Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Making Peace With Malta (Part 2)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/17/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-making-peace-with-malta-part/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/17/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-making-peace-with-malta-part/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/17/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-making-peace-with-malta-part/#commentsFiled under: ,

valletta maltaI was sitting aboard a battered old bus in Valletta, Malta's capital, on my way to search for Mario Cacciottolo, a retired Maltese diplomat who sent me a gentle rebuke after I misrepresented the country by dressing up like Colonel Gaddafi in a grammar school model U.N. in Buffalo, New York, in 1986. It was an insane quest, but I felt like I had to try to find him, so I could apologize in person, and let him know that I intended to correct the mistake I made all those years before.

(Read part 1 of this story here.)

On board, I showed the address I'd found for Mario in the phone book to a woman sitting next to me and she was able to tell me where to get off the bus, but couldn't provide further details on how to find Xmiexi (shh-mee-she) Street. I ambled around what appeared to be an old, working class neighborhood lost in time, showing people Mario's address like a lost child.

Continue reading A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Making Peace With Malta (Part 2)

A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Making Peace With Malta (Part 2) originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 17 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A Traveler in the Foreign ServiceATravelerInTheForeignServicemaltavallettaThu, 17 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Making Peace With Malta]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/16/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-making-peace-with-malta/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/16/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-making-peace-with-malta/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/16/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-making-peace-with-malta/#commentsFiled under: ,


valletta maltaI've felt an odd kinship with Malta ever since I created a minor international incident with the tiny island nation by dressing up like Colonel Gaddafi in an 8th grade model U.N. exercise in 1986. When my teacher decided to throw me a curveball by assigning me the task of dressing up like a citizen of Malta, I was initially displeased. In the pre-Internet age, it wasn't easy to ascertain how the Maltese dressed if you lived in Buffalo, New York, as I did.

I dressed up like Gaddafi because Malta and Libya seemed close enough on the map and I had no better ideas. A photo of me in Arab garb made it into The Buffalo News and once the Maltese got wind of it, they were none too pleased. In their indignant response, Mario Cacciottolo, the private secretary of the Prime Minister of Malta, told me that I should try to correct the misperception I'd created regarding their country. But I was a 13-year-old kid living in Buffalo. How was I going to do that?

My school was alarmed by the letter and sent it to the State Department. Several months later, the Desk Officer for Malta sent me a letter encouraging me to consider a career in diplomacy. I did just that in my 30's. Over the last quarter of a century, I've traveled extensively in more than 50 countries, including most of Europe. All this time, Malta's been on my radar, but I've been circling the place without actually landing there.

Continue reading A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Making Peace With Malta

A Traveler In The Foreign Service: Making Peace With Malta originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 16 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A Traveler in the Foreign ServiceATravelerInTheForeignServicediplomatic incidentDiplomaticIncidentmaltavallettaWed, 16 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cisk Lager: The Worst Best Beer In The World]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/24/cisk-lager-the-worst-best-beer-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/24/cisk-lager-the-worst-best-beer-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/24/cisk-lager-the-worst-best-beer-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: ,

cisk lager malta best beer in the worldIs it possible that the world's best beer is brewed in Malta, a nation of just 400,000 souls?
There's a bus driver named Steve in the Maltese capital of Valletta who is quite certain it is. I was chatting with Steve, a half-Maltese, half-English immigrant who's lived in Valletta for 25 years this week and as we passed a brewery on the outskirts of town, I asked him if their brew was any good.

"Good?" he said, stunned by my apparently dumb question. "They make Cisk Lager - it's the best beer in the world."

I thought he was kidding, but he wasn't.

"It's brilliant," he said. "You've got to try it while you're here."

"It's the best beer in the world?" I said, still not quite believing it.

"Absolutely it is," he repeated in his thick English accent. "They had an international contest and it won - best beer in the world. It was in the papers here."

The sun was shining and we were enjoying a glorious day in a beautiful city. I wanted to believe him. If someone tells me that I have to try some beer I've never had, they don't have to ask twice.

I waited until later in the day when I'd build up a nice thirst and then went into a shop and picked up a can of the stuff for 1 euro. It was a warm day and I expected it to be a thirst quenching lager, if nothing else. Upon first taste, it seemed excessively bitter and almost completely devoid of any discernable flavor. I thought that perhaps I just needed to get used to it, so I kept sipping away.

