The minute I set foot in Valletta, I felt as as though I had come home. I had the same feeling of familiarity as that when I went to New Zealand and I think it has the same reasons – that although now a member of the EU, Malta had long been a part of the British Empire, until it gained independence in 1964.
Listening to the locals speaking is interesting because not only do the Maltese speak English, but their own language is a mixture of Arabic and Italian and I think a bit of French. So just when you think you might be able to understand a word or two, it loses you. Completely.
Comprising of two larger islands (Malta and Gozo), and one tiny island (Comino), and being strategically placed in the middle of the Mediterranean, Malta has been fought over through the centuries, with the large number of shipwrecks being a result of this. I dived the wreck of the Lady Davinia which was pretty cool, being an easy entry in the harbour at about 14m. The viz was poor at 3-4m with a tidal surge and a bit nippy at 17 degrees but still worth getting wet for.
