Capsul of the Bradley Experience in Malta
(June 13, 1998) I'm in Malta at the University of Malta, in the
computer science department, when
all I want to do is go back to bed. With the clubs that actually stay open
late here, it isn't a good mix with an 8:30 a.m. class. Malta's
incredible. I highly recommend visiting. Just bring lots of sunscreen and
bug repellant. The sun and the bugs just want to share themselves with
visitors a little too much, and the Maltese usually don't burn, and they
chose to ignore the bugs rather than battle them. At least, that's what
I'm told. You should really take my warning to heart, because Malta is
close to the equator, and the sun is really intense. Plus it has very
little humidity (for an island that's five miles wide, that's pretty
impressive) and a nice wind from the ocean, so a person can't tell when
they're broiling until they get into the shower.
Yesterday we went to these ruins, I can't remember the name, that
are older than the Egyptian pyramids and Stonehenge. It was pretty cool,
but it made me rather nostalgic for Ireland. Both Emily and I agreed that
we didn't feel complete taking pictures of our 8,543rd ruin without being
loaded down by fifteen pounds of computer equipment. Emily and I chose to
forge ahead and take pictures without our tripods, even though we usually
held the tripods in our hands in Ireland as opposed to using them
properly.
The hotel that we're staying at is awesome. It's set up like a
village of cave dwellers, kind of, with all the modern conviences and
health regulations. I'm rooming with Whitney and Ona, and they just rock. We
have this little balcony that looks out into a foyer where all the other
rooms are. It's pretty cool. It's a good thing that none of us have time
to hang out in the room very much, because it truly looks like a bomb went
off in there. I took pity on the maid and told her she didn't need to
bring in the excavation crew, just change our towels. This hotel is a
definite improvement over the dingy, dirty dive we stayed at in London,
where they advertised for rude people to work there.
The other night I had a bite of my friend Lori's fresh tuna, and
it wasn't like any seafood I had ever tasted before. You would not have
believed that it was tuna if you tasted it. As a side note, those of you
that tend to have minds that like to travel in the gutter, you can just
stop it now 'cause I'm not interested. We're right across the street
from the Mediterranean, and it's gorgeous. You can see the bottom quite
clearly. If you like seafood and fish, you ought to come down here. This
is fish like you've never tasted before with all these sauces that sound
and look scary but are actually quite good, and they're never frozen
and only caught an hour or so before.
Bradley, in their infinite wisdom, decided to be generous and give
us Sunday off. Of course, this was after much whining, complaining, and
bitching on the part of the students. In the typical Bradleyish way,
Sunday is the day when everything is closed, including the ferry to
Sicily, which is where most of us wanted to go. Oh, and of course, they
made all of the activities that actually sound fun, like a trip to the
Blue Lagoon, optional, whereas the tediously boring ones that we have to
dress up for, like going to a plant to see how computer chips are made,
are required. Before I graduate I'm convinced that Bradley will no longer
be able to shock me with the illogical things that they sometimes choose
to do. Ah well. I still like the school anyway.
The night before we went to this village festa, which is a
religious celebration that they prepare for all year. Everyone was shoving
and laughing and drinking. We had an early July 4th with some of the most
incredible fireworks I've ever seen. Daphne, our tour guide, told me that
the ones that we saw weren't very good, but I was very impressed. They
were all handmade, they seemed to last forever, and they not only spun
around and flipped, they also continuously changed colors amid numerous
whistles. It was smoky and somewhat dangerous every time the wind changed,
which was every couple of seconds, but it was definitely worth it.
(June 15, 1998) Last night, Anginette and I went across the street
to this restaraunt for dinner. I never thought I would admit it, but I had
fresh grouper, of all things, and it was fantastic. I would never have
thought that a fish with such a wretched name could taste so good. Our
waiter, James, this stuffed-shirt Brit, loosened up towards then end and
turned out to be really funny. It took Ang and me a minute to figure out
that when he said he wanted a boogie, he was actually referring to
dancing. (With his accent, it sounded like he said "Boo-gee," which
sounded like a cross between a slang term for some kind of drug or
something slimy you would find in someone's nose.)