Continue reading Cisk Lager: The Worst Best Beer In The World

Cisk Lager: The Worst Best Beer In The World originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beerbest beer in the worldBestBeerInTheWorldcisk beercisk lagerCiskBeerCiskLagermaltavallettaworst beer in the worldWorstBeerInTheWorldTue, 24 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The 10 smallest countries in the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/01/the-10-smallest-countries-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/01/the-10-smallest-countries-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/01/the-10-smallest-countries-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ten smallest countries in the world

The world's ten smallest countries in terms of area fall into two general categories: European microstates (Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican) and small island nations of the Indian Ocean, Pacific, and Caribbean (Maldives, Marshall Islands, Nauru, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Tuvalu.) Some of these countries are quite new as independent nations: Tuvalu gained independence from the UK in 1978, while the Marshall Islands gained full independence from the US in 1986. Others have been around for a very long time. San Marino dates its founding as a republic to 301. These countries vary greatly from one another along other axes as well: population, income, life expectancy, industry, tourist facilities, and membership in various international organizations.

Gallery: World's ten smallest countries

TuvaluLiechtensteinMaldivesMaltaNevis


[Image of Tuvalu: Flickr | leighblackall]

The 10 smallest countries in the world originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Liechtensteinmaldivesmaltamarshall islandsMarshallIslandsmonaconauruSan marinoSanMarinost kitts and nevisStKittsAndNevisten smallest countries in the worldTenSmallestCountriesInTheWorldtuvaluvatican cityVaticanCityWed, 01 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Traveler in the Foreign Service: Not much of a diplomat]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/20/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-not-much-of-a-diplomat/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/20/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-not-much-of-a-diplomat/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/20/a-traveler-in-the-foreign-service-not-much-of-a-diplomat/#commentsFiled under: , ,

My journey into the U.S. Foreign Service started as a Colonel Muammar Gaddafi impersonator in a school auditorium near Buffalo, New York in 1986. I was taking part in an 8th grade Model U.N. assembly, and had been given the difficult brief of dressing up like a citizen of Malta and delivering a speech advocating Maltese interests, whatever those were during the Cold War.

According to my trusty Encyclopedia Britannica, (remember those?) Libya was one of Malta's primary trading partners, and since it appeared to be relatively close to Libya on the map, I went ahead and donned a flowing white Arab-style robe with matching headdress and aviator sunglasses for my speech. A photograph of me in my Gaddafi costume appeared in The Buffalo News, and someone at my school decided to send a copy of the press clipping to the embassy of Malta in Washington, in the absurd belief that they might find some amusement in the fact that a 13-year old boy was photographed grossly misrepresenting their country.

A few weeks later, I received a package from the office of the Prime Minister of Malta with some books about the country, along with a scathing letter, which darkly and absurdly hinted at a sinister, anti-Maltese conspiracy perpetrated by our "so-called free press" in Buffalo. My school was convinced that I'd created an international incident and forwarded the letter to the State Department. Five months later, I received a letter from the State Department's Desk Officer for Malta, which contained an unlikely piece of advice: consider a career in diplomacy.

My parents bought me a shortwave radio and the crackling sounds of far-off places fed my desire to see the world. After college, I took jobs in advertising and publishing more or less to fund travel opportunities, and took off as soon as my bank account allowed for extended overland trips in Europe, the Middle East, Russia, Central Asia and China. The trips left gaping holes in my resume but renewed my interest in joining the Foreign Service.

Wanderlust is a romanticized concept but it can also be an affliction, a malady that prevents people from becoming settled, productive members of the rat race. After returning to Chicago, my adopted hometown, after along overland trip in 2000, I resolved to make a serious push to get into the Foreign Service, in the hopes that it would be a career that could channel my wanderlust into something productive. Rehabilitate me, if you will.

Continue reading A Traveler in the Foreign Service: Not much of a diplomat

A Traveler in the Foreign Service: Not much of a diplomat originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>A Traveler in the Foreign ServiceATravelerInTheForeignServicediplomatsmaltaThe Foreign ServiceTheForeignServiceTue, 20 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Knocked up abroad: international travel with a baby]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/15/knocked-up-abroad-international-travel-with-a-baby/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/15/knocked-up-abroad-international-travel-with-a-baby/http://www.gadling.com/2011/11/15/knocked-up-abroad-international-travel-with-a-baby/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

travel with a babyThis is the third in Knocked Up Abroad's guide to traveling with a baby. Before you go, see tips on planning travel and flying with a baby.

So you've decided to travel abroad with your new family addition, well done! You've chosen the best baby-friendly destination, packed light, and even survived the long flight. Now that you're on the ground, possibly recovering from jet lag and hopefully learning new foreign phrases for "what a cute baby!," how can you ensure you and your baby have a fun and relaxing vacation? After five countries in under four months (several of them without other adults), I can say it mostly comes down to attitude and planning. Here are my tips for international travel with a baby:

-Don't expect the world to cater to you. The most important thing to bring on a trip with a baby is the right attitude. If you travel expecting every restaurant to have a baby-changing table in the bathroom (which they probably won't, especially in Europe) or that public transportation should be stroller-accessible, you can be sorely disappointed. Keep your expectations low and get creative. I've changed my baby on many toilet seat lids, on top of and even in sinks (stuff your diaper bag in to make a flat base), and occasionally in her stroller. Allow yourself to be surprised by people, too. In New York, I was prepared to carry my stroller up and down stairs at some subway stops by myself, yet I was helped by strangers every time. A restaurant owner in Italy set up a makeshift table on top of their deep freezer when she saw me struggling to change the baby on a sink top. Look at inconveniences as part of the adventure rather than a sign you should have stayed home.

