation. (Rather than being a single island as is commonly believed, Malta is actually comprised of three inhabited islands and a number of smaller, rocky outcrops). The country was frantically preparing for further assimilation into the EU, with unmanned Schengen immigration counters already set up at the Malta International Airport, and a countdown clock by Valetta’s City Gate marking the days, hours, and minutes until the Euro would be officially adopted. (Frankly, I was delighted to still be able to use the Maltese lira!) Note that this adventure is eight years old – but general itinerary items should still be doable!

As my plane descends, I find myself faced with scenery unlike any I’ve ever seen before. Yellow walls and grey walks rocks with only the slightest hint of scrubby vegetation extend as far as the eye can see.   The sea is a beautiful and almost mysterious shade of deep blue. And I can see the entire island nation from the sky!

Theme I: A Tale of Two Cities

Mdina

As the only person with Asian features in the airport I am highly amused by the fact that I spot my friends Greg and Marco – who look almost exactly like everyone else – before they see me. A diplomat well-versed in the perils of jet lag, Marco sits firmly in the “fight through it” camp.   Plunking my luggage in the trunk, he heads straight for Mdina, the Silent City.

Almost entirely carless, Mdina is the perfect place to lose yourself, meandering through narrow alleys for a couple of hours. We briefly pop into St. Paul’s Cathedral, built on the spot where then governor and now Maltese saint Publius allegedly met St. Paul after he was shipwrecked on Malta. We also visit Palazzo Falson, a wonderfully preserved medieval palace. Noting that I am flagging after a couple of hours soaking up the admittedly marvelous atmosphere, he marches our trio to a small café, where we met up with some of their friends. (I discover throughout the trip that it is almost impossible to go anywhere on the island without bumping into at least one person you know!)

Dining at home with Greg, Marco, and some of their friends, I alternate devoting all of my energy trying not to fall asleep on my plate with peppering the local Maltese experts with all sorts of questions about the seemingly impossible, consonant-filled Maltese language, and the intersection of Arab, Roman, and English cultures.

Valetta

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Maltese buses! If you watch the movie Munich, you’ll notice these buses in the background in “Jerusalem” and “Rome”

The next morning, Greg and I hop on a wonderfully quaint orange Malta bus (sadly but perhaps practically discontinued in 2011) to Valetta.  Our first stop is St. John’s Co-Cathedral, quite possibly the most beautiful and ornate house of worship I have ever seen. And that is really saying something given my lifetime of travel across the globe.

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My little “point and shoot” camera does not do this amazing architectural work of art justice. . .

I am surprised to discover that I am absolutely FASCINATED by the Knights of Malta – or more accurately, the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta. One of the reasons that the church is so over-the-top amazing is that each group of knights tried to outdo the next through ever expanding contributions. The talented but hot-headed Caravaggio also had a rather checkered history on the island.

 

We head to Valetta’s Church of Saint Paul’s Shipwreck (I’m learning that this maritime disaster is a BIG deal in Malta!). While there is no comparison from a grand aesthetic/architectural point of view – it’s a truly lovely example of traditional Maltese baroque architecture and is both calm and inviting.

We stroll through the Upper Barrakka Gardens where we enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Grand Harbor. Greg jokes that we have missed the Saluting Battery, and says that for some reason he always seems to arrive minutes too late. While it would have been cool to see, I must admit that I greatly enjoy the peace.

We end the day browsing among local artisans making filigree jewelry on Republic street – and being me, I can’t resist picking up a pair of silver earrings to adorn myself and commemorate the trip.

Theme II: Megalithic Marvels

The Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni (severe claustrophobes beware)

Greg and Marco are good friends and have booked my admission to the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni in advance (a MUST as daily admissions are strictly limited to reduce the impact on the fragile environment). The aptly-named Hypogeum (Greek for underground) is at once incredibly cool (both literally and figuratively!) and somewhat creepy (it is a necropolis after all!) While it is not known exactly when the structure was built, historians’ estimates range from 4000-3000 BC. The tour is a bit rushed, but certainly interesting – particularly when you consider how old it is! While I am generally not one for random knickknacks, something about the prone image of the rotund and wonderfully detailed Sleeping Lady of Ħal-Saflieni speaks to me, and I pick up a replica at the gift shop.

