Tan-National Geographic jemmnu li Malta ħaqqha post fil-lista ta’ “Postijiet li għandek iżżur fl-2017”.
Mhux hekk biss, talli fil-verżjoni stampata tar-rivista, Malta tingħata spazju ta’ għaxar paġni. Din hija rivista li għandha mijiet ta’ eluf ta’ qarrejja fl-Amerka ta’ Fuq u madwar id-dinja.
Fost l-iktar osservazzjonijiet interssanti li għamlet il-ġurnalist Lisa Abend, li żaret pajjiżna dan is-sajf, hemm il-fatt li l-ewwel impressjoni tagħha ta’ Malta kienet affaxinanti, mhux neċessarjament f’sens tajjeb. Fi kliemha stess:
There was something about this Mediterranean island nation perched between Sicily and North Africa that seemed stuck, its food and arts scenes undeveloped, its fashions several years behind, its tourism aimed largely at northern Europeans hell-bent on sunburns and hangovers. Even Malta’s politics seemed retrograde: Divorce was illegal until 2011.
Però kitbet ukoll li riċentement saret taf li hawn Malta donnu hemm moviment ta’ bidla. Il-Kummissjoni Ewropea għażlet lill-Belt Valletta bħala belt kapitali għall-kultura għall-2018. Il-Gvern Malti fl-aħħar illegalizza d-divorzju. Qed jiftħu boutique hotels u qed isiru inizjattivi kulturali kbar. Dan minbarra li Game of Thrones beda jinġibed hawnhekk!
Tistaqsi lilha nfisha: these changes had me wondering: After all this time being known primarily for sunshine and the Knights of Malta, was this island nation finally entering the modern world?
Tista’ tara artiklu estensiv dwar Malta hawn:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/europe/malta/best-trips-2017-malta/