Continue reading Knocked up abroad: international travel with a baby

Knocked up abroad: international travel with a baby originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>abroadattitudebabybaby changebaby travelBabyChangeBabyTravelbagsbathroomsblogbottlesbreast feedingBreastfeedingcalpolchangingchildchildrenclothingconversionsdiapersdocumentfamily friendlyfamily travelfamily-friendlyFamilyFriendlyFamilyTravelformulagroceriesinfantinternationalistanbulitalyjournalkilogramknocked up abroadKnockedUpAbroadmaltametricmuseumnotebooknursingpackingplanningrecordreusereuseable bagsReuseableBagsschedulesloveniatemperaturetravel with a babytravel with babyTravelWithABabyTravelWithBabyturkeytweettwittertylenolveraziplocTue, 15 Nov 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Knocked up abroad: planning travel with a baby]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/25/knocked-up-abroad-planning-travel-with-a-baby/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/25/knocked-up-abroad-planning-travel-with-a-baby/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/25/knocked-up-abroad-planning-travel-with-a-baby/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

travel with babyLet's get this out of the way: you can travel with a baby. Many new parents feel that once they have a child, their travel days are over, but many parents will tell you that the first six months are the easiest time to travel with a baby. Is it easy? Not exactly, but with enough planning and the right attitude, it's not as hard as you might think. Is it selfish? Probably, but so is most travel. Again, planning, attitude and a good amount of luck factor in to ensuring that you and baby aren't a nuisance to other passengers and that you and your child have a safe and healthy trip. My baby is too young to remember her early adventures, but she's learning to be adaptable and sociable, and does well with travel, new people, and noise. Is it fun? Your carefree days of travel may be over, but you can still enjoy exploring new places, indulging in great food and wine (it might just be at a sidewalk cafe at 4pm instead of a trendy restaurant at 9pm), and engaging with locals more deeply than you ever did before baby. Given the patience, resourcefulness, and ingenuity that I've developed while traveling with a baby, I'd say it has made me a better traveler, maybe even a better person.

Living in a foreign country like Turkey puts me at an advantage: I deal with a language and cultural barrier every day and everything is much more complicated and difficult than it would be at home in New York. Because this is not our permanent home and imported items are expensive, we made it through the first few months with little more than a stroller, a baby wrap to carry her, and a portable changing pad, so we already travel light. I say it gives me an advantage because I'm already used to the challenges and unfamiliarity inherent in travel. What makes foreign travel daunting (even without a baby) is the foreignness of it all, which has become my normal (after nearly two years abroad, I can tell you that knowing what's going on all the time is overrated). The skills I've honed as a traveler and an expat -- problem-solving, thinking ten steps ahead, and planning an exit strategy -- are the same I use as a parent; you can apply the same lessons with a child or on the road.

Continue reading Knocked up abroad: planning travel with a baby

Knocked up abroad: planning travel with a baby originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airbnbapartmentapartment rentalApartmentRentalbabybaby friendlybaby gearbaby travelbaby wrapBabyFriendlyBabyGearBabyTravelBabyWrapboardingcar seatcarrierCarSeatchildchildrendiaper bagDiaperBagelevatorfamilyfamily travelFamilyTravelflightsflyinggearhotelinfantinfant travelInfantTravelistanbulitalykitchenknocked up abroadKnockedUpAbroadlatin americaLatinAmericalaundromatlaundrylocalminibarneighborhoodpublic bathroomPublicBathroomresearchsloveniasoutheast asiaSoutheastAsiastrollersubwaysuitcasetraintravel with babytravel with infantTravelWithBabyTravelWithInfantturksvacation rentalVacationRentalveniceTue, 25 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Knocked up abroad: applying for a baby's passport]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/24/knocked-up-abroad-applying-for-a-babys-passport/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/24/knocked-up-abroad-applying-for-a-babys-passport/http://www.gadling.com/2011/10/24/knocked-up-abroad-applying-for-a-babys-passport/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

baby passportAs my new baby girl was born in a foreign country, getting a passport was a necessity for her to even return home to America. Though Vera was born in Turkey, she's an American citizen by virtue of her parents' citizenship and entitled to a US passport. For Americans born outside the country, the US consulate issues a Report of Birth Abroad that acts as an official birth certificate and proof of US citizenship. After a trip to the US to visit family and a vacation in Malta, Vera's been in three countries before she reached three months of age and is rapidly racking up passport stamps.

