"It's Malta", the good-natured statement by the large, cheerful English lady who sold, and later refunded, our cancelled-cruise tickets seems a good summary. At the local taxi rank, taxi drivers wait in shade chatting, smoking, rather than sitting alone in cabs. Maltese guide books are generally well done--clear, informative, not big-noting.

The educated Maltese middle class of the 1930s (what would now be known as the chattering class) was eager for Malta to embrace its Italian nationhood and destiny: what a bad idea that was, Malta is so much better off not being part of Italy. But, given the educated middle class tends to control the framing of public debate, whatever its current enthusiasms are often seem more compelling than later experience suggests was warranted.

How small Malta seems from air, as we fly over it; Sicily is clearly much greener.

Met at Catania airport by our landlord, taken to apartment (in Vico Castro). Like the apartment in Malta, in an old building but with recent internal modernisation. Much better supplied with cleaning liquids. After settling in (which required form filing in with passports: none of that in Malta) and payment, the landlord left and N and I took a short walk to main square (which is fairly magnificent). On way back, I bought some yoghurt and we had some delicious pasta at Trattoria Sapora with a generous glass of wine each.

Saturday
Breakfast at an internet Cafe Bruca in Via Victor Emmanuele II, whose card was given to us at the Tourist Information Office. Great hot chocolates. Then walked through extensive markets, down towards the South of the city. This turned out to be not very productive, being mainly industrial and dilapidated. Colourful two horse carts blaring music were a charming interlude. Guy driving off on motor scooter with toddler under one arm was striking. Came back to the main square, had another great pasta (linguine ai frutti de mare; N had a capriciosa pizza, also very good) then some nutella-flavoured ice-cream at Caffe del Duomo. Walked around the newer bits of the older part of town and then back to the apartment. Catania was rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1693, no doubt the same earthquake that demolished much of Mdina on Malta.
Came back, I slept, N wrote. Went out, got some kebabs and Mexican beer (Sol). Discovered a trick--go to the Indian run places, they speak English. Took them back to apartment.

Sunday
Went for a walk down to the seafront, which is cut off from pedestrians by the train tracks. But, as N said, where else could they put them? The railway station was built to fit in with the C18th architecture. There is also a 1920s (judging from the free-form rocks) fountain of a classical god seizing a resisting naked female form. Passed what was not so much a red light district as, in N's words, a dull globe district. Two corners on which ladies of negotiable affection plied their trade. On one corner there was what I can only described as a "dolled up dyke" plus a lady of ample breasts amply on display. The next corner had three grimly middle-aged ladies who seemed neither particularly up for negotiation or notably capable of affection.

Catania does not have the women's underwear ads that were such a feature of Malta. Compared to Malta, there is a distinct lack of billboards.

Mary was omnipresent in Malta but, without that, Catholic public religious art is very masculine. Had a light breakfast at a il Chioschetto Breakfast Bar--sugar is apparently compulsory for breakfast (I had a nutella croissant), though it served the bitterest hot chocolate I have had since Pellegrinis. Walked back to apartment. On way, I stopped off for some interneting at an Internet Cafe run, like the Kebab place and a mini market I bought yoghurt in, by Indians who seem to a feature of the retail life of Catania. Using Explorer (having been a Mac boy for quite a while now) with Italian menus, a mouse without a pad and an Italian keyboard (the @ was a third choice on a key, for example) was a bit of a challenge.

Back at the apartment, experienced the joys of handwashing clothes and hanging them out on balcony to dry. The latter is much more a feature of Catania than Malta.

Rather more Africans in evidence in Catania than in Malta. For lunch, had swordfish and red cabbage (plus finishing off N's meat sauce penne) at Cafe Prestipino with a glass of rather pleasant white wine. It was a point-and-order place. The swordfish was a little dry, but flavoursome (and went particularly well with the red cabbage) while the pasta was excellent.

Walked up the Via Etna to a sadly neglected, but nicely laid out, hillside gardens that modern roads had entirely cut off from convenient pedestrian access, despite the gardens clearly being visible the entire length of the Via Etna. Walked back down the Via Empedocles which angled off to the South. It seemed to roughly mark the boundary between the old city and the new city--the latter mostly full of modernist apartments of varying degrees of appalling, some of which were already in a considerable state of decay. Quite a few Chinese restaurants as one walks around Catania but no sign of any actual Chinese folk (perhaps said restaurants are also run by Indians?).

After a bit of a break, wandered out and had a lovely dinner at Osteria Antica Sicilia, a more upmarket place with gracious but harassed and over-worked waiters. I had a lovely scaloppine al funghi with salad (red cabbage even), N had a fine steak with grilled vegetables with a chalice of wine each--a nice amount. The whites have persistently been better than the reds. N then had a ricotta cheese cake with pistacchio and almonds, I had a chocolate covered profiterole filled with panna cotta (bliss).

Then we wandered for a walk, finding that if one turned right rather than left down the street Vico Castro comes off (Via Austeri) around the corner is a full C13th castle. Built by Federick of Swabia (i.e. Federick II Stupor Mundi Hohenstaufen). Makes me happy. Took a walk through parts of centre of old city had not seen before. Clearly, the night club district. Sunday night appears t be the night out night. Even more police in evidence than normal. Then home.

