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Meta qorbot lejn tmiemha s-sena skolastika, l-għalliema tad-drama, Miss Borg, ħasbet biex bħal kull sena, ittella’ reċta. Fiha dejjem kienu jieħdu sehem għadd ta’ tfal minn klassijiet differenti. It-tfal l-oħra, li ma kinux jingħataw parti, kienu jsegwu r-reċta minn fuq is-siġġijiet tas-sala tal-iskola flimkien mal-kumplament tal-għalliema u l-Kap tal-iskola. Il-ġenituri ma setgħux jattendu minħabba li r-reċta kienet tittella’ waqt il-ħin tal-iskola.

Din is-sena, Elise kienet se tieħu sehem fir-reċta għall-ewwel darba. Anki Emma u Danica, li kienu fl-istess klassi tagħha, intgħażlu minn Miss Borg. It-tlieta li huma ngħataw parti żgħira fir-reċta u ma xxennqux għal xi parti prinċipali għax daqshekk kien biżżejjed għalihom biex ikunu kuntenti. Ir-reċta kienet se tkun dwar x’jagħmlu l-għalliema u l-istudenti tagħha waqt il-lezzjoni tal-Matematika; u Elise, Emma u Danica kellhom ikunu tliet studenti minn fost grupp ta’ ħmistax. Għaldaqstant, il-kostum ma kienx se jkun problema għalihom għax kienu se jitilgħu fuq il-palk bl-uniformi tal-iskola stess. Miss Borg tathom l-iskript, li kienet kitbet hi stess bil-Malti, u indikatilhom liema linji kellhom jistudjaw. Fil-brejk bdew joqogħdu ġewwa fil-klassi biex jgħinu lil xulxin jistudjaw il-linji sew.

Ma ridux jaqgħu għaċ-ċajt ħalli darb’oħra Miss Borg terġa’ tagħżilhom għal reċta oħra. Saħansitra, meta Elise kienet tasal lura d-dar mill-iskola, kienet terġa’ tirrevedi l-linji mal-papà, li meta kien għadu tifel, kien l-għors tiegħu jieħu sehem fir-reċti tal-iskola u tal-Mużew fejn kien jattendi. Elise kienet tgħallmet il-linji tagħha kollha bl-amment f’qasir żmien, u meta marret għall-provi tar-reċta, Miss Borg kellha kliem ta’ tifħir lejha, u l-istess lejn sħabha.

Iżda bħal sajjetta fil-bnazzi, jumejn biss qabel ittellgħet ir-reċta, Elise qabdet tagħtas waħda f’waħda, kellha wġigħ ta’ ras taqsam u telgħalha d-deni wkoll. It-tabib wissieha biex tibqa’ fis-sodda sakemm jgħaddilha għalkollox. Kienet belgħet riħ mat-taqlib tal-arja mid-dehra. Sa mnalla kienet laħqet lestiet mill-eżamijiet għax li kieku falliethom kien ikollha tagħmel sajf tistudja biex tagħmilhom f’Settembru qabel is-sena skolastika li jmiss. Xorta ddispjaċieha bil-kbir talli kienet tilfet ir-reċta. Imma ma kienx hemmx x’tagħmel. Anki l-mamà u l-papà xtaqu li Elise ma marditx lejlet ir-reċta, iżda qalulha li aħjar tieħu ħsieb saħħitha, u ma tgħaddasx rasha u tmur l-iskola, ma jmurx ikollha konsegwenzi agħar.

Il-linji tagħha qasmuhom bejniethom Danica u Emma bejn għax kienu jafuhom fuq ponot subgħajhom u bejn għax Miss Borg ma kellhiex żmien biżżejjed biex tqabbad lil xi ħaddieħor minflokha. Però, lil Elise wegħditha li s-sena ta’ wara żgur kienet se tagħtiha parti f’reċta oħra, grazzi għall-entużjażmu tagħha. Għalkemm kien fadal ftit żmien mhux ħażin, it-tifla diġà ħassitha timtela bil-kuraġġ u bil-ħerqa. Fir-reċta li kien imiss, Miss Borg tatha l-parti prinċipali, li daħlet għaliha b’ruħha u b’ġisimha. Tgħidx x’applaws u prosit kbira qalgħet mill-udjenza għaliex ħarġet bl-unuri fuq il-palk daqs l-aqwa attriċi!

Ġappuniż ta’ 80 sena sar l-ixjeħ raġel li tela’ fil-quċċata tal-Muntanja Everest

Xi żmien ilu, Yuichiro Miura rnexxielu jitla’ fuq nett tad-29,035 pied, u kiser ir-rekord li kien wettaq ir-rival tiegħu ta’ 81 sena min-Nepal, Min Bahadur Sherchan.

