The Festa season is over! 😢

**Fireworks over Hal Lija in August, 2019.**

Could it finally be over? Seems like just yesterday we were taking in our first Festa at Ħal Balzan. Then it was on to Ħal Lija, Mosta, Attard and finally, it ended with Naxxar. Along the way, we learned so much, about Malta, its people and culture. And, to be sure, so much about the band club culture, fireworks and Maltese food.

Our hosts wanted us to experience the real Maltese rabbit dinner, not a restaurant version. The home version takes more than a day to prepare. This is our appetizer of rabbit pasta. Notice. No tomato sauce.

And this work of culinary art requires a marinade in herbs, wine and garlic for many hours. Then it is pan fried. And finally, it is sautéed with more wine, herbs and garlic. And lastly, potatoes and peas are added (no French fries came near this recipe).

The best way to tie it all up in a bow would be to clearly state that Maltese people are the friendliest, warmest and most welcoming people we have met anywhere. So far, these blogs have captured much of what we have learned over our first six months in Malta. And there is so much more to learn.

It’s just that the last couple of weeks have been so quiet. We have gotten used to fireworks at 8AM, noon, around 6PM, and again around 9:30PM. So much fun!

**Our first experience with ground fireworks.**

**The Maltese band club tradition starts with the very young.**

Are the fireworks over? Nope this coming Saturday is Independence Day (‘Jum 1-Indipendenza'(September 21, 1964), with a huge display over Valletta.

And for us, the first week of October will bring us to our first Maltese language class. No doubt, this will greatly enhance our experience. And hopefully, your enjoyment.

**Can’t wait for the new fireworks next year. They are already working on them now.**

Weekend in Helsinki

We landed in Helsinki after midnight on Friday morning. After throwing our bags into the apartment, we ran across the street to Prisma to buy some food for breakfast on Friday. Got to sleep at 2:30AM. Sometime in the middle of the night it started pouring buckets. It kept on going all Friday and early evening. All told, almost three inches of rain. Lots of flooding. I believe I said I would like some rain after almost three months of sun in Malta!

Saturday night we took the Metro (subway) into the center of downtown Helsinki. We decided on having sushi at Luckiefun’s sushi buffet (https://www.facebook.com/luckiefun ). Was our second visit. Still very good, and a good bargain.

Decided to walk off dinner by walking along the Esplanade to the Inner Harbor. Stared at the new Moomin Mugs in the Arabia store. At almost ten, it was still light enough to see all the sights from the Allas Seapool https://www.allasseapool.fi/en/ , a combination Sauna, three outdoor swimming pools and multiple bars and restaurants on three different outdoor levels in the Inner Harbor. Sat down with a couple of mojitos; and looked over the harbor. Life is good!

And today, we peddled on over the bridge to Vuosaari (in eastern Helsinki), to visit a family friend. She promptly took us to an outdoor Sunday market, where I finally had my favorite fried lake herring and onions and pancake and coffee for dessert. Sigh!

In the display window of Stockmann’s Dept. store, they are advertising the coming ballet of Alice in Wonderland.
Guess this is Alice.
Helsinki is divided into quarters. This how they are named.
Every city should have a big wheel, including one with a car that is a sauna!
From our perch, we can see the restaurants and marinas on the nearby island.
What better way to end the day than with a couple of Mojitos.
From our comfortable reclining seats, we have great view of the inner harbor and the three pools.
Ok, they are owls. Just not sure why they are there.
Before heading on home, we said goodbye to the horses.
As it’s finally time head on home, as the light starts to fade over the Central Church in Senate Square.
Well, since we don’t have a car back in Malta, maybe we should bring it home.
The market is next to the local library.
Although they looked good, I passed on the elk hot dogs.
Fried lake herring can be addictive. Got the last of them before they ran out.
After drooling over the frying herring, time to pick them up, one by one, and chomp on down. Yum!
Since we made a clean sweep of the herring, we opted for dessert.
After the herring, had to have another Finn favorite, pancake with strawberry and cream.
Happen to come across field testing of driverless bus on the island. Way cool!