In Malta, inter-racial couples seem to be no problem. Very much a country of small cars and aggressive drivers. The planners seem to be fond of roundabouts.

During WWII, Malta was the most bombed place on Earth; 35,000 homes were destroyed in a country with not a large population. Malta chose to rebuild as was, not modernist rubbish.

Lots of German tourists in Malta. English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Danish, Japanese standard tourist languages.

Thursday, bought tickets for Gozo cruise that was then cancelled due to weather. So, took a harbour cruise: the sea was quite choppy outside harbour. Grand Harbour is spectacular. N complained about the wind chill factor. I lived in Canberra for 11 years, Mediterranean windchill just does not cut it.

We then had lunch at Kantina Cafe in St John's Square, Valletta (again, since the food had been so great Monday, when I had tagliatelle with Maltese sausage & goat's cheese). Second time around I had crab&lobster ravioli (what N had first time). We shared a jug of Sangria both times. N had a burger--heathen. I did manage to appall N, who had never come across a thick hot chocolate before--it was a proper one, the spoon did not move when you stuck it straight into it.

Then walked to both sets of bastion gardens overlooking Grand Harbour. More spectaclar views. Then took a bus to La Isla. Walked to point and then around to Birgu, where went enjoyed the Malta at War Museum. The excellent young guide made the point that Italian had been the language of education and law courts. Maltese was not a written language until the 1930s, when British suppressed Italian and promoted Maltese.

We walked up to edge of San Angelo and then along the foreshore. Took a bus back to Valetta. Had a drink in Cafe Contadini, established in 1837. Had dinner in a local haunt and pool hall, a set menu of spaghetti in rabbit sauce, three pieces of rabbit with salad and fries, hot drink and vanilla, strawberry or chocolate ice-cream. (N had vegetable soup and pork chop.) This local haunt being in a building with an 1874 plaque of a column and stonework heraldry which dates it back to the time of the knights. Then bus back to Sliema and hot chocolate on waterfront. Have been amused that the government buses have hammers all down each side with a sign "In case of emergency, use hammer to break glass".

Friday took Malta Sightseeing, hop on hop off bus to Tarxien. No signs at stop indicating directions, but a follow them technique led to signs and some of the oldest freestanding buildings ever discovered. Then back on bus to actual oldest buildings ever discovered. Was Malta really a pioneer? Or were other sites simply built over and lost? Continued nn tour around south sde of island. Passed St Gregory's, a medieval church which also functioned as watchtower and point of refuge. Has oldest dome designed by Maltese architects. Back to Sliema, pack up and final meal in Malta at Cafe Giorgio--fish platter for two. We also shared a wedge of a rich chocolate cake.

Malta does not believe in early breakfast--anything other than something light does not seem to be generally available before 9am. English is the language of commerce, Maltese the language for official things (except when they are in English). A very Maltese sound is the sound of church bells, which ring out regularly, day and night. Not many Americans in evidence, lots of Brits.

Tuesday
Took a ferry to Valetta. I bought a t-shirt in flea market. We went to the Grandmaster's Palace (now Presidential Palace) to see the State rooms and the Armoury. The Grandmaster's throne room was very much decorated in "we won the Great Siege, boo sucks to you Turks/Muslims" style. The armoury had a very impressive collection of C16th and C17th armour and weapons. Then off to the Great Siege Experience, a rather fun serious of life size dioramas with audio commentary.
We had lunch at Cafe Carravagio, where the food was fine but not as spectacularly good as the previous lunch in St John's Square had been.
Then off to Tourist Information Office so we could find the Post Office. Followed by the Archaelogical Museum, which had a particularly good display on the Neolithic period. Followed by Hastings Gardens on the landward bastions. Malta under the Knights was described as the greatest fortification in Europe: so true.

This was followed by a fun conducted tour of a private Palazzo (Maltese stately home which is still a home) open to public, including the WWII bomb-shelter, built from the wells (really cistern) that it had been required to have be built under houses as Valletta was being built. The Palazzo has a garden-courtyard, which was against the original planning rules but the Italian Knight who built it must have the requisite influence. We took a water taxi back to Sliema.

Wednesday
Had Pages on my iPad freeze on me, but a quick Google found what to do, which worked.

Took hop-on, hop-off double-deck tour bus to Mdina, variously the Roman, Arab and medieval capital in the middle of the island. Now a walled medieval city with much Baroque construction after the 1697? earthquake.

While there, saw the Mdina Dungeon display, the Mdina Experience film, and the Medieval Experience display. We found a cafe (La Fontina) which turned out to have an upstairs area right on walls. Windiest cafe ever. Had a spectacular view across fields to the coast. Then saw the Knights of Malta display, wandered around before waiting a long time for a bus with spare seats. (Tip: take Malta Sightseeing not Citysightseeing--the latter are better at selling tickets than providing buses.) It was astonishing, how many passengers seem to think being asked for tickets was either a surprise or a semi-imposition. Taking the bus around the north of the island, got a sense of the island. We passed by St Paul's Bay--first time I had been to a place mentioned in the Bible (St Paul had been shipwrecked on Malta--then Melita--at, it is believed, what is now St Paul's Bay; an experience described in Acts).