As soon as we brought the baby home from the hospital, the first order of business on the road to getting her baby passport was getting her Turkish birth certificate. While not required by the US consulate, it is necessary in order to get her residence permit, required for anyone staying longer in Turkey than the 90-day tourist visa. I learned that I could obtain this at my local registry office with a letter stating that I had given birth at the American Hospital (this is provided in both Turkish and English by the hospital). I set out with my one-week old baby in her stroller, sleeping peacefully, assuming that the office would be a short walk from our apartment given the local address. An hour later, I had walked as far as one of Istanbul's busy highways, dripping sweat, in tears, and definitely lost. Google Maps is generally a useful tool for many city addresses, but for some parts of Istanbul, you may as well be mapping a jungle. I enlisted the help of some Turkish friends who found a satellite image of the office online and emailed it to me. In true Turkish fashion, the registry office is actually two streets away from the mailing address and no one in the area can give you an exact street number when you are frantically seeking directions.

Continue reading Knocked up abroad: applying for a baby's passport

Knocked up abroad: applying for a baby's passport originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>americababybaby passportBabyPassportconsulatefamilyfamily travelFamilyTravelinfantistanbulmaltapaperworkpassportpregnancypregnancy travelPregnancyTravelpregnantresidencysecuritytravel with a babytravel with childrentravel with kidsTravelWithABabyTravelWithChildrenTravelWithKidsturkeyunited statesUnitedStatesvisaMon, 24 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five tips for a great Gozo break]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/29/five-tips-for-a-great-gozo-break/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/29/five-tips-for-a-great-gozo-break/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/29/five-tips-for-a-great-gozo-break/#commentsFiled under: ,

gozo

Gozo, as Meg Nesterov recently reported, is a spirited place. The smaller of the Republic of Malta's two main islands, the island also known as the Isle of Calypso provides the rustic antidote to big brother Malta's package holiday flash. There's a lot to do on Gozo. Capital Victoria boasts an incredible walled Citadel. There are trails for hiking. There are little villages that become shady and welcoming in the late afternoon; many of these have gloriously grand churches to visit. And then of course there's the classic Mediterranean activity: setting down towel and various paraphernalia along the water for an idle afternoon.

Here are five tips for making the most of your time on Gozo, with an emphasis on local cuisine.

1. Eat lunch at Ta' Rikardu. This little restaurant occupies space on a passageway in the walled Citadel at the heart of Gozo's tourism core. Don't let its popularity with tourists chase you away. The restaurant offers an absolutely delicious local platter (see above) of fresh tomatoes, local cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, and onions. Also delicious are the homemade ravioli, fat and enormous, stuffed with cheese and parsley. There's a small shop on the premises selling local food and drink.

2. Book a taxi with Marcel Mejlaq. You should probably rent a car on Gozo. Those unable or unwilling to drive will likely need a taxi from time to time. Track down Mr. Mejlaq through your hotel. He's friendly, full of good anecdotes, and charges under the going rate. Another cabbie charged €18 to go from the port to our hotel; Marcel charged just €13.

3. Eat dinner at Jeffrey's Restaurant. Though far less explicitly local in orientation than Ta' Rikardu, Jeffrey''s is a good place to taste Gozitan food. The fried cheese starter is especially nice and the beef-stuffed squash main is also quite good. A vegetarian version of the stuffed squash (called "marrow" here) can also be ordered.

4. Swim at Xlendi. Popular among locals and tourists alike, Xlendi's bay features exquisite clear water and a lively weekend atmosphere. Avoid the tiny beach and plunk your towel down on the sloping rock along the left-hand side of the bay. Dive in or lower yourself down via a ladder. Afterwards stop by Gelateria Granola for ice cream. Don't expect solitude or a village vibe here. Xlendi is tourism central, but the town has been developed in a manner that isn't garish and the water is absolutely lovely.

5. Walk the Ta' Cenc plateau. Adjacent to the very nice Hotel Ta' Cenc is an attractive plateau. The views over Gozo and across to Malta from here are wonderful. There are Neolithic period dolmens and even the remains of a temple to check out. In the hours leading up to sundown the plateau is particularly captivating.

Continue reading Five tips for a great Gozo break

Five tips for a great Gozo break originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gozolocavoremaltaThu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ta' Cenc, Gozo]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/28/ta-cenc-gozo/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/28/ta-cenc-gozo/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/28/ta-cenc-gozo/#commentsFiled under: ,

ta' cenc gozo

What constitutes a good hotel experience? This question animates a certain subset of travel writing. It's just popped up for me again in light of the buzz around the launch of Ritz-Carlton's new marketing campaign. (Check out the campaign's quite captivating video.) "Let us stay with you" is the tagline of the Ritz-Carlton's campaign, which is designed to capture the idea that experiences are more important (and in fact more desirable) than objects within the context of luxury hospitality. I like that theme, even if I'm plugging into travel at a vastly lower price point.