Blogger on holiday!

Just realized that being retired does not eliminate your desire for a holiday. Right in the middle of the dog days of summer in Malta (and a whole lot of festas), we figure it is time to head on off to the defrosted north, to Finland. Helsinki to be more precise. So, right at the end of their late summer festivals’ season, we will look forward to a somewhat less heated environment. For those in the States and Canada, enjoy your Labor Day holiday. Busy times ahead in September.

My most favorite Finnish summer dish: fried lake herring.
Looking out from the Finnish public sauna (Allas Seapool), we can see the Presidential Palace, City Hall and Swedish Embassy, along the inner harbor. In the background is the Lutheran Church, in Senate Square.
Now if this doesn’t offer up cool and tranquil to you, what will? This is a former timber mill outside of Pori, a couple of hours west of Helsinki.

So, that’s the story behind the fireworks

Day and night. For all the summer, the sound and sights of fireworks. In fact, at noon today, 15 minutes straight of petards blasting skyward, with a fluffy puff of white, followed by a really loud boom. Not that we are complaining. To the contrary, we love it. But we keep asking ourselves why the Maltese are obsessed with fireworks. And we found the answer. It comes from this article in the GuideMeMalta.com.

“Summer in Malta is not complete without fireworks – that somewhat deafening boom and the bright, albeit short-lived lights punctuate the sky for four exuberant months. In fact, if the Maltese summer were to have a theme tune, it would be the cracking boom of fireworks mixed with the harmonious ringing of church bells set to a background of boisterous brass band marches.

Fireworks are probably the closest you’ll get to defining the Maltese character – a loud burst of color and passion. And the creators of such magic are all about passion.
The tradition of fireworks manufacturing in Malta goes back for centuries, with the knowledge being handed down from one generation to the next through hands-on learning. Today, however, things are a little different – fireworks manufacturers are required to attend an official course and pass a written exam before obtaining the necessary license to mix the chemicals.
There are 35 fireworks factories on the Maltese Islands with around 1,900 licensees and a further 700 about to obtain their license. A thriving industry, you might think. And while it is, it is also one that essentially only makes money to burn back on the fireworks themselves, since all these manufacturers are volunteers, and their work is purely a labor of love!

Malta’s fireworks tradition dates back to the time of the Order of the Knights of St John, who would celebrate important feasts with pyrotechnic displays, quite likely inspired by celebratory cannon or musket gun salutes. Years later, Italian pyrotechnicians came to Malta and shared their expertise with local manufacturers.
Nowadays, Maltese fireworks factories have gained a global reputation for their unparalleled creativity, and regularly win awards at international festivals and competitions.
“Maltese fireworks are unique, and that’s not just me saying it,” Josef points out proudly. “In other countries they tend to use single shots. We are very creative. We’ve even managed to spell out words using fireworks, and even depict faces of cartoon characters. I consider the Maltese pyrotechnicians of today true artists. They are painters of the sky.”
St Mary’s show, held annually on 14th August, is especially renowned for its innovative pyrotechnic tricks, including the jaw-dropping Tower of Light.

With all this talent, it’s hard to believe that these exceptional fireworks masters all give their time for free to create such artistry. “The fireworks factory is our second home after the family. We make huge sacrifices to produce these fireworks for the joy of our village parish feast and all those who come to admire our fireworks. Many volunteers come in every day at 4pm after work and stay on till midnight, and sometimes even work through the night to produce the fireworks,” explains Josef.
The competitive spirit between the parishes to produce the best fireworks display for their village festa fuels this creativity and passion. The factories have to raise their own funds to manufacture fireworks, partly through the generous support of the villagers, but mostly through selling fireworks to other towns.
“A typical display for our village would cost around €50,000,” reveals Josef. “Two weeks after the festa, we start planning the following year’s festa, and one month before the show, we start preparing the letting off site.” (Article from GuideMeMalta.com)

The creativity of the fireworks factories is breathtaking.

