Saw a Maltese
film, « Simshar » d’après
le nom du bateau: in Englsih but made by Maltese, with Maltese money and shot
in Malta; the story of a young boy who dies after their boat (his father
survived but the grandfather and the African hired hand die) capsized;
apparently after a real story… Saw much earlier that day a film on the story of
Valletta…
Had dinner, at
the Hotel’s (Castille) suggestion,
at Ambrosia the first night, and at Sfoglia, on Sunday night (at the
suggestion of Chris at Ambrosia – most restaurants are closed!)…
Valletta was
founded in 1565, four hundred and fifty years ago! The year of the Great Siege
of Malta! Once the Turks had left Malta, the idea was to build a new city. It
was built on a grid (the first time in history!), under the aegis of Jean de la
Villette, the Grand Master of the St-John’s order who would give his name to
the city (and died in 1568), with the assistance of an Italian architect, an
adjoin of Michelangelo. It was built on the land across the harbor and the St-Angelo
fort, from where the Turks had settled and attacked the fort for many years,
the fort where the knights and the Maltese had taken refuge.
Malta has a
history that goes back to the 4th millennium before J. C.! It was
occupied by the Phoenicians, and the Romans (they called it ”Melita”). The
Knights of St-John came to Malta in 1530 (it was given to them to by Charles
Quint, for the price of one or two falcons – that they presented to the king of
Sicily). They had resisted to the Turks (of Saladin the Magnificent), but succumbed
easily to the soldiers of Napoléon, in 1797, who was on his way to Egypt! The
French stayed until Napoléon was defeated by Wellington at Trafalgar, and Malta
remained a British colony since then, until it acceded to independence in 1964
(the British Navy left the country definitely in 1979!)
Getting ready
now to be the “Capital of Culture in 2018”! Entrance to the city being
renovated by local architect Renzo Piano – very modern, using local stone (which
makes it look “old” like the rest of the city…!)
Walking around
the city (went to the 9:15 mass at the Co-Chatedral…); looking at possible real
estate deals…
Valletta, Feb
1, 2015