Snin ilu, Yuichiro Miura tela’ l-istess muntanja, iżda ma rnexxilux jegħleb lil Sherchan, sal-quċċata, li meta wettaq ir-rekord, kellu 76 sena.

Mill-quċċata tal-Everest, Yuichiro u ibnu Gota, ikkuntattjaw lit-tim tal-appoġġ tagħhom, biex ħabbrulhom l-aħbar. Yuichiro qal “qed inħossni l-aqwa fid-dinja, iżda għajjien totalment.”

Meta tħabbret l-aħbar, Min Bahadur Sherchan kien qed iħejji biex jipprova jerġa’ jikseb rekord għalih.

L-erbgħin jum tar-Randan kienu gerbu ġimgħa wara ġimgħa. Il-Ġimgħa l-Kbira u l-Għid il-Kbir kienu ċċelebrati bis-solennità li tixirqilhom. Addijo bajd tal-Għid u figolli! Issa t-temp kien jibbnazza dejjem iżjed. Kien beda żmien it-tberik tal-familji wkoll. L-uffiċċju parrokkjali qassam fuljett f’kull dar bid-dati tat-tberik għal kull triq fir-raħal bħas-soltu. Il-mamà qagħdet attenta li ssib id-data tat-triq tagħha preċiża u niżlitha fuq l-almanakk tal-kċina bħala ġurnata importanti. Fil-fuljett parrokkjali kien hemm enfasi li kull familja tilqa’ bi ħġarha lill-Arċipriet il-ġdid, Dun Frans Busuttil, li kien ilu r-raħal għal dawn l-aħħar xhur. Il-mamà u l-papà qraw il-kliem iswed fuq l-abjad b’reqqa kbira, u qatgħuha li jippreparaw ruħhom tajjeb ħalli jagħtuh merħba mistħoqqha. 

Ftit ġranet wara, il-mamà marret għand Ċetta tal-grocer u xtrat id-dqiq, il-bajd, il-butir tat-tisjir, il-lewż, iż-żbib u z-zokkor biex issajjar ftit ħelu bnin kif taf hi. Bagħtet ukoll lill-papà jixtri flixkun whisky ħalli jagħtu grokk minnu lill-Arċipriet. Il-whisky swieh sold mhux ħażin għax kien wieħed mit-tajbin nett.

Dakinhar tat-tberik, id-dar kienet tleqq minn fuq s’isfel. Fis-salott, il-mamà firxet tapit aħmar u għamlet bukkett fjuri friski fil-buqar ta’ fuq il-mejda. Fil-kċina kien hemm riħa tfuħ taqsamlek qalbek. Il-mamà kienet xammret il-kmiem u bdiet tħawwad il-kejk minn filgħodu kmieni. Qalgħet idejha ddawwar bl-imgħarfa tal-injam sakemm ħalltet l-ingredjenti kollha flimkien billi l-cake mixer inzertat bil-ħsara. Meta dehrilha, qabdet it-taħlita, ferrgħetha f’reċipjent tond u tefgħetha fil-forn. Wara ħawdet it-taħlita tal-biskuttini tal-lewż, qegħdithom fejn xulxin f’reċipjent ieħor bil-karta tal-ostja taħthom u għamlithom fil-forn ukoll.

Waranofsinhar, il-mamà tgħidx kemm ġriet wara Luca u Elise biex ifittxu jlestu l-homework għax ma riditx pitazzi fin-nofs. Huma tefgħu rashom fil-kotba u ma ħlewx ħin. Il-mamà mbagħad firxet id-dvalja tal-bizzilla fuq il-mejda tal-kċina u poġġiet fuqha platt taċ-ċaqquf mimli b’diversi biċċiet tal-kejk u biskuttini tal-lewż. Ħdejh għamlet il-flixkun tal-whisky u tazza żgħira tal-kristall. Kif warrbet il-mamà, it-tfal intefgħu jnaqqru l-kejk u l-biskuttini mill-platt għax kien infetħilhom l-aptit. Dik l-ikla ħelu bnin niżlitilhom għasel.