So, now you know why and how. I guess the most important ingredients are dedication, belief, volunteerism and no pay! It reminds me exactly about the Band Clubs. Young kids are given free training, free instruments, and a way to express themselves. In return, they give a lifetime of service to the Band and village, just like other kids give their all to the local fireworks factories. To me, it is a very encouraging and patriotic act on the part of Malta’s youth. And a way to preserve and improve on a worthwhile tradition.

The Rotunda of Mosta

So far, we visited the parish churches in both Balzan and Lija. Both were incredibly beautiful, both inside and out. In time for the festa in Mosta, we paid a visit to the Rotunda of Mosta (The Basilica of the Assumption of Our Lady). Mosta is located at the very center or Malta. What first strikes you is the large size of the Rotunda. (The dome is about 160 feet across.) At one time, it was listed as the third largest unsupported dome church in the world. Over and over we are struck by the grandeur and size of many of Malta’s churches.

The Rotunda is not old, by Maltese standards. (Historical information follows from Wikipedia) It was built between 1833 and the 1860’s. And it was built based upon the Pantheon in Rome. Unlike many buildings in Malta, it survived World War Two. On April 9, 1942, a German plane dropped three bombs on the church. Two bombs deflected off the dome and fell to the ground. The third bomb went through the dome, into the sanctuary. It embedded into the floor but did not explode. This happened while 300 parishioners were attending a night mass. No one was hurt. It was widely hailed as a miracle. (A replica of the bomb exists, located in the sacristy). In 2018 the church was upgraded to a minor basilica.

If you should be in one of the towns (Hal Għaxaq, Gudja, Attard, Mosta, Mqabba, Qrendi and Victoria) that celebrate the Feast of Santa Maria on August 15, note that it is also a national holiday. The date of this festa coincides with a major event in WWII. During that time frame, the people of Malta were essentially without food and fuel, and about to surrender.

” Operation Pedestal, known in Malta as the Santa Marija Convoy, was a British operation to carry supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942, during the Second World War . The most crucial supply item in Operation Pedestal was fuel, carried by the SS Ohio, an American tanker with a British crew. The convoy sailed from Britain on 3 August 1942 and passed through the Strait of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean on the night of 9/10 August.

The Axis attempted to prevent the fifty ships of the convoy reaching Malta, using bombers, German E-boats, Italian MAS and MS boats, minefields and submarine ambushes. More than 500 Merchant and Royal Navy sailors and airmen were killed and only five of the 14 merchant ships reached Grand Harbor in Valletta. While costly for the Allies, it was a strategic victory; the arrival of Ohio justified the decision to hazard so many warships; its cargo of aviation fuel revitalised the Maltese air offensive against Axis shipping.

For more information see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotunda_of_Mosta

So, if you hear one of the local bands playing a version of the Star Spangled Banner, and other patriotic American songs, now you know why. The Maltese have a long memory about the support given them by the Americans. Nonetheless, it is still a surprise when you hear it played.

As a photographer, taking pictures in the Rotunda was quite unique. No corners. And light coming from all directions. As it was during the festa celebration, the interior, like most churches in Malta, was draped, inside, with red silk drapes. The overall effect was nothing short of very impressive. With so many sites to see in Malta, visiting their churches should be high on your list. To visit during a festa (mostly in the summer months) period, would add to the beauty and history of your vacation.

Festa Ħal Lija August 2019

Can’t believe it’s that time already. We arrived in mid-April. Everyone we met said that they hoped our roof had a view of the fireworks from Lija. All, even from the neighboring villages of Ħal Balzan and Ħ’Attard have said that Lija has the very best fireworks on Malta. So, finally, got our first look.