Megalithic Temple

230427_8032117535_4427_nWe begin at the Tarxien temples, site of 4 temples built between 3600 and 2500 BC. Marco explains that as a child he and his friends would play among the giant “rocks” without realizing their historic significance. I am amazed at how well preserved some of the relief sculptures are, given their age. Our special next stop is Hagar Qim “Close your eyes,” said Marco with a gleam in his eye. Gently taking me by the shoulders, he guides me to a nondescript rock. Bending my knees down to “just the right angle,” he explains that this was the exact vantage point that a renowned National Geographic photographer chose to capture the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in all its glory. (Note, some of the megalithic temple sites have been closed for renovation at various times over the past few years, so do comprehensive research first to avoid disappointment!) At the temple site of Mnajdra, my friend Greg proudly poses for me to provide perspective – either he is really tall (which he isn’t. . .) or, more accurately, the megalithic peoples were vertically challenged! It is humbling to realize the lasting accomplishments of these long-gone civilizations from millennia ago, and one can’t help but wonder what, if any, impact we will leave for the future.

Theme III: Color in Nature

230222_8032097535_3471_nI mentioned being struck by colors at the beginning of this post – and indeed, my sensory exploration continued during the latter part of my trip. The Blue Grotto, a sea cave on the southern coast of Malta, was one such place. Now while one might im225702_8031917535_6475_nagine the water itself to provide the luminescent blue tinge, but it is in fact the pure white sand that lends the area its unique hue. And it’s not just the water. The cave itself is home to a veritable rainbow of colors – from bright mineral yellows and oranges to deep purples, and a variety of submerged fauna.

Ghajn TuffiehaWe end the day with some relaxation at Għajn Tuffieħa beach, a quiet beach and steep hike down to a crescent shaped promontory that is TOTALLY worth it – especially at sunset. Enjoying our relaxed states, we proceed to an outdoor restaurant at The Three Cities to enjoy first hand Malta’s maritime history coming to life.

Believe it or not I never made it to Gozo, a much less developed island that is renowned for its own charms. No worries though – it provides me an EXCELLENT reason to return. . .

From the “Indian Archipelago” to the “People of the Indus” – Some Travel Musings

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Just as I have become addicted to batik in Indonesia, I may have gone a bit overboard buying saris in India! Fortunately, I could justify this one as I was unexpectedly invited to a work function and didn’t have a suit with me!

Today I take a break from Indonesia to begin a series of tales on India, and outline my general approach to travel.  This seems particularly à propos as the very name Indonesia derives from two Greek words — Indós and nèsos — the Indian archipelago.  (Fun fact told to me by Vire A. D’Sa — the Experiences Manager of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai.  He is worthy of his own post — which will come later — for now you can find some of his own musings about life and travel here.)

I had always dreamed of going to India, but as a solo, woman traveler, was slightly hesitant.  Some were typically cited reasons (safety, harassment, etc.) and some uniquely “me” (reassurance that someone would take care of me when I was inevitably struck by “Delhi Belly”).  When P, a British friend/colleague was transferred there — and the end of Ramadan provided a nice long holiday here in Indonesia — it was  the perfect opportunity.  Which leads me to my own travel manifesto.

Always go somewhere you might never visit but for having a friend there.

The nice thing about being an expat brat, and then a halfpat (an expat without the hefty salary package and perks) is that  I always knew people living in the most interesting places — both at home and abroad.  I couldn’t believe how few of my friends took me up on the chance to visit Beijing, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta.  (I did, however, get a lot of visitors to Chicago when I lived there!)  For me it’s a no brainer.  You get to catch up with an old friend.  You get personalized travel ideas from someone who actually knows you.  And frequently you can save on lodging costs.  Never in a million years would I have thought about going to Malta, which ended up being one of my top 10 all time trips.  As did India.

