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Tuesday 28 January 2014

For the Love of Small Shops


Cultural diversity is a corner worth fighting. Thank goodness we are all different and in one small place, at least, small shops continue to flourish. This is not heaven, it is Malta - seemingly caught in a 60s time-warp of less-is-more and politeness-is-all. In fact only the Japanese, to my knowledge, are on the same par for gentility as the Maltese.

Escaping the floods, power outages and broadband disruption after Christmas until last week, we took ourselves off to Malta for the annual Baroque Musical Festival and alfresco breakfasts on our apartment's terrace.

Shops in the old town of Valetta are sometimes no more than shoulder-width - but what a punch they pack in terms of stock! Each one is a Tardis which expands fractally upon entry.

So, if you are feeling a bit blue about the demise of haberdasheries and fabric stores where you live, feel blue no more - walk around the old streets in Valetta and its suburbs to lift your spirits!

6 comments:

  1. I remember these shops when I was young, need to visit next time in UK.

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  2. The shop looks really nice! Do you have the adress?

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  3. It is down by the ta Gesu church in Valetta - you can't miss it - it is so easy to walk up and down the grid streets in old Valetta - and you will see so much more!

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  4. The shops stay open until around 7pm - these shots were taken when we were on the way to an evening concert in ta Gesu.

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  5. Wow, what a treasure chest :-)

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  6. I simply love this kind of place ! It's really incredible

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