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Meta Elise u Luca kien ikollhom ruxxmata homework x’jagħmlu fil-weekend, qajla kienu jiċċaqalqu minn mal-mejda tal-kċina. Il-mamà kienet dejjem tgħidilhom biex ix-xogħol tal-iskola ma jħalluhx għall-aħħar minuta għax inkella kienu jinsew xi tkun spjegatilhom l-għalliema fil-klassi. Huma kienu jagħmlu kif tgħidilhom hi, u jitfgħu rashom fil-pitazzi u fil-kotba. Peter kien isib ruħu waħdu għax il-mamà ma kinitx tħallih jersaq lejn fejn ikunu ħutu ma jmurx itellifhom u jmorru lura f’xi suġġett. Ta’ tifel li kien, kien jagħmel f’qalbu u joqgħod jeqred u jibki għax kien ikun irid imur ħdejhom bilfors. Lill-mamà ġieli tellagħhomlha u kienet tgħajjat miegħu meta ma kienx joqgħod kwiet.

Peter kien qiegħed jixba’ sal-ponta ta’ mnieħru kważi dejjem iqatta’ l-weekend waħdu. Xtaq ħafna lil xi ħadd tamparu jagħmillu kumpanija fil-weekend fin-nuqqas ta’ Elise u Luca. Ħbieb ma tantx kellu, u għalhekk ftakar fis-sekondi kuġini tiegħu, Liza u Martin, li kienu jgħixu n-naħa tal-wied xi kwarta mixi bogħod mid-dar tiegħu. Ma kienx imur għandhom ta’ spiss, iżda meta xi darba kien imur għandhom fil-vaganzi tas-sajf, tassew kienu jieħdu gost jilagħbu miegħu. Liza u Martin kienu jħobbuh ħafna, iżda billi ma kinux qraba daqshekk mill-viċin, il-kuntatt bejniethom kien limitat.

Darba waħda s-Sibt filgħodu, Elise u Luca qamu kmieni biex jibdew ilestu x-xogħol li kienet tathom l-għalliema bil-mod il-mod. Dakinhar kellhom jagħmlu, fost l-oħrajn, proġett dwar il-poeti Maltin, kif ukoll jistudjaw għat-testijiet li kellhom isiru matul il-ġimgħa ta’ wara. Peter kien jinsab bi kwietu fil-kamra tas-sodda jilgħab bil-karozza l-ħamra li l-mamà kienet xtratlu mill-Belt. F’xi l-għaxra, instema’ Ġamri tal-ħobż idoqq il-ħorn. Il-mamà ħarġet bħas-soltu tixtri żewġ ħobżiet kbar tal-Malti friski u tajbin, u ħalliet il-bieb ta’ barra ftit imbexxaq. Kif reġgħet daħlet ġewwa, għamlet biċċa ħobż mixwija bil-butir u bil-perżut għax kellha l-ġuħ. Wara ftit, poġġiet bilqiegħda fejn Luca u Elise biex tgħinhom ftit fis-somom għax ħassewhom xi ftit jew wisq tqal dakinhar.

Malli beda jċempel il-mowbajl, il-mamà qamet bil-ħeffa minn fuq is-siġġu u qabditu minnufih. Inħasdet ftit xħin saret taf li kienet ċemplitilha kuġinitha Agnes, li tarrfitilha kif Peter kien għandu kemm mar għandha biex joqgħod jilgħab ma’ Liza u ma’ Martin. Hija kompliet tgħidilha li meta staqsietu fejn kienet il-mamà, huwa weġibha li kien ħareġ inkiss inkiss mid-dar waqt li l-mamà kienet ħarġet tixtri l-ħobż u ħalliet il-bieb tad-dar imbexxaq. Il-mamà kienet mingħaliha li Peter kien għadu fil-kamra fejn ħallietu hi, u li kieku ma infurmathiex Agnes, kienet iddum ma tinduna li kien mar xi mkien bla ma kien qalilha. Minn dakinhar ’il quddiem, Peter baqa’ jmur sikwit għand Liza u Martin, imma kienet twasslu s’għandhom il-mamà bil-mixi ma jmurx, allaħares qatt, ittajru xi karozza. Peter kien kuntent għall-aħħar li kien sab kumpanija ġdida għall-waqt il-weekend, u iżjed ma għadda żmien iżjed sar ħaġa waħda ma’ Liza u Martin, li wara kollox kien beda jistħajjilhom Luca u Elise, għax b’kumbinazzjoni kienu kważi daqshom fl-età u kienu jmorru tajjeb ħafna flimkien.