This is our second Festa, with Balzan being the first. For us, it was truly remarkable and highly enjoyable. A festa is part religious, honoring the local parish Saint; a floating party with bands playing all over the village, with food and drink everywhere. And, very importantly, it is a leading social event of the year. Everyone attends. We are completely hooked on them.

In the case of Lija, it is spread out over a week. Every morning at 8AM there are fireworks. At night (usually 9:30PM) there are band marches and concerts. And this is followed up by a fireworks display around 11PM. As it gets closer, there are also fireworks at 6PM as well. Each night, they get more elaborate.

The parish church is decorated like I have never seen before. Virtually all the stone walls, from top to bottom, are covered in silk. Breathtaking, just looking at it. Even more so, the time to iron each piece and then carry it up and hang it from the walls. To learn more about the Lija parish church, click here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Saviour%27s_Church,_Lija

The Parish church of Ħal Lija, on the square in Lija. During festa, the lights are turned on at 2030 nightly.
As is the custom, all the churches in Malta are lighted for their festas.
The inside walls of the church are lined with ironed silk fabric, throughout.
One of our fellow residents, a former fireworks worker, said that his great uncle painted the ceiling, and put in the faces of his neighbors.
Patron saint in church prior to taking it out to all the village of Lija
The procession begins, with all the participants leaving the church, ahead of the saint.
People of all ages participate.
The statue exits the church. Those carrying the saint must bend down so it can clear the entrance.
And finally, it comes outside to applause from thousands of Lija and area residents.
Getting ready for his over two hour journey through the village streets, one of the carriers has some last minute thoughts.
An important aspect of carrying the statue is that each person must be the same height. All ten men.
The procession is underway. Just passing the local band club. As is custom, the statue will be followed by many people, as well as viewed by people standing front of their homes. Light now, it will be dark when the procession is completed.
With the church in view, the procession is almost complete.
Thousands of people watch as the statue re-enters the church, to the constant bell ringing, fireworks, as well as the bands playing.

My focus mirrors my tastes. I love food, seeing what the residents and guests eat at the festa. Not to mention what I like to eat. Growing up, I always liked bands, especially marching bands. There was plenty of that in Lija. And food. Not sure what I like more, food or photography. But, if you are hungry, Malta is the place to be. And I like to watch the people. They are enjoying themselves.

Festas are not a complete thing without multiple bands, both marching and in concert. Each parish has one or more band. They take turns marching or presenting a concert. And they even bring in band members from other villages and towns to augment their numbers. And other village and city bands come to participate as well.Bands were established to train young children to play an instrument. Band lessons are free; and they provide the students with instruments. They learn to participate in the preparation and running of the festas, as well as learning to make fireworks. Virtually all the fireworks are made locally by the Maltese, not imported from another country, or even another town. The bands march around the village and towns, taking upwards of two or more hours. They stop occasionally for some liquid refreshment. After all, it is a social event.

As the statue crosses under this banner, confetti will pour out.
For a couple of weeks before the festa, the band clubs put up the banners in the village marking where the bands will march.
Being in a band is a source of great pride and satisfaction.
Whenever the band marches, their relatives and friends will follow behind.
In training for the band?
Another band lines the broad main street to welcome back the statue and procession after more than two hours of going through the village.
Every so often the bands take a break for a cold one before getting back in line to start marching again.

Besides fireworks and bands, the Maltese love food. At all gatherings they will be eating. Watching fireworks from their roofs, they have barbecues. At a festa, there are a myriad of food trucks, dispensing (sometimes in one truck) hamburgers, sausages and Chinese food. Then there are several trucks with gelato, soft-serve ice cream, nougat bars, popcorn and cotton candy. No one goes hungry! And if you have time to sit down, band clubs and athletic clubs offer a more substantive selection.