Frankly, the realization that this was Ritz-Carlton's intention came as a relief. Originally, I interpreted the "stay" in the tagline to mean "cohabitate." The idea of a hotel's staff moving in is a bit disconcerting, the physical version of a social media nightmare in which Facebook likes and Foursquare check-ins take over and define us. And then of course there are some other uncomfortable interpretive dimensions of this marketing campaign, especially in light of the ongoing bedbug epidemic in parts of North America, which might make some readers cringe at the prospect of a hotel "staying" with them past checkout.

Potential misinterpretations aside, Ritz-Carlton's campaign hinges on the idea that a hotel can create memories. This is fine, of course, but there is also something here that grates on my nerves and, I'm guessing, the nerves of other tourists and travelers--namely, the idea that the work of memory-creation would ever be outsourced to hotel staff. I'm not sure I want anyone I don't know making memories for me. And shouldn't travel be driven by advance research, personal obsessions, and the odd planning mistake, anyway? Travel isn't an all-encompassing cloud of good feelings. There are ecstatic moments as well as stressful moments.

All of this was on my mind when I stayed at Gozo's Hotel Ta' Cenc this past weekend. Ta' Cenc a beautiful property occupying a considerable piece of cliff top land on Gozo, on the edge of the village of Sannat. Ta' Cenc is not terribly expensive by European resort standards, at €186 per night for two, though it's far beyond my standard budget, which averages just a fraction of that.

Continue reading Ta' Cenc, Gozo

Ta' Cenc, Gozo originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gozomaltata cenc gozoTaCencGozoWed, 28 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Watching a small village parade in Malta]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/10/watching-a-small-village-parade-in-malta/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/10/watching-a-small-village-parade-in-malta/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/10/watching-a-small-village-parade-in-malta/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

village parade
I just returned from a week in the small island country of Malta. For our first trip with our nearly two-month old baby, we decided to rent a house outside the village of Xaghra on Malta's smaller island Gozo. Picking us up from the ferry, our landlady explained how the town was gearing up for the national Victory Day holiday on September 8th as well as the village patron saint's feast celebration, and each night there would be smaller festivities building up to the main event. Every night we'd walk to the square, choose among the handful of restaurants to eat (with a population of 4,200, it's among the more cosmopolitan of Gozitan villages), and watch the square fill with people chatting, eating, and playing bingo, as it turned out. We saw girls in outfits that would be considered skimpy in a Miami nightclub flirt on the church steps with boys wearing shirts with religious icons. On our last night on Gozo, the square was more packed than usual and soon we discovered why: a parade was about to start!

Gallery: Watching a small village parade in Malta

Xaghra lights up at nightVillage church illuminatedMarching band gathers in the squareGozitans gather for the paradeOne of the drummers can barely see over his instrument

Continue reading Watching a small village parade in Malta

Watching a small village parade in Malta originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>babyconfettiEntertainmentfeastGozoMaltamarching bandMarchingBandparadesmall townSmallTownticker tapeTickerTapevillagevillage paradeVillageParadexaghraSat, 10 Sep 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the day - Bingo in Gozo]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/01/photo-of-the-day-bingo-in-gozo/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/01/photo-of-the-day-bingo-in-gozo/http://www.gadling.com/2011/09/01/photo-of-the-day-bingo-in-gozo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

photo of the day
I'm going to break with tradition with choosing a Photo of the Day from our Flickr pool and post a photo from on location. I'm currently traveling on the Mediterranean island of Gozo, Malta, staying outside the small town of Xagra (oh, the things we do to bring new destination content to our readers!). Each night, I walk to the town square with my husband and baby and watch as the whole town assembles for eating, gossiping, and apparently, bingo. At first we thought the church was setting up for an important religious ceremony, as hundreds turn out each night and wait expectantly for the church bells to sound at 9pm, but it's just good old-fashioned bingo. Old ladies, teenagers, and couples arrive with their markers, hoping for their number to be called.

What old-fashioned social events have you seen on your travels? Add your photos to the Gadling Flickr pool and we may choose it for a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the day - Bingo in Gozo originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 01 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bingochurch bellsChurchBellsflickrgozomaltaold fashionedOldFashionedphoto of the dayphotographyPhotoOfTheDayphotossmall townSmallTownxagraThu, 01 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the day - Malta kiosk]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/05/photo-of-the-day-malta-kiosk/http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/05/photo-of-the-day-malta-kiosk/http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/05/photo-of-the-day-malta-kiosk/#commentsFiled under: ,

malta kiosk

Two Gadling contributing writers are currently planning travel to Malta, so it's no surprise that the small Mediterranean island republic is on the brain. And it's also no surprise that, among the many striking images featured on Flickr's Gadling Group pool pages, my eye was drawn to Flickr user Kumukulanui's photograph of this kiosk in St. Julian's, Malta. This image exudes a rich sense of summer with its blue night sky and atmosphere of relaxed leisure.

