Tag Fiona Vella

Ibgħathieli bil-Posta

“Il-Milied ta’ dari kien inqas kummerċjali minn dak ta’ llum u dan huwa saħansitra evidenti minn dak li tirċievi fil-posta,” għarrafni missieri Saviour Busuttil li qatta’ 37 sena jaħdem bħala pustier. Infatti f’dawn l-aħħar snin, hekk kif jibda joqrob il-Milied,…

Lights Out for Christmas

Christmas time and the days preceding it are generally associated with colour, light, optimism and fun. Yet this was not the case in 1939 when the Christmas season became synonymous with gloom, darkness, uncertainty and fear. On 18 September 1939,…

Long shell life

Although during the Christmas season, it is customary to see statues of baby Jesus in a manger or in a crib, in Candice Fava’s shop New EGGsperience, the holy child would be seen resting in a decorated eggshell. “I love…

Kontinent Ieħor

“F’żogħżiti l-Awstralja kienet meqjusa bħala dinja tal-ħolm, dinja ta’ opportunitajiet li ma kellniex f’pajjiżna. Ironikament it-tmiem tat-Tieni Gwerra Dinjija nissel problema ta’ qgħad kbir fil-gżejjer Maltin u speċjalment iż-żgħażagħ bdew jaħarquhom saqajhom biex jitilqu minn fuq din l-art ħalli jfittxu…

Temmen jekk trid

Soqt għal għonq it-triq lejn il-Mellieħa taħt sema tqila bi sħab iswed ċomb u tlabt bil-qalb li nilħaq nasal qabel din ifettlilha tiftaħ bwiebha… U oħroġ il-għaġeb, hekk kif missejt mat-tarġa tal-bieb tas-Santwarju tal-Madonna tal-Mellieħa, inħoss l-ewwel qatriet qawwija nieżla…

Walk this way

When there is such a wide selection of travel destinations, why should one opt to go on a pilgrimage? “I did ask that question to myself on the first day of my Camino,” revealed Matthias Ebejer. “The walk to Santiago…

Christmas inspiration

Thousands of baby Jesus statues begged for my attention during a visit at Il-Mużew tal-Bambini in Birkirkara. However, I felt mostly intrigued by a particular terracotta figure which looked completely different from the rest. Its face had captivatingly unique features…

It-traġedja tal-patrol boat

Kelmtejn qabel: Ktibt din il-ġrajja fl-1986, meta kelli 15 il-sena. Kienu għaddew sentejn mit-traġedja li laqtet lill-kuġinti Mary Farrugia fis-7 ta’ Settembru 1984, imma ż-żmien ftit li xejn kien taffa’ min-niket. Għaldaqstant kont qbadt pinna f’idi u ħażżiżt il-memorji tiegħi…

Out of its shell

No one can really say what inspired Indrí Dimech known as Il-Mikk in 1898 to start decorating the façade of his property in Għaxaq with hundreds of snails and seashells which he collected from local and foreign beaches. However, some…

Safety at sea

Although the sea may be perceived as a barrier, in ancient times, when no infrastructure existed on land, it was actually the medium which connected one country to another. Travelling on the sea had its own risks and so eventually…