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Malta, Where Ancient History
Meets Modern Filmmaking
By Valerie Summers
 Just prior to leaving
on my trip to Malta, I had gone to see The Count of Monte Cristo and
found in the credits, much to my surprise, that it had been filmed in the
beautiful Maltese islands. A few days later, en route to Malta, I struck up
a conversation with a fellow passenger who was going to visit her husband
there. He was directing Julius Caesar, a mini-series for TV, and
had recently directed the acclaimed Mists of Avalon. Further into
the conversation I learned that the island which I was going to visit, just
off the coast of Sicily, has a strong connection with my home town in Los
Angeles, where movies began. My curiosity was aroused and I decided to
learn more about the Maltese film industry.
Some things I did know
about Malta before arriving there was that English is one of the two
official languages, so there is no problem for Americans or other English
speaking visitors. The Maltese spoken language is an interesting
combination of Italian and Arabic. The written language, to me looks a lot
like Welsh, with its muti-consonants uninterrupted by vowels. I also knew
the temperate climate makes it an ideal all year round vacation spot. The
rest I would discover.
 The Maltese, I had
heard, have a reputation for being the “friendliest people on earth.” I can
believe that. Two incidences occurred to me personally which confirmed it.
The first happened upon my arrival at the hotel where I had reservations.
It was in the middle of the night and I had been en-route for many hours and
did not notice when I took my coat from the overhead bin that some important
papers had fallen out of my pocket. By the time I reached my hotel, the
airline, Air Malta, had called to notify me they were holding these papers.
The second incident occurred when I walked into a small pub with five
other people and the only immediate seating would be to break us up into
tables of two. Without being asked, two women got up from where they were
sitting and moved to a smaller table so we could all be together. Now,
that’s friendly.
 Curious about the
Hollywood/Malta connection, I visited the area where Gladiator was
filmed….yes, the very same Oscar-winning movie. The not so successful film,
Love, Sex, Drugs and Money, starring Madonna, was also set in Malta as
was Robin Williams’ Popeye. I visited Popeye Village, erected in a
remote cove which has been kept as an amusement area. In Rinella, a huge
water tank, more like a gigantic swimming pool, gives filmmakers a
controlled environment in which to shoot water scenes with an uninterrupted
backdrop of the Mediterranean sea and has been used in many films. Upon
further investigation, I discovered that the Maltese film industry began in
the early 50’s when the economy was able to shift from being totally reliant
as a military base due to its strategic position. Earlier films that used
this historic island included Orca, Raise the Titanic, Roman
Polanski’s Pirates, Cutthroat Island and U571. Having
assuaged my curiosity, I was eager to find out more about this historic
island nation.
 The island’s colorful
history spans over 7,000 years during which time the gentle Maltese fought
off a variety of invaders. They learned to design their buildings,
constructed of honey-colored limestone quarried on the island, with simple
facades which would hopefully dissuade marauders from intruding. The
insides, however, are a different story. In one chapel, during one of the
occupations, the Maltese painted all the considerable solid silver
ornamentation black to disguise it. One of the most memorable stories I
heard during my stay was that of the bomb, that in 1942, was dropped through
the center of the Mosta Rotunda Church’s great dome (the third largest dome
in Europe) where more than 300 people were gathered. Miraculously, it did
not explode and remains on display.
Malta’s capital,
Valletta, is known as the first planned city in Europe, built by Jean de La
Valette, French Grand Master of the Order of the Knights of St. John. The
picturesque city stands on a promontory flanked by two major harbors, its
honey colored buildings bathed in the glow of the sun. Its major
attractions include the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Armory of the
Knights at the Palace, the National Museum of Archaeology and the National
Museum of Fine Arts featuring the works of Caravaggio and Tintoretto among
other masters. The old walled medieval city, Mdina, known as the Silent
City, looks like a movie set and has been used on many occasions for just
that purpose. At the other end of the spectrum, Sliema, Malta’s largest and
most modern town, is noted as a fashionable residential area and resort
with neighboring St. Julian at the heart of Malta’s nightlife. In Rabat, I
climbed around inside of St. Agatha and St. Paul’s Catacombs and visited St.
Paul’s Grotto where he lived during his three-month stay on the island after
his shipwreck in 60 AD.
My visit coincided with
the Carnival celebration (prior to Lent), and in this very Catholic
country, where every town’s most distinguished building is its church,
Carnival was in full swing with parties, parades and celebrations. Costumed
children roamed the streets. All the inhabitants were out celebrating,
filling the umbrella shaded squares, shopping and visiting and there was
music everywhere. On Sunday when the shops were closed, I drove to Marsa
Xlokk, a picturesque fishing village, famous for its Sunday market where I
joined shoppers crowding through a mile of stalls filled with fresh fish,
colorful fruits and vegetables, lace, rugs, kitchenware and more.
