MaltaMap
June There are Maltese crosses everywhere, which is hardly surprising.  The island is small, the locals are laid-back.  You can see from one town to the next.  You can drive through all of Malta in forty minutes.  Practically all the houses have double front doors with handles directly in the center of the door panels. Behind them is an antechamber followed by another set of doors.  Practically all the balconies are enclosed with glass panes in a familiar manner.  Practically all the buildings are made of sandstone.  Power lines are mounted directly on building facades.  Every building has a name.  Street name plates and other signs are made of ceramic.  Zebra crossings are marked with yellow or orange globes on both sides. The same thing can be found in New Zealand, Israel and other countries that have experienced the influence of Britain at some point in the past.  A big British post box.  A small British post box.  A very old compact British post box built into the wall.  A boring contemporary Maltese post box.  A classic British telephone booth.  An attempt to preserve the silhouette of the booth at minimal cost.  A boring contemporary Maltese telephone booth.  A bus stop sign.  A bus shelter. Every one of them has a big yellow plastic bench inside.  The buses in Malta are old and diverse, like in Cuba.  Every vehicle must have a tax disc displayed under the windshield.  Trash dumpsters.  No parking.  Another instance of no parking.  Bicycle parking.  Traffic and directional signs.  A pedestrian.  Fire and security alarm boxes.  Beauty under restoration.  A living beggar competes with a dummy donation collector.  There’s some kind of religious piece on every corner.  Sometimes right on the wall as well, and not just on the corner.  Some people hang their trash bags on the wall.  Trash cans.  There’s beauty here, both in the particulars.  And in general.  |