Try to tack on a few days of work (in a local office) to your vacation.

On this trip to India, I was fortunate enough to be working for a company not only with offices in New Delhi and Mumbai, but also amazing colleagues.  So I squatted in the office for a few days which was amazing because a) i met some really cool people who gave me great travel advice; b)  i strengthened my professional network; and c)  i got to deduct the vacation days I spent working, and could take a longer trip as a result.  Now I recognize that not all workplaces are this flexible, and not all corporate cultures are welcoming to outsiders.  And many people value the ability to shut off completely.  But even on trips where I wasn’t working (Rome, Istanbul, Paris) — just popping in and saying hello made a world of difference (and got me a few great meals and new friends as a result!)  I also found that I vastly preferred going to the office a few times to being glued to my BlackBerry while ostensibly relaxing.

Try to tack on a few days of vacation to your business trip.

The whole idea for this blog came from the last few years of my career which involved significant amounts of regional travel.   You may recognize some of these symptoms:

  • Waking up in a Marriott in North America and momentarily forgetting  what city you’re in;
  • Going to the wrong floor because you’ve stayed in 3-4 different hotels in the space of a week and can’t remember your  room number;
  • Boasting about having been to a number of exotic locales, only to confess sheepishly that the road between the airport and your hotel was all you saw;
  • Having to tell your friends and family when you’re IN town rather than when you’re OUT because it is the rarity, not the norm;
  • Realizing that your status updates revolve around which airline lounge you’re in at any given time.

Adding 2-3 days to a business trip either to properly explore the city you’re in, or travel to a nearby destination can be re-energizing and make you feel like you’ve seized a bit of control back over your life.  And hey — when the flight’s already covered, why not splurge for a weekend at a nice hotel?

Consider mixing things up rather than staying middle of the road the entire trip.

I’ve written in several places about “low brow high brow” travel, or roughing it on some legs of your trip to enable a once-in-a-lifetime blowout experience.  I spent more at the Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur than on all other hotels on this trip combined.  But I didn’t regret it for  a SECOND.  For the same amount of money, I could have stayed at a nice array of 4-5 star hotels for the duration of the trip.  But I wouldn’t have the same memories.  When I had a much lower budget early on in my career, I stayed at a couple of $7 hotels in Hanoi and ended my trip at the Park Hyatt in Saigon.  And staying at a place aptly called The Backpack in Cape Town allowed my friend C and me to splurge on a private safari in Kruger National Park.

Sometimes it’s OK NOT to Listen to People. . .

As I planned out my trip to India, most people “helpfully” told me that it is a big country.  The typical rule of thumb is to pick an adjacent area (e.g., Delhi, Punjab and Rajasthan).  This, combined with the fact that I wanted to hit a few places that P had not yet visited, led me to plan an itinerary that was a complete mess — but also gave me a nice sampling of both North and South.  I also specifically traveled midweek to places I felt would be relatively less stressful (e.g.. Udaipur), while enlisting P’s company for more adventurous places (e.g., Amritsar and the Wagah Border).  And Kerala and Tamil Nadu were far more fun with a companion.

. . .But Sometimes It’s Critical.

When my friend C and I went to South Africa, we decided that we did not want to be fraidy cats and the typical dumb American tourists scared of our own shadows.  In Joburg, we were quickly disabused of this notion by EVERY LOCAL WE MET.  When we met a colleague of his for drinks one night, and he told us that he’d been shot twice — it really struck home.  We saved our aimless roaming for Cape Town and Stellenbosch, and only went around Joburg with recommended drivers.  And the Apartheid Museum alone made this well worth it!

Do you have any travel principles of your own?  Let me know!