Xħin wasal l-Arċipriet, il-mamà u l-papà ħadulu b’idejh u laqgħuh fis-salott. Imbagħad raddew is-salib, qalu talba qasira, u Dun Frans beda jroxx l-ilma mbierek ma’ kullimkien. Malli daħal fil-kċina lemaħ lil Luca u lil Elise. Berikhom u huma tbissmulu, u bisulu idu b’sinjal ta’ rispett. Wara, poġġa bilqiegħda fuq wieħed mis-siġġijiet tal-injam biex jistrieħ ftit u jgħid kelma magħhom ilkoll. Il-mamà ferrgħetlu grokk whisky u hekk kif ittantat tqiegħed il-platt quddiemu biex toffrilu biċċa kejk jew biskuttin, indunat li kien vojt. Mill-ewwel ħasbet ħażin fit-tfal u dlonk ftakret li kienet rathom ifarfru l-frak minn ma’ ħalqhom meta raw lil Dun Frans dieħel ħdejhom. Tathom ħarsa kerha għax mhux suppost kellhom imissuh dak il-platt taċ-ċaqquf. Il-ftit biċċiet kejk u biskuttini li kien għad fadlilha fuq ir-riħ spiċċa kielhom kollha l-Arċipriet. Dawk suppost kienet refgħethom għal wara t-tberik biex jikluhom mat-te. Imma, issa, hi u l-papà kienu se jibqgħu mingħajrhom minħabba dawk iż-żewġ żaqqiqin, Elise u Luca. L-Arċipriet żgur li ma ddispjaċiehx li mar għandhom għax tgħidx kemm dam jgħidilhom prosit tal-ħelu bnin u tal-whisky fin li tawh.

In former days, Carnival festivities started with the ‘Parata’ on Carnival Saturday. This consists of an ancient Maltese sword-dance which commemorates the Maltese victory over the Turks in 1565. It comprises of a company of young men or children dressed up in gay ribbons and armed with wooden swords. The dancers represent either Christian or Turkish soldiers.

The members of the company form two concentric rings of an equal number of dancers representing the two different ‘armies’. The dance is directed by a leader who blows a whistle and strikes his own sword against the first one of the opposing group. The dancers of the outer ring start to move to the left three paces at a time, striking the sword of the dancers in the inner circle to the beat of a bass drum. While this is going on there would also be the playing of a violin and a bagpipe. 

When the dance reaches the end a girl who represents the ‘Għarusa tal-Parata’ (the bride of the Parata) is lifted shoulder-high. This young girl will be splendidly dressed up in a white dress and a red cloak – the colours of the national flag. She also carries a small dagger. She is carried around the square as a sign of the Christian victory. 

History

Under the Knights, the ‘Parata’ was considered to be a very serious activity. People eagerly awaited the performance of the dance. They knew quite well that if there was no ‘Parata’ there would be no Carnival. This created the need for the dancers to wait outside the Palace of the Grandmaster (today the Palace of the President) until they received permission for the celebration of Carnival. It was the custom for the Knight Grand Cross who had been last appointed to call on the Grand Master to remind him about this permission. When the request was granted then a ‘bandu’ proclaiming the opening of Carnival was immediately issued.

Once the permission reached the dancers they would start to perform the dance on the Palace Square (Piazza San Giorgio). Similar dances were then performed in front of the houses of wealthy persons who were likely to pay the dancers for their trouble.

During the times of the Knights, there was a custom of hanging a stone from the ‘Castellania’ or the Palace of Justice balcony (today the offices of the Medical and Health Ministry) as a sign that justice had been suspended for the three days of Carnival. It is recorded that in 1752 the Knight Grand Cross failed to appear before the Grand Master. The people started to protest but he was warned in time to make the amends by obtaining the Grand Master’s permission before any acts of violence could start.

Charles B. Spiteri

Teżor enormi ta’ karozzi klassiċi, li jiswew madwar €27,390,400, inkiseb min-neguzjant f’wieħed mill-akbar negozji privati li qatt sar fl-istorja Britannika.

John Collins xtara din il-kollezzjoni impressiva ta’ 27 karozza li jinkludu mudelli bħal Ferrari, Mercedes, Porsche u Lamborghini.

Fosthom hemm ukoll Aston Martin One-77 u Ferrari 288GTO, li bħalissa huma fost l-aktar karozzi klassiċi apprezzati għall-ħeffa tagħhom.

Il-maġġoranza tal-karozzi qajla ntużaw, tant li Lamborghini LP500S tal-1982 għamlet biss 500 mil.

Il-kollezzjoni kienet moħbija f’maħżen barra Londra, u kif sar jaf biha, is-Sur Collins ħaffef biex jinneguzjaha.

B’kollox kiseb erba’ Aston Martins, 11-il Ferrari, Jaguar, erba’ Lamborghini, ħames Mercedes u żewġ Porsche.

Numru mill-Ferraris jiswew aktar minn €1.4miljun, waqt li Jaguar E-Type tal-1965, għad għandha biss fuq l-arloġġ, 2,605 mili.