Now that is a hot dog (in there somewhere)!
Can’t make up your mind? Have a hot dog with your hamburger and chips.
The better half opted for a really good pizza with parma ham, arugula and buffalo mozzarella, at the local athletic club.
While I could not pass an opportunity to have half a rabbit, braised in beer and garlic! Yum!

As I said before, I enjoy watching people. They are involved, engaged and enjoying themselves. That is why festas are a loved part of the Maltese calendar.

Some things amaze me. How about women who can march in the band for more than two hours in high heels!J
Just before the procession gets underway, a man starts to tape a shim to the carrying pole, to keep it steady. He asked why I took the picture. I told him it was just another example of why tape is good for everything. He laughed.
The bell ringers take a rare break to watch the proceedings be below. For them, it was several hours of nonstop ringing.
Man’s best friend loves fireworks, bands and screaming kids. Not sure why people in the States go ballistic over noise. Not in Malta.
One of the statue carriers has some last minute thoughts before the procession gets underway.
Fireworks are for kids of all ages.
Can you tell. This is one very happy and excited boy, trailing and playing along with the band. Bet he starts taking lessons and joins the band.
Looking down on the festa is the all-seeing drone, capturing all the activity for the official Ħal Lija video of the Festa of 2019.

And, finally, there are the fireworks. As long as I can remember, I have loved watching fireworks. In the States, it seems fashionable to denigrate fireworks as noisy, a threat to children and pets. In Malta, the dogs and cats, stare out in space, not affected at all. Children love them. And streets are blocked off, with bus schedules disrupted. No one cares. It’s a fun time, a religious event, and a social event. The Lija band club has its own fireworks factory. The results are spectacular, over a two hour display.

For some reason, unexplainable to me, all Maltese love/are obsessed with fireworks. Thank goodness! No captions here. Just enjoy the pictures.

Festa Ħal Lija August 2019 is coming!

The excitement was building as we were getting ready to head on up to the roof to watch our first festa fireworks in Lija. All the neighbors in our building were on their parts of the roof, having parties, having a good time. After all, this festa happens only once a year. Can you believe how huge an event this is; especially when you realize that Lija has only 3,000 residents.

The fireworks lasted over two hours! A real first for us. And it was everything everyone said it would be…… and more. Afterwards, I headed back down to upload the pictures and video. Tomorrow and tomorrow night is the last day for the festa. More bands, a religious procession carrying the statue of “Our Savior” from the Lija parish church (The Parish Church of the Transfiguration of Jesus) throughout the entire village, taking two hours. And, of course, another fireworks display.

Should be ready to publish our blog on the festa in a few days. In the meantime, enjoy this unique display from the fireworks. Never saw one like this before.

These hearts are a local favorite. The fireworks are produced by the St. Michael’s fireworks company in Hal Lija.

Scooting off to Gozo

Waking up on a Monday, we decided to finally see what Gozo was about. Many Maltese citizens take their holidays on Gozo due, in part, to the bounty of sandy beaches, unlike Malta. And the fact that there are many fewer people and vehicles. Malta is small at 316 KM sq. (about the size of Seattle). Gozo is about 67 square KM. We decided to go for a day, focusing on one point of interest: the Citadel.

The history of Gozo goes back 5,000 years, first being populated by farmers from Sicilly. And, from Greek mythology, it is associated with the nymph Calypso and Odysseus.
By ferry, it takes 25 minutes. On the way, you will pass the uninhabited island of Comino, with its incredible blue waters, before docking in Mggar. From there, you can hop on one of the local busses. In our case, it was to Victoria (population of 7,000).

One of the four ferries that make the 25 minute journey every half hour from Malta to Mggar. From there, it is a 20 minute bus ride to the capital, Victoria.

On the way to Gozo, we passed the uninhabited island of Comino. During the 1,500’s, the islands were populated with watchtowers.

There are several grottos on Comino, bathed in incredible blue waters.

