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Investitur Malta 2011

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Investitur Malta 2011 ___ ____ A report by Erich Kadlec (Translated by Mjr CSLI Mike Boxall) ____ Anmerkung: Bedingt durch limitierten Serverspeicherplatz ist dieser Bericht nur in Englisch verfügbar! ____ An Austrian delegation attended the investiture ceremony of the Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem in Valetta. The trip lasted from the 5th to the 9th of May, 2011. ____ Participants were: Union-President Senator h. c. Wolfgang Steinhardt, CSLA President Dame Dr. Martina Mitter (Grand Prioress of Austria), Union General Secretary Erich Kadlec (Chancellor), Union Deputy General Secretary Christopher Ptak and Hannelore Ptak, CSLA Treasurer Josef Gebel, CSLA Deputy Treasurer Lucia Sabolova and Board Representative Dr. Gabriel Halat. Our tour program had again been well organized by our President. __ Day 1: ____ The weather at departure in Vienna was still relatively cool, but it was clear on the landing approach that we could expect sunshine over the next few days. This time we did not stay in the center of Valletta / Floriana but in Bugibba / Qawra (St. Paul's Bay) - formerly a small fishing village, now a rather noisy tourist resort frequented by British holiday-makers. ____ ____ During the transfer to the hotel I noticed the fields bounded with rocks, or very often with cacti ('Ohrwaschelkaktus'). Equally striking were the cultivated flowers on the traffic islands - and Malta has an extreme shortage of water! ____ ____ Our first trip took us to Mdina in the western center of the island, the first of the former capitals of Malta. ____ ____ The medieval city is dominated by narrow pedestrian streets with palaces and churches built from the typical sand-colored Maltese limestone. The tour was combined with a shopping spree to load up with purchases at the many souvenir shops. ____ ____ Unfortunately, the Cathedral of St. Paul was closed. We were there a day early, in fact at the weekend there was to be a big medieval festival. But we didn't miss the opportunity to take a ride on a horse-drawn carriage. ____ _____ Since I am always keen to report something unusual and like to get off the normal tourist track, I couldn't resist seeing the knights practise their fighting display. A little tired, we returned to our hotel. ____ Day 2: ___ For this day we rented a taxi. Mosta was our first goal, nine miles away from Valetta. The surrounding area, on Malta's plain, is a fertile region. Here we visited the 'Rotunda Santa Marija Assunta'. This Church of Mary's Assumption, commonly known as the Rotunda of Mosta, has the fourth largest church dome in the world with a diameter of 39 metres. ____ ____ The plan was designed by Maltese architect Grognet de Vass and influenced by the Pantheon in Rome. The Rotunda was built in the years 1833 to 1871 with only six builders and the help of the public, who came up with the funding. To save money, the dome was built without scaffolding. The interior is decorated entirely in blue, gold and white and has room for 12,000 visitors. ___ ____ We continued on to visit the Blue Grotto. Near the airport we were confronted with the sad results of the strife in North Africa. We drove past a refugee camp, a city of tents and containers. ____ ____ The Blue Grotto is located on the southwest of the island near Zurrieq and is only accessible from the sea. From Wied iz- Zurrieq, a fjord-like bay, tourist boats set out in a calm sea and pass along the steep coastline before they drive into several caves. ____ ____ The cave system consists of six halls, of which the Blue Grotto is the largest and most impressive. It is about 90m long, 40m high and has two entrances. The water in the cave is very clear and shimmers sky blue, as if in sunlight. This is the result of the blue-green algae which occurs here. Seeing it was an impressive experience. ____ ____ Next we went to dinner in Marsaxlokk, a fishing village and administrative centre with 3,241 inhabitants. It is located between the peninsula and Benghisa Delimara Point, near Malta's newest power plant which opened in 1992. In ancient times Marsaxlokk was used by the Phoenicians and later the Romans as their main port. In 1565 the Turkish fleet at the siege of Malta anchored here. Our route took us past Birzebbuga. Due to its direct location on the main routes of the world's sea freight transport (especially the Europe-Asia traffic), it is Malta's Freeport. In recent years it has become the third major trans- shipment port in the Mediterranean. ____ ___ Fish was our favoured dish. The view of the harbor, the tranquility of the sea and sunshine made the lunch