Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.
What to do on Malta when it’s raining? Thats a question that nobody seems to be asking when coming to the island in high season when this situation occurs rarely. In low season I experienced days on which it was raining cats and dogs: the streets were flooded; people were sometimes turning the warning lights of their cars on because they couldn’t continue. Obviously even the road authorities of Malta don’t calculate with rain.
Continue reading “Esplora”
A fortification at the sea, a national war museum, but most important: a place where important Maltese history has happened. The Fort St. Elmo sits at the end of the headland on which Valletta was built, between the entrance to the Grand Harbour and the Marsamxett Harbour. The fortification was built by the Knights Hospitaller but the location wasn’t perfect: when the Osmans attacked in 1565 they could enter the northern harbor and they attacked St. Elmo from the opposite side of the bay as well as from the higher areas of the headland.
Continue reading “St. Elmo”
She is one of the Maltese national treasures: the sleeping lady. The statue was found at the hypogeum of Ħal Saflieni, a neolithic necropolis. It is rather small but more than 4500 years old and seen as the representation of a goddess. Today you can’t visit her at the hypogeum which is nowadays a UNESCO world heritage site (and tickets are extremely hard to get), you can see her at the national museum of archaeology.
Continue reading “Sleeping lady”
In 2018 Valletta (and Leeuwarden) became European Capitals of Culture. This was a good reason to enhance the Mużew Nazzjonali tal-Arti (MUŻA) that was founded in 1974. It was moved from the Admirality House to the Auberge d’Italie bringing it closer to the parliament and city gate. Today it is located in a beautiful modern building and it’s fun to explore.
Continue reading “MUŻA”
The Cyprus museum in Λευκωσία is very old-fashioned. You can’t learn much about the Cypriot history, it is rather an archaeologic museum exhibiting statues and ancient jars. It was founded in 1882 and is an important institution as it preserves the ancient findings from the island.
Continue reading “Cyprus museum”
The Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR) is a wonderful museum in the northeast of the Greek part of the old town of Λευκωσία. On multiple levels the CVAR shows drawings and paintings of Cyprus. These depict the island in former days and also express how the country has been seen; especially on posters advertising the ‘colony’ as a vacation paradise.
Continue reading “Visual arts”
If you’re into modern and contemporary art you should pay a visit to the NiMAC, Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre. It is located in the old powerhouse of Λευκωσία and already this renovated ancient building is worth dropping in. The rather small museum was opened in 1994 and exhibits works from Cypriot and foreign artists.
Continue reading “NiMAC”
Visiting the national history museum (Muzeul Național de Istorie a României) of București is a bittersweet experience. It is located inside a fantastic, ancient building (the former postal services palace) in the city center (Calea Victoriei) – opposite to the amazing building of CEC Bank. It hosts the Romanian crown juwels and a copy of the Trajan’s column at Roma.
Continue reading “Istorie a României”
The national history museum (Muzeul Național de Istorie Naturală) of București was already founded in 1834. In 1933 it was named after its director Grigore Antipa by king Carol II. It is a mix of ancient coins, stones, fossils, minerals and artworks connected to natural history of Romania.
Continue reading “Istorie Naturală”
The national village museum (Muzeul Național al Satului) of București is an open-air museum founded in 1936. It is named after one of the three founders, Dimitrie Gusti, a professor, and minister of education. On 100,000 m2 you can see more than 250 authentic houses and farms from the different regions of Romania. It is interesting to see the different styles of the buildings which you can discover from the outside and inside.
Continue reading “Life at the village”