A Maltese journal by Robert J Eakin

NoeHill is the personal website of several San Franciscans who reside in the Victorian heart of The City, the boundary between Noe Valley and The Castro. The site is devoted mainly to journals, both narrative and photographic, about life in San Francisco, travels in America and Europe. One of these journals is written by Robert J Eakin who spent a number of days in Malta while travelling in the Mediterranean. The entries have interesting observations about life in the Maltese islands and include some impressive photos. Start here with the arrival in Malta and link to journal entries for Valletta, Comino, Gozo, Mdina & Rabat, Marsaxlokk and finally Zejtun from which this piece is taken:

The mingling of the religious and secular music doesn’t seem to bother anyone inside the church or out. Behind the church are the floats that will be used in tomorrow’s procession. Food and drink are sold everywhere. Quite a few booths are selling honey nougat which, I guess, must be a local specialty. Two different bands march about town for a while and then each settles on its own bandstand. During the night they alternate playing, each with its own soloists, an eclectic mix of music: opera, show tunes, Cole Porter, omm-pa-pa. The town dignitaries and spouses sit in designated chairs at the bandstand and when one band finishes, the group moves to their designated chairs at the other bandstand. The mass of people sit at tables and on curbs all around the town, eating, drinking and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Later, fireworks light the sky. No child, no matter how young, goes to bed early tonight. We had a wonderful time.