During another shopping
expedition, I was determined to see the exquisite crafts for which Malta is
famous including glass blowing and lace making , a dying art. I visited
the Crafts Village at Ta’Qali where I purchased several colorful,
beautifully crafted glass pieces and at other village shops some filigreed
silver earrings and hand made lace pillow covers. I discovered Malta is a
great place for shopping. Quite by accident, I stopped into a pharmacy and
found a face cream which cost one fifth of the price I pay in Los Angeles.
Needless to say, I stocked up.
Other than shopping,
most visitors are very interested in eating and I am no exception. I was
told that the national dish is rabbit, but it was not offered on any menu at
any restaurant where I dined. What I did find was an abundance of wonderful
fresh fish, some of which I had never tasted, including the very delicate
scorpion fish. The most popular Maltese drink is a non alcoholic amber
liquid called Kinnie, a soft drink of bitter oranges and aromatic herbs,
refreshing and not too sweet. One of my most memorable taste treats was the
freshly baked Maltese bread which I stuffed myself with as often as
possible.
 When I travel, I enjoy
mixing culture, history and shopping with adventure which was next on my
agenda. One of my favorite Maltese adventures was a boat trip into the Blue
Grotto-Wied iz-Zurrieq, in Vittoriosa. Mine was the last trip of the day
because the waves were getting too high, but for me, it was an A-ride past
the cliffs and into the sea caves. Mirroring the brilliant phosphorescent
colors of underwater flora, the clear blue water remained blue when I
scooped it into my hands, a phenomenon which I could hardly believe.
 My next boat ride was
on a ferry. Although the Maltese islands host tourists from all over the
world, the favorite getaway for many Maltese is the neighboring island of
Gozo, just a 20 minute ferry ride away. Gozo’s landscape appears hillier
than Malta’s, with more open spaces and a unique rugged beauty. With few
exceptions, its population of 30,000 residents were only visible in the
main town of Victoria where Carnival celebrations continued. There seemed
to be more people participating in the parades than viewing them. Most
of the villages were so quiet as to appear like ghost towns. Here,
farmlands specialize in raising capers, tomatoes and potatoes and other
produce along with milk from the dairy farms, to feed its inhabitants.
 Driving through the
countryside, I visited the much photographed Azure window in the cliff at
Dwegera and walked up a small hill to peer at what seemed to be a tiny lake
surrounded by cliffs, but what was, in reality an inland sea with an opening
through a cave into the Mediterranean. Continuing my drive along the
narrow, winding roads, I peered down a cliff at the salt pans at Qbajjar on
my way down to visit a 17th century windmill museum at Xaghara
where, for many years, millers families lived and worked, making flour from
grain for the community. One of the most interesting sights on the island
of Gozo was the site of the oldest known free standing monument in the
world, built 3600-2500 BC. The Ggantija Temples, constructed of huge
pockmarked limestone blocks, are included in the world Heritage List and
remain very much intact. Along with other visitors, I explored the inside
of the ancient roofless structures.
 The Neolithic sites,
the more than 365 historic Catholic churches mostly built during the 300
year stay of the Knights of the Order of St. John, the medieval cities and
swinging nightlife along with azure seas for all kinds of water sports, the
festivals and most of all the warmth of the inhabitants made my visit to
Malta memorable. And for those who live where the winters are cold, a trip
to Malta can pay for itself when the heat is turned off at home.
For information:
Air Malta, the
national airline, operates flights to and from all major airports in Europe,
North Africa, the Middle East and the Gulf States.
http://www.airmalta.com
British Air,
comfortably flew me in a business class bed from Los Angeles to London. I
boarded, enjoyed a beautiful meal in the privacy of my own cocoon, stretched
out and went to sleep, woke up, had breakfast and disembarked, completely
rested. In the business class lounge, I showered, sent a few e-mails, read
the paper and snacked while waiting for my connecting flight. It was like a
mini-vacation.
800/247-9297
http://www.britishairways.com
Crown Plaza Hotel,
situated on a historical site in the prestige area, walking distance from
city center. 187 large, air conditioned bedrooms featuring balconies with
view of the sea or harbor and all with TV. The Four Season restaurant
serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pebbles Lida is the hotel’s private
beach with extensive water sports. There are also two swimming pools, a
fully equipped fitness center and adjacent rocking disco.
Tigne Street
Sliema SLM 11
Malta
(356)343 400
http://www.malta.crowneplaza.com
Hotel Ta’ Cenc,
an oasis within the tranquil Isle of Gozo featuring uniquely styled guest
cottages, shaped like bee hives, huge swimming pools, fine dining room and
acres and acres of unspoiled natural surroundings adjacent to the sea. All
83 rooms (double, suites, bungalows, and family apartments are tastefully
furnished and feature terraces or small private gardens.
Isle of Gozo
Malta
556819
http://www.vjborg.com
Malta Tourist Office
65 Broadway, Suite 823
New York, NY 10006
212/430-3799
http://wwwvisitmalta.com
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