When we focus on the good, the good just gets better.  Amid the bustle of the Malta Airport floated a sweet classical melody.  The quality of the sound was that of a musical master; obviously a recording.  Finally spotting the source I was amazed to see a young man, about 12 years old, playing on the grand piano near the boarding gates.  The din lessened as more and more people tuned into the melody.  Frenzied faces were replaced with relaxed smiles! Spellbound we listened as the impromptu concert continued.  When the young man finished the whole area stood up and clapped in a rousing standing ovation.  Away he went with his 4 teenage friends, smiling but embarrassed. It’s easy to see the good in others if that’s what you decide to do.

Malta is situated in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, halfway between Gibraltar and Alexandria; and Sicily and North Africa. It has always been at the cross-roads of the trading and warring routes of this land-locked sea.

Malta is chiefly composed of limestone with no hills higher than 300 m. and no rivers. The main language is Maltese although English and Italian are also spoken. One cannot explore this unique island without recognizing the many influences that have decorated it through history.  The history of Malta is a long and exciting one dating back to the dawn of civilization.

The Maltese Islands went through a Neolithic period, leaving behind mysterious temples dedicated to the goddess of fertility. Later on, the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Romans and the Byzantines, all left their traces on the Islands.  In 60 A.D. St. Paul was shipwrecked on the island while on his way to Rome and brought Christianity to Malta.

The Arabs conquered the islands in 870 A.D. influencing the language of the Maltese.  The Normans conquered in 1090 and allowed the Arabs to remain.  Until 1530 Malta was an extension of Sicily.  It was Charles V who bequeathed Malta to the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem or the infamous Knights of Malta. They ruled over Malta from 1530 to 1798. Following the Great Siege of 1565, the Knights took Malta through a new golden age, making it a key player in the cultural scene of 17th and 18th century Europe. The artistic and cultural lives of the Maltese Islands were injected with the presence of many famous artists who were commissioned by the Knights to embellish churches, palaces and auberges or inns.

In 1798, Napoleon Bonaparte took over Malta from the Knights on his way to Egypt. The French presence on the islands was short lived, as the English, who were requested by the Maltese to help them against the French, blockaded the islands in 1800.

British rule in Malta lasted until 1964 when Malta became independent. The Maltese adopted the British system of public administration, education and legislation.  Modern Malta became a Republic in 1974.  Malta is now a member of the European Union.  What a rich woven tapestry of cultures!

Our time on Malta was loaded with surprises, tucked in every nook and cranny of this lazy, windswept Mediterranean island.  Our first surprise was to find that our gate at the Rome airport had been changed a second time, (announcement in Italian), and our plane boarded and departed without us!  A first for us!  Flexibility and perseverance found us in our luxury apartment on Malta, facing the ocean before midnight! We were amazed and overwhelmed that we had been upgraded to such opulence, all for $299 a week.  Three pools on a cliff overlooking the turquoise sea, private elevator down to the beach, concierge, spa, fine dining.  A taste of what lay ahead.  Amazing how booking far in advance, while in bed in Bali with a broken leg, opened doors to Europe we never imagined.  Our 77-page itinerary was unfolding nicely indeed! In honor of all the cultures living on Malta through the ages:  Thank you God, Allah, Isis, Goddess, Universe, Divine, Thor!!

With ease we conquered this interesting island by boat and bus; open double decker, hop on hop off, bus that is.  We covered the different routes around the island, with a new group of fun people each day, for several days.  We then would figure out the local bus and visit highlights like Mdina, the old Capital and the Silent City of Malta; one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city, with an extraordinary mix of medieval and baroque architecture.  We spent the day exploring the maze of alleys and ended up dining in a hidden restaurant with views of our kingdom below. One day was spent exploring the island’s harbors with a timeline from ancient impenetrable fortresses of the 12^th century to modern luxury yachts with helicopters on board!  The city of Valletta was like an open museum, reeking of history and bedecked with cultures of days past.  A day on the other side of the island found us at the Sunday market and the breathtaking Blue Grotto.  We were always torn between exploration or lounging in the cliffside pools, watching the sunset over the Mediterranean, or listening to live music under the stars at our exclusive resort; a far cry from mud huts in Africa or yurts in Mongolia!

We looked for the good in Malta and her people, and found it.  The good of each culture who has traversed this very island has remained; like a fine wine getting better with age.

And so it goes…………………………………..Next we wash up on the shore of Mainland Italy.   Until then Keep Laughing, Keep Living Life to the Fullest, and remember to keep focusing on the Good in those around us.   We are glad you stopped by!   Take care!

Love, Light & Laughter, 

xo  Nancy & Joseph