Comments on: The Malta chill-factor http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/ Leif Pettersen's battery-powered rise to the zenith of travel writing rapture Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:27:09 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Maltese in Malta http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-69805 Maltese in Malta Thu, 05 Jun 2008 14:36:38 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-69805 I guess that you must have been either in a cider induced trance or else you were transported to an alien cyber space. Honestly how can one write about a place and criticize it after just only two weeks visiting,it takes more than that to get familiar with an island's customs. Just my two cents. I guess that you must have been either in a cider induced trance or else you were transported to an alien cyber space.
Honestly how can one write about a place and criticize it after just only two weeks visiting,it takes more than that to get familiar with an island’s customs.
Just my two cents.

]]> By: Darren Barefoot http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-31256 Darren Barefoot Thu, 27 Sep 2007 11:11:38 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-31256 I'm a 33-year-old Canadian who's living on Gozo for about eight months, so maybe I'm both objective and biased. People sometimes refer to Gozo as a different country, and I think there's some truth to that. It's far more laid back and commercialized than Malta, and has been far less inundated with tourists over the summer. Many times we've been swimming at popular spots and been the only visitors, or I could count our fellow swimmers on one hand. If you can hack the bird hunters (another issue altogether), Gozo is great for cycling, hiking, swimming and scuba-diving. Aside from the depressing tourist town of Marsalforn, there's a real minimum of tourist tat. It's a pity you didn't make it over--I recommend Gozo for your next sojourn to these parts. I’m a 33-year-old Canadian who’s living on Gozo for about eight months, so maybe I’m both objective and biased. People sometimes refer to Gozo as a different country, and I think there’s some truth to that.

It’s far more laid back and commercialized than Malta, and has been far less inundated with tourists over the summer. Many times we’ve been swimming at popular spots and been the only visitors, or I could count our fellow swimmers on one hand.

If you can hack the bird hunters (another issue altogether), Gozo is great for cycling, hiking, swimming and scuba-diving. Aside from the depressing tourist town of Marsalforn, there’s a real minimum of tourist tat.

It’s a pity you didn’t make it over–I recommend Gozo for your next sojourn to these parts.

]]> By: john http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-23838 john Sun, 19 Aug 2007 20:05:23 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-23838 your discreption of malta wasn.t fair but amusing.Its a nice country and friendly(some)hhope you will have a better time next time your discreption of malta wasn.t fair but amusing.Its a nice country and friendly(some)hhope you will have a better time next time

]]> By: Sue http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-15969 Sue Fri, 22 Jun 2007 22:22:34 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-15969 Hi Leif, Purchased your Lonely Planet Romania & Moldova book today. My favorite so far are the colorful pictures. The cover photgraph of the young boy sitting on a step playing the well-used cello is heart-warming. Excellent job so far! Hats off to you and Robrt Reid. Hi Leif,

Purchased your Lonely Planet Romania & Moldova book today. My favorite so far are the colorful pictures. The cover photgraph of the young boy sitting on a step playing the well-used cello is heart-warming. Excellent job so far! Hats off to you and Robrt Reid.

]]> By: Amiel http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-15867 Amiel Fri, 22 Jun 2007 01:30:49 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-15867 mmmm... strongbow. The elixir of life. (and yes, that is all I got out of your post. Well, that and something about jackhole busdrivers that had me blowing strongbow out of my nose) mmmm… strongbow. The elixir of life. (and yes, that is all I got out of your post. Well, that and something about jackhole busdrivers that had me blowing strongbow out of my nose)

]]> By: Leif http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-15635 Leif Tue, 19 Jun 2007 07:53:57 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-15635 Maureen – that's some classic passport humor there. It's funnier when you already have one and aren't going to Niagara Falls on your 50th wedding anniversary, I guess but still. Though mine is starting to get pretty full and I already had the extra pages pasted in there, so I guess at this stage I have to start thinking about a new one myself, don't I? Hopefully I won't get burned by this hullabaloo in nine months or so when it comes time for me to do that or my run of gallivanting around the world is going to come in an ironic and strange end. Kerry – I was being sarcastic, laying down a little island humor. There are a few traffic lights on Malta, but none of them are anywhere to make a difference on the cross-island bus ride. What's more important is how many people in front of you that decide to screech to a halt in the middle of the road to chat with friends while traffic piles up behind them. That'll set your ride back a bit. Adrian – If there were actual hot mamas there, you know I would have said something. Reread the part about English grandmas in ill-fitting singlets. Siri – 'Beautiful' might be too strong a term. 'Nice' is a bit more accurate. I guess it depends on what you find beautiful. Maureen – that’s some classic passport humor there. It’s funnier when you already have one and aren’t going to Niagara Falls on your 50th wedding anniversary, I guess but still. Though mine is starting to get pretty full and I already had the extra pages pasted in there, so I guess at this stage I have to start thinking about a new one myself, don’t I? Hopefully I won’t get burned by this hullabaloo in nine months or so when it comes time for me to do that or my run of gallivanting around the world is going to come in an ironic and strange end.

