The Malta Independent on Sunday
A less obvious holiday
Ihave always preferred being elsewhere while everyone else was in Gozo for Santa Marija. I did rent a flat there when my girls were of an age when they wanted to be in Gozo with their friends. Now that they are both settled down with children of their own I no longer have to go on that crowded and noisy weekend.
*** I was in Spain one Easter for Holy Week which is certainly a spectacle to behold but we watched the procession from the balcony of a relative and in the town of Algeciras in the south where there were no crowds. I remember being on a Hamilton cruise with my dear friend, the late Mara, and a whole lot of Maltese disembarked to attend the beatification of Dun Gorg I think it was. Mara and myself had stayed on board. Even the very thought of crowds in the piazza of St Peter’s Basilica and people jostling and pushing, especially in the heat of summer, gives me nighmares. And as far as I am concerned the only way to watch the Olympic Games was on television. Even a free ticket to Rio would not have enticed me there. (Imagine that vending machines were stocked with 450,000 condoms provided for athletes, partly because of the threat of the zika virus. Now with Tinder athletes at the Games were able to arrange dozens of dates without even leaving their rooms. What does that tell you of the society in which we are living?).
*** I find the Cotswolds a lovely place for a tranquil holiday away from the cranes and the building site and Bedlam that Malta has become. My base in Cheltenham, thanks to generous friends is perfect. I also have friends around those parts and it is only a couple of hours away from London.
I was invited to stay at the little village of Windrush by my dear and inspiring friends, Judith and Anthony Duvivier. Anthony, a consultant dermatologist who has been practicing at Harley Street for many years told me he will be retiring next June when he will be 74. He is considered ‘the rock star of dermatology’ – ‘a Legend’, a mutual friend told me. He reminded me that we have known each other for 50 years. He had come to Malta when he was a medical student at Barts and was doing a stage at St Luke’s. One of my brothers-inlaw who was then studying medicine in Malta, had brought him home one day, and asked us to ‘take care of him’ as he was so disenchanted with what he had been witnessing at the obstetrics and gynaecology department at St Luke’s. Judith, his darling wife is a GP (who also possesses very green fingers!) and a convert to Catholicism as is her mother. However, in Windrush they support the small and very historic local church even if it is not a Catholic church. They have contributed to its restoration and have bought a grave there where they will be buried in this lovely part of the Cotswolds. Not that it will matter at that point.
They are such excellent hosts and Judith a wonderful but no fuss cook.
*** During my stay in Cheltenham David Elyan, another old friend, invited Edgar and Marlene Huber and myself for a meal at the Royal Oak Inn in Prestbury, which goes back to the 16th century. It is located in The Burgage, Cheltenham’s oldest and most haunted street. Galloping hooves are still said to be heard along this road that relate to a galloping Cavalier who, during the Civil War was catapulted from his mount by a rope trap as he rode through the village. After interrogation he was executed and a skelton that is thought to be his was found nearby in the 19th century. Spectral abbots are apparently regularly seen in Presbury. The Black Abbot used to walk the aisle of St Mary’s Church until the Church was exorcised, since then he has taken to the churchyard, or so it is said. There have been many sightings in many parts of the village. There are a few other places in Prestbury that are said to be haunted though not the Royal Oak, which was somewhat disappointing I must say.
*** Edgar is an old Edwardian and Marlene is one of six Trapani Galea children three of whom have passed away she tells me. In Malta the family lived in Palazzo Dorell or Bettina Palace, the 17th century Palladian palace in Gudja which once belonged to the aristocratic French family d’Aurelie which had other notable properties in Malta. If my memory serves me right Peter Apap Bologna, in his first volume of Memories: 1973-1988 mentions that the palace served as the headquarters for the British forces during the French blockade 1798-1800) and a cere- mony was conducted there when the British services left Malta in 1979. A pity Memories is not at hand for me to check these facts.
*** The Hubers are unpretentious and family oriented. Marlene is the kind of mother one would like to have, caring, affectionate and down to earth in spite of her aristocractic background which she never mentions although she spoke to me with affection of her father who, like mine, would make hobs-biz-zejt for them. Edgar goes for long walks with friends every week and is a music lover. The Hubers have three successful sons, all married. I always enjoy our meetings very much and look forward to them.
*** I have to put in a word for David Elyan, a frequent visitor to Malta and a friend of mine for at least 25 years. His family were Lithuanian Jews who settled in Ireland where David was born. His parents’ intention was to go to America but since his mother was heavily pregnant they decided that it was best not to go further, at least until the baby was born.
David has been very generous towards our island. A collector by nature he decided to part with his collection of First, Limited and Private Press editions of Irish authors and donated it to the University of Malta library a few years ago. Several items of this collection, including unique pamphlets and letters were used in the recent Easter Uprising exhibition organized by the Irish Embassy and the University of Malta in April to mark the centenary of this momentous event which occurred in 1916.
David also donated watercolours and prints to the Museum of Fine Arts. Let me not forget the Bateman exhibition organized by Heritage Malta thanks to his friendship with Bateman’s great grand daughter (or was it grand daughter?) and two exhibitions of watercolours of Malta painted by members of the Royal Watercolour Society.
A culture vulture he has been a member of the committee of the Royal Albert Hall for many years and also the Royal Academy of Music. Thank you all who contributed to an interesting break.