The Glory of England

The nastiest bar in the capital of Gozo was called the Glory of England. It is ironic that this rather dirty place should be named after the nation that used to rule the waves. The Maltese (and especially the Gozitans), however, have always taken England with a pinch of salt.

Gozo's capital is known to everybody as Victoria, but the locals call it Rabat. The name of the British queen was given to this town in her Golden Jubilee in 1887. The Maltese thanked her profusely, erected a monument and carried on calling the place Rabat. There's no disaffection, though: the Maltese welcomed the British in the early nineteenth century as a way to break with the ancien régime embodied by the rules of the Knights of St John and then the French. In World War II, they fought bravely to protect the islands from German and Italian air raids. Some say they fought for their King.

If not the 'Glory of England' any more, Comino, Gozo and Malta are amongst the jewels of the Mediterranean Sea. Malta is a beautiful tourist spot, the highlight of which is its capital city, Valletta. Visiting the Church of St John (and indeed its museum, which has two amazing Caravaggios) is a must. I prefer the small islands, though. Gozo and Comino are rather unexploited, which makes a visit really worthwhile. In Gozo I enjoyed nine days of sun, swimming and peace and that I would recommend to everyone. Now I'm ready for a year of challenges and willing to do more solitary travelling.