David Friggieri | Sunday, 10 January 2010

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5 things to love about Malta

Two weeks ago, LifestyleToday brought you an exclusive interview with a reclusive religious leader all the way from a small rock off the coast of Gozo. The piece appears to have been warmly welcomed by some of our loyal readers.
This week, following our reporters’ sun-drenched three-week stint on the beautiful archipelago (while the rest of Europe froze its civilized bones off), we decided to bring you a miscellaneous list of alternative things to do, see and read in Malta. You’ll be pleased to discover that most of the items on our list can be enjoyed for free (or for next to nothing) and there’s a logical explanation for this fact. We like to think of ourselves as a life – as opposed to a lifestyle – magazine. The feel-good list is brought to you from The Church cafe/bar/restaurant/club in frozen downtown Dublin, and should be experienced as an antidote to the more depressing aspects of life on a small island which continues to take its economic growth much more seriously than its cultural and educational development.

1) Walking to Il-Blata tal-Melh (Bahrija)

Is this geological jewel Malta’s best kept secret? The impressive peninsula rises out of the wild blue sea off the island’s rugged south coast just below Bahrija. So called because of the magnificent salt pans which have been hewn out of the rock, the Blata is a 30-minute walk from the deep scar left by Victor Scerri’s controversial development in Bahrija valley. The path down to the rock which passes through a fresh-water stream, a bamboo plantation, open countryside and – finally – globigerina limestone – is a delight. If a westerly or north-westerly is blowing, stop half-way down and admire the savage waves crashing into the fjord below. For lovers of the Mediterranean, this should be something of a spiritual experience.

You will need: Good walking boots
Time required: Several hours
Price: priceless

2) Climbing up to Is-Salvatur tal-Gholja (Gozo)

Anyone who’s visited Gozo is familiar with this character – from a distance. But have you ever dared getting up close and personal to the impressive statue reminiscent of Rio de Janiero’s own magnificent statue of Christ the Saviour? It’s worth weathering the sharp climb right up to the foot of is-Salvatur, both for the magnificent 360-degree views of the green island and for the feeling you get looking up at the robed figure towering above you.

You will need: A vertigo-resistant disposition and a willingness to hitch-hike if you don’t own a car
Time required: 1 hour
Price: The price of a ferry ride to Gozo

3) Flying around Malta in a sea plane

The most expensive activity on our list is worth every last euro spent on it. Hop onto one of the De Havilland sea planes operated by the friendly Canadian-Maltese company from the Valletta Waterfront and fasten your seatbelts for a breathtaking (if occassionally bumpy) 40 minute trip around the Maltese islands. The highlight has got to be the stretch along Dingli and Ta’ Cenc cliffs when you realise that the plane is flying at an altitude not much higher than the cliffs themselves.

You will need: A good camera
Time required: 1 hour
Price: €85 euros/passenger

4) Debating contemporary Maltese society with members of the up-and-coming liberal intelligentsia at Simon’s Pub (Sliema)

Question: So what do you really think about L-Istrina?
Answer: I would really, really love not to criticise it because the cause is so admirable and it’s the best proof that in some ways Malta is a kind society compared to the coldly individualistic societies we often try to emulate. But try as I might to resist a negative reaction, I find myself cringing in front of my TV set as three channels simultaneously beam a show which quickly descends into a circus of kitsch, bad taste, cheap humour and a very local form of totalitarian thinking.

You will need: A particular Italo-British-Maltese sense of humour and a critical bent
Time required: A whole evening
Price: The price of a round of Blue Labels

5) Reading the collection of short stories known as Il-Banka tal-Isperma (Bronk publications)

Out shopping for Christmas presents at a Mosta bookshop, one of our reporters was happy to chance upon an unexpected paperback written by a guy called Javier Vella Sammut. We are told that it’s a pen name used by a former member of the now defunct Zghazagh ta’ Taht l-Art. An incisive, perceptive, funny and at times angry dissection of Maltese society and politics, this is a must read for anyone who refuses to make the pragmatic choice between the Church-leaning GonziPN grouping and the party led by a man the book hilariously refers to as Barbarossa.

You will need: An interest in Maltese literature and society
Time required: A few hours
Price: Approximately €9 (we forgot the exact price but we vouch that it’s worth every last euro).

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