Crouching tigers, hidden garden

The day began with no wind, such a relief. It was indeed warm and ominously quiet. Breakfast on the balcony was devoid of the usual traffic noise from the road below. Looking over the balcony showed the reason for the silence. No cars. Anywhere. The usually double parked parking spaces were empty and over the road a trio of policemen were amiably bimbling around stopping pedestrians and animatedly looking about.

Rather than shout over to them I went down the lift to ask what was going on. I was surprised to get a typically "English" response, "I could tell you but I'd have to shoot you," which, when the person telling you actually has a gun, carries a little more weight. He laughed, though, as did his colleagues. I ventured to suggest that someone important was coming here, but why and who?

I didn't ask as ones peripheral vision included pairs of dark suited burly men trying to look naturally inconspicuous evenly and closely distributed all along the part I could see. A military helicopter hovered overhead. Indeed, I think it followed us for the rest of the day.

We went for a walk and chatting to one of the boatmen it was made clear that while all the first division "eurocrats" were hobnobbing in the snow  the lightweights were here because Malta is in charge of all things euro. Thus, the assistant deputies understudies interns were meeting for a euro lunch in the hotels waterside terrace over which we look. The Maltese deputy eurominister's sister's husband owns said hotel.

Furthermore it was mentioned that much of Valletta is being dug up, cleaned, polished, burnished, repainted and repointed at the moment. This is because once Hull is finished with culture Valletta takes over although I suspect that seeing as Malta's main man is the current Euro boss it is being undertaken with far more euro euros than Hull's main man, or even Yorkshire's main man could ever prise out of Brussels. There does seem to be a surfeit of blue flags and placards with stars on them flapping about or nailed to walls and temporary hoardings.

One such decorated hoarding stopped our seafront walk progress. What a blessing that was. We determined to walk to the ferry, not the one 200 metres down the road but the other end of that ferry in Valletta. Thus after 6kms of marinas we arrived at a new development stopping access to the part where the grey ships, launches and their SAR vessel are parked. This meant an uphill struggle, as it was very warm, into Floriana, the bit outside Valletta.

Near the top of the hill there was a break in the wall with an open gate. We'd never have found it but for the ECC emblazoned mesh netting. An old but beautifully manicured garden lay inside. Cool and quiet. Whilst one of us went to explore plants and stuff the other looked over the walls.

There are numerous gun emplacement from before Napoleonic times but now just the stumps of Light AA guns and the rails of Heavy AA guns remain. Into the rock had been carved details of soldiers with time on their hands. Most faded, most irregular but some in immaculate script and one or two more legible than others.

Running ones fingers over the indentations was really quite eerie. I can't really explain what I felt but I'd guess that a trite response would be to say that it was being in touch with history. I don't mean that flippantly, either.

Turning to go the view of the steps to the gap in the wall was just wonderful, set between two fortifications this garden was a real joy. And empty.

We left, went up the hill and ended up in the area of Floriana which houses the offices of state and a very nice pastizzi shop called "Jeffs."

Then we wandered down past the Excelsior Hotel, 5 stars and security from which our balcony was clearly visible in the sun.

Caught the ferry back just in time to see a black Jaguar sporting a Union Flag from a bonnet mounted flag staff leaving the terrace bar and restaurant. Very slick, very smart.

Up five floor in the lift and by the time we were sat on the balcony with suitable refreshment the traffic was back to normal and double parked cars filled every space available and more besides..