Our objective for the day was to visit the Citadel, a very imposing “fort” that protected Gozo from all many of enemies, including the Turks in the mid 1500’s. The Citadel is a self-contained village, with battlements with canon, super thick walls, a cathedral, a prison, shops dwellings, and blessed with a superior view of everything around it for several kilometers. Like in Malta proper, every direction you turned to, there were imposing churches. From the ramparts, we saw the Rotunda of Xewkija. It can seat 3,000, people, the same number as the village of the same name.

Like every fort and citadel in Malta and Gozo, the walls are incredibly thick, to withstand bombardment.

On a hot day like today, there was not only some shade, but a breath of cool air as well.

The Rotunda of Xewkija, church that seats about 3,000 people, the same number of people that live in the village of the same name.

A church and seminary that you see when you approach the harbor of Mggar.

At the very heart of the Citadel is the imposing Cathedral of the Assumption. The present-day church was constructed, starting in 1697. It replaced an earlier church that was built in 1299. Over the years, it was damaged and partially destroyed by many enemies, including the Ottomans in 1551. While we were there, the church was being prepared for the upcoming Festa.

The church of the Assumption, within the Citadel.

As was the tradition, notables were buried under the floor of the church. Talk about different!

While the church was truly beautiful, I was more interested in their food making skills. So, we wandered through their living and working quarters. Quite the eye-opener. We took a break from looking over the ramparts, and had some cool refreshments, sitting next to an old canon. Then it was off to see the old prison, designed to house convicted members of the Knights of Malta.

In this room, they ground grain into flour, using the power of oxen.

A typical meal for the residents of the Citadel.

While having a cool one, we kept our eyes peeled for invading Turks.

Finally, on the way back to the bus terminal, we passed a lunch shop, with a couple of menu items that I was not expecting. Fearing the worst, I did not order one, either. Our next visit to Gozo will be for a few days, in a hotel on one of its many sandy beaches.

Malta international food festival

If there is one thing that we really like, it is a good food festival. No better way to understand a country than through its food and wine. From the Water festival in Stockholm in 1998, up to the various festivals in Seattle like the Bite of Seattle, Folklife Festival, and the very fun and quirky Solstice festival in Ballard. And of course, the Feast of San Genaro in Little Italy in New York City. You never know what you will see and taste.

The bread and butter car at the Ballard (Seattle) Solstice Festival.

What better way to smoke a salmon than in a salmon smoker in Ballard.

So, it was with great pleasure that we went to the Malta International Food Festival, held in the “ditch” at Mdina. The ditch is the former moat that surrounds the fortress town. Only now, it is filled with grass, not water and alligators. Nothing like sampling great food with the surroundings being a 1,000-year-old fortress/town, the original capital of Malta. A totally different world from 20^th century surroundings.

A unique and beautiful way to display food.

From high above in the ramparts, a spectacular view of Valletta, the capital of Malta, its port and the Mediterranean Sea. That is the St. John’s co-cathedral.

No better way to show that the climate is arid and very Mediterranean.

Nearby is the Mosta Cathedral, one of the largest domed churches in Europe. During WW II, during a Sunday mass, a German plane dropped a bomb on it. The bomb went through the roof, and crashed into the church, but did not explode. No one was killed, even though the church was packed for mass.

Getting used to portion sizes in Malta will take some doing. I am used to acknowledging that the United States values portion size over many other qualities of food. We were not prepared for the very large portion sizes here. There was an interesting booth at Mdina that graphically portrayed nutrition. A very good display. But when I wondered about portion sizes, I was met with an almost blank stare. The Maltese portions are large, even by U.S. standards. But it looked so good!

This tuna and pasta salad looks wonderful. Perfect balance of nutritional elements. But so much bigger than the one person portion it describes.

Due to history and location, there is much in the way of both seafood and pasta. We are blessed with having some seriously good Italian food. And the seafood is wonderful. But, being a destination resort for people from so many countries, Western foods have managed to take a large portion of the food business. Fast food, yes, but some of it is very tasty.