Is-Sur Collins li għandu negozju tal-karozzi f’Berkshire qal li s-sid kien bena l-kollezzjoni tiegħu f’dawn l-aħħar 20 sena. F’salt wieħed iddeċieda li jbigħ kollox f’daqqa. Ikkuntattjawh u qatagħha li jixtrihom.

Jirrakkonta li meta mar jara u fetħulu l-maħżen skanta qatigħ għax immaġina li qiegħed fl-għar ta’ Aladdin. Il-karozzi kollha kienu speċjali.

F’ġimgħa mindu xtrahom, kien ġa biegħ għaxra. Mill-karozzi speċjali li fadallu, għadu Aston Martin DB5, bħall-mudell misjuq minn James Bond u Lamborghini Miura, il-vettura meqjusa minn bosta bħala s-supercar oriġinali Taljana.

During the times of the Knights, plays and theatrical productions were generally held in the great halls of the auberges. Valletta was in need of a court theatre. This problem was finally solved when Grand Master Antonio Manoel de Vilhena acquired a site from the Priory of Navarre for the sum of 2,186 scudi. 

It was modelled after the plan of the contemporary Palermo theatre ‘for the honest recreation of the people’. The design is attributed to Romano Carapecchia. Work on the theatre started immediately after the signing of the deed of purchase and it was completed in the short period of ten months. The theatre was given a very simple facade. It had special accommodation for the actors who were generally brought over from foreign countries at the expense of the impresario.

History

The theatre opened its doors on 19 January, 1732, with a performance of Merope by Maffei. Two well known impresarios were Melchiorre Prevost Lanarelli and Giovanni Le Brun. From 1768 to 1770 the impresario was a woman, Natalia Farrugia. During the times of the Knights, the Grand Master appointed a person who used to supervise the management and the theatrical productions.

In 1783 the theatre underwent some modifications and redecoration. Natale Marini sent Comm. Scozzini, one of the commissioners of the theatre, a plan and a model of the interior. This included the stage too, as well as scenery and illumination. When the model was displayed before the Inquisitor and many senior members of the Order (Grand Crosses) and Knights, their comments were very positive, so much so that the commissioners decided to add a further sum of money as bonus to the 49 scudi requested by Marini. The top balcony and the boxes which are housed near the stage were added during the early nineteenth century.

Museum 

This theatre includes a museum. It houses a collection of early librettos, a portrait of the theatre founder and some machines used for theatrical productions. One of the attractions of this museum is a rotating display of stage costumes drawn from the theatre’s large collection. A case in point is a scarlet costume and accessories which were used for Verdi’s opera Rigoletto. Other beautiful costumes include a purple dress used for Giordano’s opera Fedora and a girl’s costume used during a nineteenth century pantomime Alice in Wonderland. Both the museum and the theatre are open to the public. 

Luca u Elise kienu mimlijin sa ruħ ommhom bil-ġugarelli. In-nanniet kienu ta’ sikwit jagħtuhom xi teddybear jixgħel u jiċċaqlaq jew xi logħba ġdida tal-playstation. Kull meta l-mamà kienet teħodhom magħha l-Belt ma kinitx tonqos milli tixtrilhom xi trumbetta tal-plastik u xi raddiena żgħira, li tant kienet taffaxxinahom iddur waħidha ma’ naqra żiffa. Dawn il-ġugarelli kienu jdumu sħaħ mill-Milied sa San Stiefnu għax malajr kienu jagħmluhom biċċiet. 

Dan l-aħħar ġara li Elise u Luca kienu xebgħu dejjem l-istess ħajja.  Ma setgħux jifhmu kif it-tfulija tagħhom kienet tfisser biss logħob bil-ġugarelli. Għalhekk riedu jsibu mezz ieħor kif jistgħu jilagħbu u jieħdu gost flimkien. In-nannu Ġużi ma damx wisq ma ħarġilhom b’idea brillanti. Huwa ssuġġerielhom li jagħmlu mħatra bejniethom fuq min minnhom iqum l-ewwel filgħodu. Lil Luca u lil Elise tgħidx kemm għoġobhom is-suġġeriment tan-nannu, l-aktar għax min jirbaħ l-imħatra kien se jingħata ċikkulata bħala rigal. Huma minnufih ftiehmu li jagħmlu l-imħatra tagħhom mis-Sibt filgħaxija sal-Ħadd filgħodu ħalli xħin iqumu jkun hemm il-mamà d-dar, u tkun tista’ tagħtihom iċ-ċikkulata dak il-ħin stess.