special. ____ ____ Our next objective was Ghar Dalam (the Cave of Darkness), a karst cave. It is located near Birzebbuga, about 500 metres from St. George's Bay. It has a maximum width of 18m, is up to 6m high and leads about 200 metres into the sandstone cliffs. ____ ____ The cave has great significance, archeologically. In its lower layers, which date to more than 500,000 years ago, researchers have found the bones of dwarf elephants and hippopotamus. Both species died out in Malta about 180,000 years ago. In addition, fossils of bears, wolves, giant swans and red deer were recovered, which became extinct about 18,000 years ago. All the animal findings appear to be of European origin, which is an indication that once Malta was joined to the European mainland (Sicily) and not, as often used to be assumed, to Africa. ____ ____ In the well-kept gardens, we were able to admire some botanical rarities: the endangered national tree, Sandarakbaum. ____ ____ Also the national flower of Malta, the Maltese Centaury or Widnet il-Bahar (Cheirolophus crassifolius). We saw the carob tree too, which in Austria we know as the Bockshörndlbaum. ____ ___ Our final focus of the day was the Grand Harbour tour, starting in Sliema. Our President again negotiated a good price (EUR 10 instead of 16 EUR each!). ___ ____ The Grand Harbour, Malta, is one of the largest natural harbours in Europe and reaches depths of about 4 km. Lateral arms reach more than 3 km into the interior of the island and divide into many coves and peninsulas. With the northern sport boat and ferry Harbour at Marsamxett, it encloses the capital, Valetta, and separates it from the 'Cottonera' towns of Senglea and Vittorosia Cospiua. The sea laps against the walls of the city fortress of Valletta which today is next to an important commercial harbor. Used in the Byzantine period as an anchorage and hub, now the Malta Drydocks are Europe's second-largest shipyard and the home port of the Hross cruiseline ships. ____ ____ We admired the yacht of the Russian oligarch, Roman Abramovich. ____ ____ A little sunburn was a souvenir of this really impressive tour. ____ It was an experience to ride again the island's old buses - with an open door, noise and at high speed. The white-orange- yellow buses are usually several decades old, retired from England. They are all privately owned, mostly belonging to the drivers themselves. Fares and timetables are set centrally and billing is by kilometre. The prices are amazing: 47 cents a zone. ____ ______ After this day's program, we were glad to get back to our hotel. What would usually take other visitors to Malta two or three days, we had managed in ONE day! ____ Day 3: ____ This was the official day. We were taken to Valletta by bus. In the Basilica of Santo Domenico, the spiritual headquarters of the Order, the solemn investiture was to take place. ____ ____ Participants from various countries were present. With joy we welcomed our CSLI fellow-members from Hungary and England and became acquainted with our CSLI Commander for Thailand. We also welcomed some friends from other Hungarian Orders. ____ ____ The entry into the basilica had to take place on a reduced scale, as the road was crowded with fans of Valetta F.C. This was the weekend of the island's football championship final - naturally, Valetta won! ____ __ After Holy Mass the actual ceremony was held in the Chapter House. The investiture was led by the Grand Chancellor of the Order, S.E. Chevalier Dr. Massimo J. Ellul. H.E. Chevalier Richard Comyns of Ludston GCLJ, GCMLJ, Grand Prior of the Supreme Grand Priory of Scotland, was also present. ____ ____ The Order is currently represented in over 30 countries and has about 4,000 members. In the near future six new priories will be added. ____ ____ For us it was a great day. Last year our CSLA-President, Dame Dr. Martina Mitter, was confirmed as Grand Prior of the Grand Priory of Austria, and joined the Supreme Grand Council of the 'United Grand Priories of the Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem'. ____ One of the highlights of this year's investiture ceremony was her official inauguration as Grand Prioress of Austria, and the presentation of the Chain of Office. I myself had enjoyed my own inauguration as Chancellor of the Grand Priory of Austria in Budapest last year. ____ ____ Our Union Commander was also appointed Colonel of the 'Special Rescue Group St. Lazarus Corps'. This organisation is now a member of the CSLI, and the Union Commander presented the Commander of this unit with both his personal Order Certificate and the official Certificate of Membership for the organisation as a member of the CSLI.
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