So, if you happen to be in Malta next July, make sure to attend the Food Festival.

Bliss!! This is a hamburger with cheese, lettuce and an egg. On the side are the ubiquitous chips (fries for Americans) and a hot dog. This is very common street food.

Fried seafood is very popular. Here we have both fried sardines and calamari. The sardines are very similar to the lake herring in Finland. I opted for the calamari, a favorite of mine.

This is one of the favorite breads in Malta. It is called an ftira (F-tira). No, it is not a bagel! Sliced horizontally, it is filled with all manner of fillings. And is a favorite lunch sandwich for Maltese. The Maltese are trying to get it to be listed as a designated status within the European Union.

The real lasagna. Please note that the pasta come in large sheets, not in strips, as in the United States. And it is NOT filled with cheese!

Now this is some seriously good ravioli!

Even room for some Chinese food, as well.

Chef Dario gives pasta with Parmesan a whole new twist. Enough cheese for you?

Ħal Balzan, our first Festa in Malta

*Ħal Balzan* Parish church all lighted for the annual Festa.

Ever since we moved to Malta, everyone we met told us to make sure we attend as many Festas (religious and social events for every village, town and city) in Malta that we can. Little by little, we were educated on what they are. They are religious feasts commemorating the various saints throughout Malta. Religious services, songs and carrying around very heavy statues of the myriad of saints here. And it goes without saying, that they are huge social events as well. Marching bands, much food and drink, and some of the very best fireworks in the world. The Maltese absolutely go bonkers over fireworks. You see and hear them all year, day and night.

Most of the activities take place at night. As each Festa can go on for four or five days, nighttime works best for people who must work by day; also, since most Festas occur in the summer, when it can be very hot and humid. Concerts and band marches through villages usually happen after 9PM, ending up around midnight. And they end with fireworks displays that can last around one hour.

Unlike other parts of the world, Festas are complete family affairs. No matter the hour, the very old and the very young take part. After that, more talking and drinking with your village neighbors until 1AM or later. Only to do it for four more nights.

Ħal Balzan has two very good band clubs: Socjeta Filarmonika Marija Annunzjata (founded 1890) and Kazin tal-Banda San Gabriel (founded in 1920). (See my earlier blog on band clubs to learn more about them.) They work very hard all during the year to put on this really great festival. But, it’s not all work. Both have great bars and restaurants, serving wonderful food, good drink, and even better conversations.

On some nights, the bands will be marching throughout the narrow village streets, with their sounds resonating all over the village. People come out of their homes, to watch and cheer on the bands. Certainly, too noisy to sleep.

Preparations for the Festa take place almost a year. They start to put it all together a few weeks before the event. Lights are strung up across many of the village streets. Later, very colorful banners will be strung up, giving off a very festive feeling. Also, the band clubs will place wooden statues along way. And as the festival is about to start, vendors will set up all manner of food stalls along the routes of the marches, as well as in the town square. Bars and restaurants will put out extra tables in the square, welcoming their neighbors to have a seat, a drink and some seriously good pizza. (As Malta is next to Sicilly, great Italian food can be assured.)

The fireworks in Ħal Balzan are not your ordinary aerial fireworks. A few years back, the Ħal Balzan fireworks factory went up in fire. Due to many factors, they have not replaced it. In its place, they put on what is called ground fireworks. Using metal frames of differing shapes, they wrap explosives around the frames. When lit up, they cause the frames to spin around in wonderful shapes and colors. Not having the sound of aerial fireworks, they nonetheless have great appeal because you can get very close to them. And the colors and movement are quite spectacular. They work very hard to put on the very best show possible. I think there is a bit of jealousy as Ħal Lija’s fireworks are considered world class.

We really enjoyed our first Festa. Can’t wait to attend the Ħal Lija festival in early August. They are reputed to be the Maltese masters of aerial fireworks!

Enjoy our experience through these pictures.