the little picture: kelly the canadian

Hello all!

It's been a whirlwind of a weekend yet it feels like I've been here for ages already.

Friday we met downstairs for a guided tour of the city. We bussed from our apartment in St. Julians through Sliema to Valetta- which is where school is. Valetta was built in 7 years and is one of the most fortified cities on the planet, fearing another invasion. If we learned one thing at our Imax-like movie called "the malta experience" it was that the tiny country took a beating over the years. Only entire country to ever receive the silver cross (I think that's what it was) for valor. here are some pics from Valetta, overlooking the harbor: for valor. here are some pics from Valetta, overlooking the harbor:

It's really not like any place I've ever seen and pictures don't do it justice. After this we went to the National Archaeological Museum (which was 3-4 rooms), and saw some pottery and most famously the "fat lady" and "fat sleeping lady".. apparently centuries ago the artists liked their ladies big and curvy! After that we ate lunch, and visited St. John's Co-Cathedral. The outside was desigend to look like a prison/nondescript building should the city ever be invaded, to deter interest. Napolean pillaged a lot of it, but the clever Maltese painted these solid silver gates black to hide them. It's all that remains from that era in terms of the wealth the church once held. The paintings on the ceiling are second to only the sistene chapel. The walls are all SO elaborate and carved. It's actually difficult to wrap your mind around it. They also have the ONLY signed Carvaggio painting of the beheading of John the Baptist. No pics allowed in that room, and sadly I wasn't feel tempted to disobey the rules and wind up in a Maltese prison. We'll save that one for later ;-) (just kidding, dad.) Here are some of the church:

After that, Kristi, Paul and I asked to be dropped off in Sliema on the way back to the apartment. we wandered the city and did some shopping for stamps, transformers (which failed to work and essentially blew up my blowdryer. what's a girl to do!?), etc. and befriended some locals. After that we bumped into Ron and went to El Dolphin for dinner. This is where the title of the post originates from. We met Semmi, the owner, and since we were the only patrons in there at the time he chatted us up heavily. He cracked jokes with us, and gave us tips on what to see. Earlier in the day we'd joked about placing bets on when the first person asks if we're from Canada, since we sound like Canucks with our Minnesotan accents. I said "by the end of the weekend, mark my words." Semmi, as if on cue says, 'where are you from? Canada?' I died laughing, and then had to explain myself to him. As we left he told us to bring a group of friends back and he'd make us a Moroccan feast (where he was born), and we introduced ourselves by name. As we wave goodbye he says "goodbye, Kelly the Canadian!"... it seems I have a nickname!

yesterday we tested out the public transportation system and headed to the beach. If you think New Yorker's drive like maniacs, you haven't seen anything. It was like one of those awful simulated rides in Disney World where they tilt your chair all over and plunge you into pits: except it's real life, there are no seatbelts, and you actually fear for your life. We wound up at Melliaha Bay, and it was nice to get out of the "city" for a while. It's SO built up in Sliema and Valetta, it left me wondering if they had patches of grass. Turns out they don't, just tangleweed and thistle. The views make up for it though. Here's Melliaha Bay: (from left to right, Sarah, Paul, Kristi, Michael and me!)