As I have mentioned, prior to arriving in Malta, I was in Ireland,
taking a photography class. If you're interested, here's our Irish Photo Safari.
I realize that this is a pretty random web page, but I write things
when they come to me. Keep a watch on it until June 19th, or so, because
there should be changes. Hopefully things will have a more ordered chaos
to them, kind of like my room right now with Ona and Whitney. If things
go the way I want them to, I should also have some cool pictures and
flashy thingies going on. Also, when I return to Bradley in the fall,
check out the Ireland link, because there will be a lot more information
to find there. (As a side note, a great way to really annoy
Howard Goldbaum is to say "like," "thing-a-ma-jig," "thingie," and so on
around him. It helps to relieve the tension a prevent violent
tendancies, such as hurling tripods down a sheer cliff.)
(June 16, 1998) We just finished taking a quiz for this class,
worth 100 points. Blah! That's the same amount of points that the
final's worth. What does that tell you? Yesterday Anjanette and I returned
to the restaraunt across the street, this time accompanied by two guys in
the business class. I had filet something-or-other, which I couldn't
pronounce, let alone spell, but it was incredibly good. I know it was
beef, but that's about it. I'm tellin you, the food here is to die for.
(June 17, 1998) Do not ever, under any circumstances, fall asleep
in the sun here! I am having trouble walking flat-footed because the skin
on my shins is so tight. Swimming in the Mediterranean was helping, but
then this guy Joseph from the hotel had to come and freak me out at about
midnight when I wanted to go swimming again by talking about sharks. Of
course, I had dinner again at my favorite restaraunt across the street,
and I had some chicken thing that was incredible, as usual. Originally it
was just Jorge and I for dinner, but soon we were joined by virtually the
rest of this class, as well as some people from the other class. Plus,
Angie brought in some guys from Hungary that were basketball players and
literally seven feet tall. I brought in a couple of people from Ireland
and England. It was a good night, but I had to keep returning to my room
to apply more lotion.
The paper I am doing for this class is concerning internet addiction.
If for some reason you're so inclined to read it, then be my guest.
(June 19, 1998) I skipped a day, and I think today will probably
be my last time to add to the Malta experience. Tomorrow is our final, and
we leave on Sunday. I will be glad to leave here, escape the computer,
their excuse for a four star hotel (someone lied to us), my sunburns.
Don't get me wrong, I still like it here. When I return again, someday, I
will just have to avoid those three things, and everything will be
peachy-keen.
Today everyone is going to Comina island, where the Blue Lagoon
is, but I opted not to go due to my sunburn. I'd like to retain something
that resembles skin when I leave here. I would still highly recommend that
people come here to visit, just avoid the Lapsi Waterside Hotel in St.
Julian's Bay at all costs, but be sure to check out the food in the
restaraunt across the street from the hotel. I've still been eating dinner
over there, and rather than go into detail, let's just say the food is
still as incredible as it was in the beginning.
(June 20. 1998) Today already started out poorly. Either we didn't
hear the wake up call, or the hotel didn't give us one, which they have
been known to do. Whitney has this uncanny knack of waking up ten minutes
before we're supposed to leave and saving us all. She woke up at
eight-twenty, and the bus was supposed to leave at eight-thirty. I don't
know why I was worried, since we're on Maltese time. The only clothes I
had were dress up clothes since the hotel lied and didn't return the rest
of my clothing yesterday from being washed like they were supposed to. The
only bra I had was the one that was still wet from going swimming with
Angie last night in the pool across the street. I didn't realize that my
shirt was entirely see-through until I was on the bus here. It's going to
be a great day.
On a lighter note, yesterday was awesome. Instead of going to the
Blue Lagoon at Camino, I took the ferry across the channel to Gozo. I saw
where they gathered the salt that eventually would be processed into table
salt and got to taste it. I saw some of the most incredibly beautiful lace
that was handmade by the ladies of Gozo. I also played in the surf on one
of the prettiest beaches I've ever seen. The best part of my day was
taking the helicopter back from Gozo to Malta. It was definitely one of my
best days here, plus I was able to escape from everyone for a while, which
was really nice.