Meta wasal il-jum mistenni, u Elise u Luca kienu lesti biex jidħlu fis-sodda u jorqdu, il-mamà qabdet l-iżveljarin minn fuq il-komodina tal-kamra tagħhom, u għafsitlu l-buttuna biex idoqq fis-sebgħa u nofs tal-għada filgħodu. Qalbhom bdiet tħabbat sitta sitta bl-eċitament kbir li kellhom fuqhom. Il-mamà qratilhom storja biex jikkalmaw u jorqdu trankwilli. Ma damux ma għalqu għajn m’għajn, u l-mamà tfitilhom id-dawl, u marret fejn il-papà u ċ-ċkejken Peter. 

Matul il-lejl, Elise u Luca ma stenbħux lanqas darba waħda biss, iżda kif semgħu t-tisfira rqiqa u qawwija tal-iżveljarin, qamu t-tnejn bilqiegħda f’daqqa fuq is-sodda, u għajtu b’leħen wieħed: ‘IRBAĦT’! Il-mamà u l-papà semgħuhom kollox mill-kamra l-oħra, u telqu jiġru maġenbhom. Il-mamà qaltilhom li l-imħatra kienu rebħuha t-tnejn li huma għax kienu qamu fl-istess ħin.

Imbagħad, marret fil-kċina, qabdet iċ-ċikkulata mgeżwra fil-fidda vjola, fetħitha, u qasmithielhom f’biċċtejn kbar. Luca u Elise kiluha f’nifs wieħed, u qamu jiġru mis-sodda biex iħejju ruħhom għall-quddies tad-disgħa. Dakinhar, il-mamà u l-papà ħassewhom tassew kuntenti li ħadd minn uliedhom ma kien rebaħ l-imħatra waħdu għax kieku ħoll xagħrek u ġib iż-żejt. L-imħatri għaċ-ċikkulata bejn Elise u Luca baqgħu jsiru ta’ spiss, u maż-żmien anki Peter beda jieħu gost jidħol għalihom meta kiber ftit.

The Mediterranean Conference Centre at Valletta was built by the Knights as a major hospital, known as the ‘Sacra Infermeria’. It was considered to be one of the major buildings in the new capital city. Its construction began in 1574 according to plans by Gerolamo Cassar.

At first the Sacra Infermeria included a courtyard and two main wards built at right angle to each other. The Old Ward or Great Ward was built along the St Lazarus curtain overlooking the Grand Harbour. The smaller ward was known either as Saletta or Small Ward. The other rooms were used for patients with specialised cases or contagious diseases. These rooms were reached through a covered and balustrated passage.

A decision was taken to enlarge the building. This occurred during the grand masterships of Rafael and Nicolas Cotoner. The large ward was extended and became known as ‘Sala Grande’. In the old ward, niches were created. Each niche provided facilities for two patients. These were used as latrines or as patients’ dressing rooms. Other additions were made to the building such as spaces for the new pharmacy and the residential quarters for the hospital staff. A series of internal staircases connected the two floors and the basements.

The beds of the sick were placed inside the halls and it was also here where the knights used to serve the poor sick persons in silver items. The drugs were kept in majolica jars made in Caltagirone (Sicily). The walls were covered by woollen tapestries in winter and paintings by Mattia Preti in summer. The patients with acute cases were placed along the right side of the ward while those with chronic cases along the opposite wall. The ceiling was covered with timber supported by wooden corbels.

Under the ‘Sala Grande’ there is an underground ward known as ‘Sala del Magazzeno Grande’ (Grand Magazine Ward known now as La Valette Hall) where galley slaves (buonavoglie) and sailors who needed hospitalisation were kept. Part of this area served as storage too. Its roof is cross vaulted with bosses of coats-of-arms of Grand Masters Jean L’Evesque de Cassiere and the Cotoner brothers. Below this ward there is another basement with plain ceiling supported by stone arches springing from the ground.

During French and British rules this building served many needs. It served as a military hospital, Police Headquarters, for theatrical productions, a school, a general elections vote counting centre and an examination centre. It became known as Knightshall. It was badly damaged during the Second World War, AND remained in A dilapidated state for many years. Then it was decided to adapt this historic and architectural gem to the needs of a conference centre. Its halls have been cleverly adapted to offer an ideal venue as a modern conference centre.

The Mediterranean Conference Centre is made up of nine halls. The La Valette Hall is used for banqueting. The main court yard was turned into a theatre (Republic Hall) with a seating capacity for 1,000. The Mediterranean Conference Centre also houses an audio-visual presentation – ‘The Malta Experience’ and a permanent exhibition of the Order of St John.