Charles B. Spiteri

Carl Thompson ta’ 33 sena, li kien jiżen 412-il kilogramma miet traġikament fid-dar tiegħu f’Kent. Għall-aħħar sena ma setax joħroġ minn daru u kien jiddependi mill-għajununa tas-servizzi tal-gvern kemm biex jiekol, kif ukoll biex jinħasel. 

Xahar qabel ma miet, Carl kien ħalef li jagħmel ħiltu biex inaqqas mill-ħxuna li kellu għax xtaq jibqa’ jgħix, u dan minħabba s-simpatija li beda jara minn dawk kollha li offrew li jgħinuh, u wara numru ta’ intervisti li sarulu.

Hu qal li t-tobba avżawh kemm-il darba biex jibel l-istil ta’ ħajja li kellu, inkella saħħtu terħih u jmut. Peress li ma setax joħroġ minn daru u jmur jixtri, dan il-ġuvni għex il-biċċa l-kbira ta’ ħajtu jiekol ikel Ċiniż u pizez, li kien jordnahom minn fuq it-telefown u jwassluhomlu sad-dar. Stqarr ukoll li kien jonfoq £10 kuljum f’ċikkulata. Il-flus kien jirċevihom mill-istat.

Waqt li wera l-fehma li ħafna mill-ħxuna tiegħu kisibha wara l-mewt ta’ ommu, ammetta li minn dejjem kien ‘iħobb’ jiekol.

Meta kellu bejn tlieta u erba’ snin, jiftakar li kien jiftaħ l-armarji u jiekol li jsib. Imbagħad, meta tliet snin ilu ommu mietet kawża ta’ kankru f’moħħha, beda jiekol ikel xejn nutrittiv. Il-piż tiegħu rdoppja minn 190 kilogramma għal 412, b’mod li lanqas seta’ jibqa’ jaħdem.

Il-mamà u l-papà ferħu bil-bosta meta rċivew l-istedina għall-ikel mingħand Lucy u Joe. Kienu ilhom ħbieb magħhom mindu kienu għarajjes, imma dan l-aħħar kienu ilhom ħafna ma jiltaqgħu. Din kellha tkun okkażjoni sabiħa li terġa’ tlaqqagħhom flimkien.

L-istedina kienet bit-tfal, iżda Elise u Luca ma setgħux imorru magħhom għax kienu dabbru riħ qawwi li xeħithom fis-sodda għal xi jiem. Il-mamà u l-papà qatgħuha li jieħdu magħhom biss lil Peter. Meta wasal is-Sibt filgħaxija, il-mamà libbsitu kemxejn kmieni lil Peter, u wara niżel isfel u qagħad jara t-televixin sakemm isir il-ħin. Il-mamà u l-papà ma damux jintilfu wisq fuq, u mas-sebgħa u nofs kienu lesti biex joħorġu. Xi kwarta wara, waslu n-nanna Marija u n-nannu Ġużi biex joqogħdu ma’ Luca u m’Elise, u l-mama`, il-papàu Peter telqu `l barra minnufih.

Fit-tmienja preċiż, waslu għand ħbiebhom Ta’ Xbiex, li tawhom merħba liema bħalha. Id-dar tagħhom kienet żgħira u ftit antika, imma qalbhom kienet kbira. Lucy ġabitilhom tazza nbid ħamra mill-flixkun favorit tagħhom lill-mamà u lill-papà u Joe mar fil-kċina, li minnha ħareġ bit-tray tal-barquettes u l-galletti bid-dips tat-tonn taż-żejt u tas-salamun. Peter qagħad bi kwietu jixrob tazza luminata friska, filwaqt li l-kbar naqqru xi ħaġa u nfexxew jitkellmu dwar x’kien għadda mingħalihom f’kemm kien ilhom ma jaraw lil xulxin. Id-diskursata ma kinitx tieqaf li kieku Joe ma ħarisx lejn l-arloġġ u ra li kienu diġa` saru kważi d-disgħa ta’ billejl.

Malli kulħadd ħalla s-salott, u daħal fil-kamra tal-pranzu, Lucy u Joe servew is-soppa tal-ħaxix bil-croutons fil-wiċċ u ngħadet it-talba ta’ qabel l-ikel. Kif daq is-soppa, Peter qarras wiċċu u beda jgerger li l-ikel kien ħażin. Il-mamà u l-papà nkisru u qalulu biex ineħħi l-croutons  mis-soppa għax forsi ma kinux jogħġbuh billi kienu xi ftit ibsin. Hu hekk għamel, iżda xorta waħda ma setax iniżżilha. Tefa’ l-platt `l hemm u rabba n-nervi. Il-mamà u l-papà tawh ħarsa kerha, iżda Lucy bil-kalma kollha staqsietu x’ikel kien jiggosta minflok is-soppa. It-tifel weġibha li xtaq jiekol bajda u ftit patata moqlija.