Kerry – I was being sarcastic, laying down a little island humor. There are a few traffic lights on Malta, but none of them are anywhere to make a difference on the cross-island bus ride. What’s more important is how many people in front of you that decide to screech to a halt in the middle of the road to chat with friends while traffic piles up behind them. That’ll set your ride back a bit.

Adrian – If there were actual hot mamas there, you know I would have said something. Reread the part about English grandmas in ill-fitting singlets.

Siri – ‘Beautiful’ might be too strong a term. ‘Nice’ is a bit more accurate. I guess it depends on what you find beautiful.

]]> By: Siri http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-15481 Siri Sun, 17 Jun 2007 08:52:15 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-15481 All I've heard about Malta till now is that its one of those smalll but beaautiful places. Definitely surprised and enjoyed this post. cheers! All I’ve heard about Malta till now is that its one of those smalll but beaautiful places. Definitely surprised and enjoyed this post. cheers!

]]> By: adrian http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-15412 adrian Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:48:27 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-15412 No hot mamas???! No hot mamas???!

]]> By: Kerry Cooper http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-15366 Kerry Cooper Fri, 15 Jun 2007 19:03:03 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-15366 I was in Malta many many years ago -- stayed in St. John's (adjacent to Valetta) in a decent hotel (Hotel Alfonso) and was driven around by friends in a rental car. Almost got killed as it was my first time in a country that drives on the left and couldn't figure out which way to look for oncoming traffic. Visited every archeological site on Gozo and Malta -- interesting but not nearly as interesting as Mayan pyramids near Cancun. Found a fantastic Singaporean restaurant, drank too much of the sickly sweet white dessert wine and avoided all places touristy somehow. Next time, stay in St. John's or Valetta and rent a car (if you dare). By the way, that was 1989 and at that time there wasn't a single traffic light on the island -- only traffic circles and stop signs (which were ignored). Are there traffic lights there now? Take care man! I'm enjoying Mexico City but go back to L.A. and back to the daily grind in 3 weeks. Take care. I was in Malta many many years ago — stayed in St. John’s (adjacent to Valetta) in a decent hotel (Hotel Alfonso) and was driven around by friends in a rental car. Almost got killed as it was my first time in a country that drives on the left and couldn’t figure out which way to look for oncoming traffic. Visited every archeological site on Gozo and Malta — interesting but not nearly as interesting as Mayan pyramids near Cancun. Found a fantastic Singaporean restaurant, drank too much of the sickly sweet white dessert wine and avoided all places touristy somehow. Next time, stay in St. John’s or Valetta and rent a car (if you dare). By the way, that was 1989 and at that time there wasn’t a single traffic light on the island — only traffic circles and stop signs (which were ignored). Are there traffic lights there now? Take care man! I’m enjoying Mexico City but go back to L.A. and back to the daily grind in 3 weeks. Take care.

]]> By: Maureen http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/comment-page-1/#comment-15359 Maureen Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:06:50 +0000 http://killingbatteries.com/2007/06/the-malta-chill-factor/#comment-15359 good description of the island...not high on my list of places to visit but then, not too crazy about baja mexico either, then again, everything is relative, is it not? I suspect the nostalgia for the isle will increase in direct proportion to the work pace. speaking of passport rules & limitations, have you been following the crazy antics here at home? Frommer had a stab at it in his blog this morning. The RoW must be laughing their heads off at our stupidity in imposing passport rules on ourselves we can't even inforce. good description of the island…not high on my list of places to visit but then, not too crazy about baja mexico either, then again, everything is relative, is it not? I suspect the nostalgia for the isle will increase in direct proportion to the work pace.
speaking of passport rules & limitations, have you been following the crazy antics here at home? Frommer had a stab at it in his blog this morning. The RoW must be laughing their heads off at our stupidity in imposing passport rules on ourselves we can’t even inforce.

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