We Found Wally

The timing of our trip was based more on fitting in with Trish's health circumstances. She has 3 monthly checks to see if she is well and if she is, we can travel for the next 3 months. Her check in late January was positive so off we went. However, as luck would have it, we were in Malta at pretty well the same time of year as Edward. He was here for Carnival and so are we. For Edward, the 3 days of Carnival were insufferably stupid and spiritless. He attributed this to English rule having deprived the Carnival of all its ancient license, excitments and extravagancies. I suspect as a single man in his prime he was hoping for something like the Rio Mardi Gras, whereas the Malta Carnival is much more a family affair with colour and noise but not much in the way of license.Today people started appearing in the streets, especially children, dressed in extravagant, colourful costumes, some traditional but many modern superheros and media characters, including the occasional "Where's Wally", both adult and junior.

Children in more traditional costume. More common were Spidermen, Wonder Women and Police and Fire Fighters

We spent the morning walking the ramparts and at lunch time watched the firing of the gun in Upper Barrakka Gardens which happens daily at lunch and in the late afternoon, as it did in Edward's time. It's a popular tourist event now.

After spotting the Soroptomist tree at St Anton's Gardens Trish had made contact with Thea, a local Soroptomist and arranged to meet at a cafe for afternoon coffee. Thea is a German living in Malta for the "sun and taxes". I asked her what the basis of the Maltese economy is, apart from the obvious tourism. Apparently they are aiming at becoming a centre of financial services ranging from Casinos to a low tax environment and merchant banking. I would guess it is this industry that has led to their problems with corruption in government. There is an ongoing memorial /protest site outside the Cathedral for a journalist who was murdered while investigating corruption in 2017. Just before we arrived the Prime Minister stood down following indications that he could be implicated. Big finance will often attract big corruption.

Carnival officially opened this afternoon with a dance competition by troops of extravagantly costumed local dance groups from all over Malta, as well as some from Italy and other parts of Europe. There seemed to be an endless procession of them, all doing modern dance routines to such traditional Maltese tunes as "Barbie Girl" and "Sweet Caroline". Smoking is by no means a lost art in Malta with cigarettes and efags, present everywhere. This was brought home to me by the fascinating sight of a dance troop dressed as ladies from the Court of the Sun King complete with hooped skirts, elaborate makeup and high piled pompadours, coming off stage from their dance routing and virtually all groping into their bras to pull out, and light up, fags.

Edward went to the grand Carnival ball at the palace which he thought rather a stupid affair. Wherever he went, Edward was appraising the looks of the female population but with the display of Maltese beauty at the ball I was much disappointed, the prevalence of good looks among the inferior classes having somewhat raised my expectations. If there is a ball these days, we weren't invited and in Malta, as the rest of the world it is difficult recognize class. However, Maltese women clearly do their best to present well and I wasn't disappointed in that respect. In Edward's time traditional dress was still worn with black silk hood and mantle, or faldette, setting off their generally light and graceful figures to much advantage. Dress today is modern western but there are still plenty of light and graceful figures. Maltese genetics also seem to lean towards thick manes of copious curls.

Carnival Float.

In Edward's time at "gun-fire" every evening the amusements were discontinued and the streets regained the quiet deserted appearance which at night distinguishes the streets of Valletta.Today the streets of Valletta remain active in the evenings with people going out to eat and socialize. After the dance competition finished the Carnival floats, accompanied by dance groups began a slow parade up and down the streets.