5 Passports: Malta

More times than not we’ve really enjoyed the places we’ve picked to visit, and Malta is no exception. When we picked Malta as a destination we didn't really know much about it. Now that we're here, we're wondering how it could remain such a secret. The first thing that stood out are the people. Angie and I look at each other in wonder sometimes over how nice everyone is. Good deeds are so common that it can’t be by accident. There are tons of examples and I feel compelled to offer just a few…

If we ask for directions (or any other question) and the person doesn’t know the answer, they help you find someone who does instead of walking away.
When I asked a local about places to see, he came up with several options including directions to each. To top it off, he then gave us his cell phone number in case we got lost on the way and needed further assistance.
Upon arriving late to our apartment the first night, the landlord sensed we were hungry and tired. Knowing it was too late for the market, he raided his own refrigerator and brought us all kinds of snacks and drinks.
Since we arrived a day early and late at night, Avis delivered our rental car to the apartment early the next morning.
We met a gentleman from Kansas who has started a business here. We asked him why he picked Malta and his response was “the people”. He said they’re so eager to help you with whatever you need, that to get his business up and running was a breeze.
My favorite was the day I was looking over a city map along the sidewalk. A man pulled over, rolled down his window, and offered me help with directions. This stuff just doesn’t happen.

Another big plus is that everyone speaks English. Along with Maltese, it’s the first language and everyone speaks it beautifully. It’s not that we don’t like the romance of working through a foreign language, but it’s been several months since we’ve been in an English speaking country. The English comes from the fact that Malta was part of the British Empire for over 150 years. But the British are only the latest occupants, as almost every Mediterranean power has ruled these islands at one time or another. (Phoenicians, Cathaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Swabians, Angevins, Aragonese, Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalum, and the French) In 1964 Malta started to pave the way towards independence and in 1979 the last British troops left the islands. In 2004 they became the smallest country to join the European Union while adopting the Euro earlier this year. But it's easy to still see the British influence; from the business names and foods, to the red phone booths and driving on the left. (Driving a stick, shifting with your left hand, and entering a round-about from the opposite direction, can take a lot of brainpower sometimes.)

We planned to spend a week on each of the two main islands and it’s simply not enough time. For such a small island (the two furthest points are an hour apart at most) there’s a ton to see and do. We were worried we’d be bored, but we find ourselves having to choose which things to do and which to skip. The main attraction here for tourists is the sun and sea, but if we had to fit in beach time and water parks we’d really be in trouble. In all fairness we did come up with a couple of downsides. First, the roads are a tangled mess and a maintenance nightmare. Driving in the left-hand lane does not help the confusion. And second, the summers can be brutally hot. But then again you never have to drive very far (since the island is so small) and the sea is never more than a stone's throw away if you’re hot.