Submit your favorite photos to the Gadling Group pool on Flickr. If you're lucky, we might just pick one of your images to be a future Photo of the Day.

Photo of the day - Malta kiosk originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 05 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>europemaltamalta kioskMaltaKioskphoto of the dayPhotoOfTheDayFri, 05 Aug 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Schengen and the disappearance of European passport stamps]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/old-vs-new-schengen-and-the-decline-of-european-passport-stamp/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/old-vs-new-schengen-and-the-decline-of-european-passport-stamp/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/01/old-vs-new-schengen-and-the-decline-of-european-passport-stamp/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

schengen passport
Creative new use for border crossing posts at German/Austrian border.

In the late 1980s, an American spending a summer traveling across Europe with a Eurailpass would see his or her passport stamped possibly dozens of times. With a few exceptions, every time a border was crossed, an immigration agent would pop his or her head into a train compartment, look at everyone's passports, in most cases stamp them, and move on. Every Eastern Bloc country required visas, some of which could be obtained at the border and others of which had to be applied for in advance.

Today, an American can enter the Schengen zone in Helsinki, fly to Oslo and then on to Amsterdam, proceed by train through Belgium, France, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland, then by bus to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, and then by ferry back to Helsinki before catching a flight to Athens and landing in Greece without once needing to submit a passport to a border guard's scrutiny.

The development of the Schengen agreement across Europe has altered the geopolitical map of the continent in many ways. For tourists, the development of the Schengen zone has simplified travel by drastically reducing the number of times a passport can be checked and stamped as national borders are crossed.

The Schengen Agreement is named after the town of Schengen in Luxembourg. It was here in 1985 that five countries-Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, West Germany, and France-signed an agreement to essentially create borderless travel between them. A model for this agreement had been created years before by the Benelux countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg), which eliminated border controls back in 1948. The Nordic countries also did away with internal border posts, in 1958.

In 1995, the five original Schengen countries plus Portugal and Spain inaugurated the zone. In 1997, Austria and Italy joined. Greece followed in 2000 and the five Nordic countries joined in 2001. In late 2007, nine more countries joined the Schengen zone; most recently, Switzerland signed up in 2008.

Continue reading Schengen and the disappearance of European passport stamps

Schengen and the disappearance of European passport stamps originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andorraAustriabelgiumBulgariacyprusCzech RepublicCzechRepublicdenmarkEstoniaeuropeEuropean unionEuropeanUnionfinlandfrancegermanygreeceHungaryIcelandirelanditalylatviaLiechtensteinlithuanialuxembourgmaltamonacoNetherlandsnorwaypassportsPolandportugalRomaniaSan marinoSanMarinoschengenschengen agreementSchengenAgreementSlovakiasloveniaspainswedenswitzerlandtraveloldandnewunited kingdomUnitedKingdomvaticanvisasTue, 01 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cruise ship tossed around, passengers sent flying]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/13/cruise-ship-tossed-around-passengers-sent-flying/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/13/cruise-ship-tossed-around-passengers-sent-flying/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/13/cruise-ship-tossed-around-passengers-sent-flying/#commentsFiled under: , ,

cruise ship tossed aroundLarge waves and heavy winds caused Royal Caribbean's 2,110-passenger Brilliance of the Seas to list heavily several times early Sunday.

Passengers, furniture, and pretty much anything not tied down went "flying back and forth" as the ship was tossed around by inclement affecting the middle east recently reports cruisecritic.com.

"Listing" is a vessel's angle of lean or tilt to one side. "List" can be caused by improperly loaded cargo or flooding on ships. On cruise ships, extreme listing is rare and most often caused by weather related events and high seas.

It all happened as Brilliance of the Seas approached Alexandria, Egypt around 2:15 a.m. causing injuries to about 30 passengers and damaging some of the public areas. Later, Alexandria closed its port because of the weather and the ship was diverted to Valletta, Malta. Brilliance of the Seas was on a 12-night sailing from Barcelona.

Royal Caribbean reports the ship has full power and is sailing as normal now with onboard programming returning within a few hours. Photos on MSNBC's Photoblog show the damage done in areas ranging from individual passenger cabins to common areas shared by all guests.