Then back to Sliema, a fine meal at Cafe Sicilano, followed by a constitutional around Tigne Point (the last fort built by the Knights and the only one to offer resistance to Napoleon).

The Arabic influence on Maltese is fairly clear, as when the Virgin Mary is entitled Sultana tal Paci (Queen of Peace). Mary is omnipresent; one wonders how much she took over from sea and earth goddesses.

Malta is not pedestrian friendly, even in the service-vehicles-only parts, as Maltese drivers are a touch on the aggressive side.

Monday moring, went to Knights Hospitallier exhibition under the Sacre Infirmia (the famous Hospitaller hospital, now the Mediterranean Conference Centre). The exhibit made a big deal out of two year French occupation; the third major siege. It took remarkably little time for the forces of Revolutionary Enlightenment Virtue to enrage the Maltese into revolt. The French did not seem to understand that, to the Maltese, the treasures in Churches were their treasures and objected to these newly arrived foreigners looting them.

Then off to the War Museum; I thought it did a fine job of conveying Malta's experience of two World Wars. (Did you know the Imperial Japanese Navy had a force stationed in Malta in WWI or that both Rudolf Hess and Donitz were PoWs in Malta?) We went on to The Malta Experience film and gift shop. The film conveyed the history of Malta quite well--the island has the world's oldest free-standing stone buildings. Malta seems to wear its history lightly. Of course, in all three seiges, the people they identfy with won.

After trying to find an optician, because a scew fell out of my glasss, it was on to St John's co-catherdrzl. Baroque hideousness at its wost, though it did have two Caravaggios.

Then water taxi back to Sliema. Tried the local beer, Cisk. Low-taste lager. But the rabbit in garlic was great.

Walked around from Sliema to Valetta, took about 2 hours, after having spent an hour walking around Sliema.

Had breakfast at a charming place which had lots of black-and-white framed photogaphs of Malta going back to the late C19th. The poached egg revolution does not appear to have hit Malta, the only way to have eggs was fried. The serves were large and the food fine.

The pasta we had in St John's square was excellent. Australian cuisine being Mediterrasian means that, when one gets to the Mediterranean, the food is familiar.

There are lots of construction cranes dotting the skyline. I noticed a help wanted ad in a cafe. The Eurozone crisis is not in evdence.

Sunday night, on the Sliema foreshore, it was striking to see preening Mediterranean boys in their original habitat.

The Ocean Basket (your Sole provider) is an excellent place to have lovely fresh seafood at Dubai airport. The prince prawns, calamari and fresh fish were succulent, the lemon sauce wonderful and the chips superior.

Flew to Malta via Lanacre in Cyprus. Arrived in Malta feeling fine. Have a nice little apartment in Sliema, a harbourside suburb across the harbour from Valetta. Very medieval streetscapes. The modern stuff is higher but fits in. The cafe strip is Lygon St on the harbour but cheaper. There is a curiously unfinished feel to the older buildings.

It has two other medieval features: churches dominate the skyline and the streets have religious names. (Our apartment is in Annunciation St.)

My tips so far are:
Stick to water on the flight;
Have salt;
Get massages.

Also had a massage at Dubai hotel spa. So worth it.

Well, the great Mediterranean research trip is underway. N and I have made it to Dubai. Emirates has been a pleasant way to fly so far.

There was a certain amount of Internet device franticness Friday night, but a massage at Chadstone and at chauffeur driven car to the airport was a great starting point.

When the LNP (Liberal National Party, Queensland) looked like it might dump Peter Slipper as an MP, the Gillard Government decided there was an opportunity to improve its precarious House of Representatives numbers and make the disgruntled MP Speaker.

How is that working out for them? Not so good, with sexual allegations on top of a previous history of rorting his expenses.

Given already out there fun and games with Craig Thomson MP, and relying on the votes of country independents, this is not good for the Gillard Government, already doing very badly in the opinion polls, even by mid-term standards.

Peter Slipper's endorsement was under threat by Mal Brough: for a sitting member in the Liberal or National (or Liberal National) Party to be under threat is unusual. That there is little doubt that replacing Slipper with Brough would improve the quality of the House of Representatives is not enough on its own to explain Slipper's endorsement being under threat. An existing history of unfortunate personal allegations explains it rather better.

I suspect the ALP misread what the doubt over Slipper's endorsement meant. In the ALP, it would be just faction fighting and a shift in factional strength. The Liberal-National Party Coalition does not work like that. It is a bad sign if a sitting Member's endorsement is in doubt: that usually says not good things about said Member.

Well, he is not the Coalition's problem any more, the ALP now "own" him. Such fun for them.

On how to throw a Bacchanal

(1) The Greeks did not wear togas, especially not Greek gods. You’re thinking of the Romans. Please do not ever associate "Greeks" and "togas" again. If, however, you want to advertise your party with the catchphrase, "We put the TOGA in Saratoga," go ahead. You’re welcome.
...