Wara ftit tal-ħin, għajnejn Peter xegħlu għax quddiemu kellu platt daqsiex imżewwaq bl-ikel li kien iħobb. Iżda, b’għaġeb kbir reġa’ ma riedx jiekol minħabba li l-bajda kienet bla togħma u l-patata moqlija kienet mielħa ħafna. Il-papà ma felaħx jissaportih aktar, u qam minn fuq is-siġġu u beda jgħajjat miegħu talli kien qed iwaqqgħalhom wiċċhom l-art lilu u lill-mamà quddiem ħbiebhom. Lucy u Joe għamlu tabirruħhom li ma ħadux għalihom u qalu lill-papà biex jikkalma u jerġa’ jpoġġi bilqiegħda. Lucy reġgħet resqet lejn Peter, qabditlu wiċċu u bil-ħlewwa kollha qaltlu li kienet se tagħtih biċċa ċikkulata bnina, li żgur li qatt ma kien kiel bħalha. It-tifel  tbissem, però l-ferħ tiegħu malajr għeb hekk kif ħa l-ewwel gidma. Iċ-ċikkulata tegħemha morra għax kienet mill-iskura. Peter ma ridhiex u beda jgħajjat li kienet skaduta. Lucy ma kellhiex ċikkulata bajda milli kien imdorri jiekol hu, u li kellha togħma iktar ħelwa. Għalhekk, baqa’ b’xiber imnieħer.

It-tmaqdir ta’ Peter waqaf hemm għax il-mamà u l-papà ma ħallewh iduq xejn iżjed. Lucy u Joe qatgħu qalbhom x’jaqbdu joffrulu aktar billi l-ħin kollu kien igorr. Peter ma ħax gost li kien baqa’ bil-ġuħ. Il-mamà u l-papà kien tassew iddispjaċiehom li ma ġabx ruħu sew quddiem ħbiebhom. Ħalfu li din kienet l-ewwel u l-aħħar darba li ħaduh magħhom għand xi ħadd daqskemm kien ġegħelhom jistħu. Fil-verità, Peter kien ta’ żaqqu fommu u dak li jħoss kien jgħidu bla tlaqliq quddiem kulħadd. Fil-fatt kellu raġun għax l-ikel ma kienx daqshekk tajjeb, iżda l-mamà u l-papà kiluh ta’ bilfors biex Lucy u Joe ma jiħdux fastidju u jiksruha magħhom.

In former days, on New Year’s Day (l-Istrina), the Maltese used to give money gifts to the young members of the family. The well-to-do families also used to give money gifts to their domestic servants as well as to other people who rendered them a service throughout the year.

The Maltese used to give great importance to New Year’s Day lunch. In the past, many Maltese preferred to have fish for this meal on New Year’s Day. Fish was considered, by the Maltese, to be an augury of good luck. Whilst trying to include fish, they also tried to exclude hotch-potch soup from this lunch as they believed that those persons who ate this type of soup would grow ham bones for the rest of the year. Another belief which concerns this day’s lunch is a warning for those who eat cabbages on this special day. According to this belief, these people would groan for a whole year. 

Family members were expected to be present at lunch-time on this particular day. It was held that those who absented themselves would die by the end of the same year. 

British influence

The importance of fish on the first day of the year died out. Due to British influence, fish lost its place of honour. It was taken over by the turkey. New Year Day’s lunch became very similar to that of Christmas Day. It included soup and ‘timpana’ (a locally made pasta dish). Turkey was served with potatoes and vegetables. White Maltese wine dominated the New Year Day’s lunch and for sweets there were either Christmas pudding and mince pies or Maltese sufflè. Nuts also accompanied the day’s sweets.

Usually there was a guest or two invited for this special lunch. There was a custom among Maltese families, to invite a brother’s or a sisters’ family for lunch for Christmas day and this brother or sister and their partner would reciprocate this gesture by inviting the host family for New Year’s Day. Unmarried siblings were also invited for this lunch who would usually turn up accompanied by a widowed mother or father.

When the guests arrived, they used to give money gifts to the children of the host family, who placed these gifts inside a wooden box. The children were expected to wait till lunch was over and guests to leave, to open their wooden boxes and count the money they would have received.

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.