Flickr photo by Twiga269

Cruise ship tossed around, passengers sent flying originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 02:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Brilliance of the SeasBrillianceOfTheSeasCruise ship listingCruiseShipListingExtreme listExtremeListinjured cruise ship passengersInjuredCruiseShipPassengersRoyal CaribbeanRoyalCaribbeanMon, 13 Dec 2010 02:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Five great European budget-friendly travel sites]]>http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/03/five-great-european-budget-friendly-travel-sites/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/03/five-great-european-budget-friendly-travel-sites/http://www.gadling.com/2010/12/03/five-great-european-budget-friendly-travel-sites/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

budget-friendly travel europePractical, how-to budget travel advice is indispensible. There's something particularly valuable about travel advice that opposes the emphasis on expensive hotels and other forms of high-end consumption that characterizes the contemporary travel media, perhaps especially in regions like Europe where costs are generally quite high.

Budget-friendly travel in Europe is no impossible dream, and the following sites are good for inspiring shoestring feats, assessing likely costs, and, above all else, disproving the idea that you have to spend hundreds of dollars a day to see Europe well. For some ideas about where to travel affordably in Europe, check out last week's ten budget-friendly European destinations post.

1. Less Than a Shoestring. Though no longer publishing on a regular basis, the archives of this blog are astoundingly helpful in their low-budget audacity. Particularly useful for anyone scared off at the thought of Europe's cost index are the blog's "Baring my Budget" posts, which run through budgets for various short trips in great detail: three nights in Malta for €50 (currently $66); five days in London for £85 (currently $133); four nights in Venice for €91 (currently $120), all departing from Berlin. Costs breakdowns are provided in these "Baring my Budget" posts, as are the freebies encountered along the way. The mention of freebies is particularly helpful, as it reveals how often tourist information, maps, museum admission, and various cultural performances can be accessed free of charge. Though this series ran over two years ago, it is still very relevant.

2. EuroCheapo. Disclosure: I worked as an editor at EuroCheapo for almost three years and continue to do occasional freelance projects for the site. Phew. Glad I got that out of the way. Personal loyalty aside, EuroCheapo really is an enormously helpful resource. It is first and foremost as a hotel review site with useful descriptions of hotels written by trained hotel reviewers. EuroCheapo also edits a great blog full of essential budget-oriented tips penned by correspondents on the ground.

3. Guardian's budget travel section. To be fair, the Guardian's budget travel section is good for destinations around the world, though the density of articles on the UK, France, Italy, Spain, and other European countries is impressive. Recent articles that showcase well the newspaper's creatively open approach to the subject of budget travel include Susan Greenwood's budget Stockholm journey story, indebted to insider tips provided by a local blogger; a piece on backpacking in the Crimea by Maxton Walker; and Benji Lanyado's TwiTrips series, for which the author receives tips via Twitter about the city he's visiting and then liveblogs his discoveries. The most recent TwiTrip series installment sees Lanyado visiting Liverpool.

Continue reading Five great European budget-friendly travel sites

Five great European budget-friendly travel sites originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>berlinbudget airlinesbudget travelbudget-travelBudgetAirlinesBudgetTravelcrimeaeuropefrancegermanyitalyliverpoollondonmaltaparisStockholmswedentrainsukraineunited kingdomUnitedKingdomVeniceFri, 03 Dec 2010 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The ten toughest castles in the world]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/16/the-ten-toughest-castles-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/16/the-ten-toughest-castles-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2009/10/16/the-ten-toughest-castles-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Castles make a pretty backdrop to any vacation. They conjure up images of brave knights and damsels in distress, but the reality was less romantic. Castles were fortifications built to defend important cities, ports, fords, or mountain passes. The best military minds in the world devised ways to destroy them, when they weren't figuring out better ways to build them. Here are ten castles that proved almost too tough to take. Some took centuries before they fell, or cost the lives of hundreds of attackers. A few never fell at all.


Crac de Chevaliers
One of the best preserved Crusader castles in the Middle East, it protected the pass from the lowlands of Lebanon through the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and into the rich Orontes river valley of Syria. It's on the Syrian side of the border but its turrets afford fine views of Lebanon. Originally an Arab castle that was taken by the French during the First Crusade in 1099, it became the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller, a knightly order that protected pilgrims in the Holy Land. They protected themselves too, by strengthening the castle and putting up walls that were up to 100 feet thick. It withstood more than one siege and even the great Saladin couldn't take it. It eventually fell back into Muslim hands in 1271 but remained the model for castle builders in Europe.

Masada
Facing the world's biggest empire with only a ragtag group of dedicated fighters? Go to the middle of the desert, find a sheer mesa, and hold up in it. That's what the Sicarii, Jewish resistance fighters, did when they rebelled against the Roman Empire in the first century AD. The location was perfect. The mesa had already been fortified by King Herod as a refuge in case of rebellion, but the Sicarii rebels got it instead. Sheer cliffs rise 300 feet (90 meters) above the desert at their lowest point, and in spots tower up to 1,300 feet (400 meters). The only way up are three winding paths that are exposed to arrows and rocks coming from above. The Romans, in their typical efficiency, built a rampart up the entire way so they could roll up battering rams to breach the walls. The Sicarii committed mass suicide rather than surrender. The Roman camps and walls used to cut Masada off from the rest of the world are still plainly visible.

