CERCLE DIPLOMATIQUE - issue 01/2017

LE MONDE MALTA
Valletta is well-known for its
picturesque views and narrow
streets (right) as well as
its numerous shopping
possibilities (below).
A breath-taking view from the
oceanside over the hills of Valletta
with the famous St. John‘s
Cathedral guarding them.
PHOTOS: FOTOLIA (2), MALTA TOURISM
When it comes to Malta, there are those
who think of it as this small country in
the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of
three tiny islands – Malta, Gozo and ... hhhm ... Comino,
right? – south of Sicily. Poor chaps, they obviously
have never been there.
And then there are those having already been lured
by fate to Malta – like in ancient times it happened
to Odysseus who was seduced by the Goddess
Calypso to spend seven years in Gozo, they say. These
people belong to the lucky crowd. You may recognise
them by their ”did-you-know-that“-habit, they
simply can‘t keep their mouths shut talking about the
wonders and curiosities they have come across during
their visit. Just kindly ask ”How was your trip
to...“ and they will unstoppably go like did you know
that...
• the name ”Malta“ derives from the Greek word μέλι
or ”meli“ which means ”honey“;
• there are exactly 365 churches, one for each day, but
no rivers or lakes;
• Valletta is Europe‘s smallest capital, with less than a
square kilometre in size;
• the megalithic temples of Ggantija on Gozo island,
one of the country‘s three UNESCO World
Heritage Sites, are older than the Pyramids of
Egypt, dating back to between 3,600 and 2,500 BC;
• there is maybe nothing more beautiful than the
”Azure Window“ in Dwejra on Gozo – a rock
monument which has been washed out of the cliffs
by myriads of waves and the winds and stands
majestically as a gateway to the Mediterranean Sea;
• Mdina, the old capital of Malta, is called the ”City of
Silence“ because time seems to stand still there;
• all over the country you can find these cute, old
British telephone cabins, but also have to drive on
the left side, because Malta has been a colony of the
United Kingdom until its independence in 1964;
• the picturesque scenery of Malta has proved to be
the perfect playground for many blockbuster
movies like ”Gladiator“, ”Troja“, ”The Count of
Monte Christo“, „World War Z“ or the endless TVseries
„Game of Thrones“, and let‘s not forget
”Popeye the Sailor“ with Robin Williams.
True lovers of Malta could endlessly go on and on
listing such outstanding features. And they are constantly
becoming more and more. Every year, some
additional two million folks are getting addicted to
Malta. That‘s the number of visitors the country,
which only has a population of some 445,000 people,
An overview of Valletta, the
smallest capital of Europe, which
spreads out only over less than a
square kilometre.
Building complex at the National
Corporation KazMunaiGas
Round Square.
32
Cercle Diplomatique 1/2017
Cercle Diplomatique 1/2017
31