Killing Time at Kalkara

When we anchored in the Grand Harbor, we were right next to the small community of Kalkara.

It is not more than a big church, and a few assorted mom and pop stores. We grew to love the community and they took us in as well. We befriended an older guy one afternoon at the local cafe. He told us that no matter what, we had to be here for their town festival. Each town no matter how small has a two day festival honoring and celebrating the town patron saint. And celebrate they do. They spend weeks hanging garland, lights and banners throughout the town. Then life size sculptures made from wood and painted in faux marble are places along the main street. Overwhelming firework displays the likes of which, I have never ever seen before, are prepared for the celebration. A feast is prepared and on the night of the rivalry, not one, but two bands march through the town, calling all the people like modern day Pied Pippers as the town folks fall behind as the bands winds through the village,leading them to the central square. Music is playing, dancing in the street, consession stands filled with carnival food, fireworks going off and town revelry continue into the wee hours of the morning. Our friend from the cafe finds us and takes us under his wing to explain what all this means and to share in its display of majesty. He is rightfully proud of the display of devotion to their patron saint. It was a night I will never forget. And this happens in virtually every town, large and small throughout the summer. Malta has 10 firework companies supplying the population for their thirst for bombardment displays. There were very few evenings during the entire summer that we didn’t see fireworks both near and far dotting the darkened sky.