Numancia
The Celts in Spain faced the same problem the Sicarii did. How to defeat the Roman Empire? Numancia was one tribe's answer. This hillfort at the headwaters of the Duero River held out for twenty years until the inevitable end came. The defenders had run out of food and had been reduced to cannibalism. Like the Sicarii, the Celts chose death before dishonor and most of them committed mass suicide in 133 BC. Spain became a Roman province. Today you can see reconstructions of the fort and Roman siege techniques at the site's musuem.

Osaka
The samurai were brave warriors ready to face death, but even they must have thought twice about attacking this castle. Completed in 1598, it was the base of operations for Hideyoshi Toyotomi, who made peace between Japan's many warring factions by beating them into submission. It took 200,000 soldiers more than a year to take this place in 1615, and when you look at this photo of the bare face of the ramparts you can see why. The castle combines form and function and is beautiful as well as impregnable.

Gallery: Ten Toughest Castles

Crac de ChevaliersMasadaNumanciaLand Walls of ConstantinopleSecond Military Gate, Constantinople

Continue reading The ten toughest castles in the world

The ten toughest castles in the world originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>castlecastlescuzcoenglandincamedievalmiddle agesMiddleAgesmilitarysamuraitop tentop ten listtop ten listsTopTenTopTenListTopTenListswarworld heritage listworld heritage sitesWorldHeritageListWorldHeritageSitesFri, 16 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Where on Earth: Week 26 - Gozo, Malta]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/10/05/where-on-earth-week-26-gozo-malta/http://www.gadling.com/2007/10/05/where-on-earth-week-26-gozo-malta/http://www.gadling.com/2007/10/05/where-on-earth-week-26-gozo-malta/#commentsFiled under: ,

Gozo is the smaller island that makes up the tiny Mediterranean nation of Malta. This is a stunning natural arch called the "Azure Window" on Gozo's northern coast. The main island of Malta is fascinating but can feel crowded due to its concentrated population. Across on Gozo, it's a totally different story, especially if you're staying in one of the restored farmhouses.

Gozo deserves to be the new Tuscany. You heard it here first.

Where on Earth: Week 26 - Gozo, Malta originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 05 Oct 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>oceanrockspectacularFri, 05 Oct 2007 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Word for the Travel Wise (02/08/07)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/08/word-for-the-travel-wise-02-08-07/http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/08/word-for-the-travel-wise-02-08-07/http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/08/word-for-the-travel-wise-02-08-07/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Malta FlagMalta isn't the sort of place I'd imagine one getting lost to the extreme or losing their way back for days on end, but not every human that walks or travels the planet is blessed with good sense or sense of direction. I'm pulling this selection from the Survival Maltese site, also mentioned below.

Today's word is a Maltese word used in Malta:

Intlift - I'm lost

BBC Languages Quick Fix allows one to download essential holiday phrases like this to store in your mp3 player for the big trip ahead. You can hear audio of some very basic words on their site as well. For a full run down on the history and a thorough section on survival Maltese head over to aboutmalta.com. I'm not too certain how much the survival Maltese will be needed considering the country's other official lang happens to be English and they happen to have around 40 English learning language schools.

Past Maltese words: Fejn huma t-tojlezz?, sahha, xorb, jien jisimni, caw

Word for the Travel Wise (02/08/07) originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>foreign languageForeignLanguagelanguagemalteseThu, 08 Feb 2007 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Word for the Travel Wise (12/28/06)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2006/12/28/word-for-the-travel-wise-12-28-06/http://www.gadling.com/2006/12/28/word-for-the-travel-wise-12-28-06/http://www.gadling.com/2006/12/28/word-for-the-travel-wise-12-28-06/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MalteseIt's coming... The new year that is. As if you needed a daily reminder. Anyhow, here is a word you can cry out during those last hours if you should find Happy New Year a little too cliché.

Today's word is a Maltese word used in Malta:

caw - so long

BBC Languages Quick Fix allows one to download essential holiday phrases like this to store in your mp3 player for the big trip ahead. You can hear audio of some very basic words on their site as well. For a full run down on the history and a thorough section on survival Maltese head over to aboutmalta.com. I'm not too certain how much the survival Maltese will be needed considering the country's other official lang happens to be English and they happen to have around 40 English learning language schools.

Past Maltese words: Fejn huma t-tojlezz?, sahha, xorb, jien jisimni

Word for the Travel Wise (12/28/06) originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 28 Dec 2006 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>foreign languageForeignLanguagelanguagemalteseThu, 28 Dec 2006 20:00:00 EST