Videos

The Gut Malta: Walking in Strait Street Valletta

Realised I hadn’t posted this video here..

The Gut Malta: Walking in Strait Street Valletta, Malta’s Historic Red Light Area on 1st May 2021. I review its history, showing some old photos while walking in the street. You might not be able to visit Malta right now, this way you can see it. Known as “The Gut”, or “Strait Street” (Strada Stretta in Maltese), this street was the focus of entertainment, nightlife and even prostitution ever since the 18th century up to the mid-20th century when the soldiers, sailors and Maltese would meet up here. Barmen and Maltese ladies pined for the British sailors here. It’s still vibrant, though not right now due to the pandemic. In the evenings there are bars and live music. Following Malta’s independence in 1964, and thus the lack of foreign servicemen, it effectively closed down. But the stigma of the place remained. Marks and Spencer opened an annexe in the street in 2003 and built a bridge to “protect” customers and bring them over the street instead of along it.

 

Valletta Green Festival 2021

Visiting the beautiful roof garden which has been built on top of the Valletta Design Cluster. 80000 flower pots and plants including this roof garden are adorning the capital for the Valletta Green Festival. From the live stream on Saturday, edited to include footage that was dropped due to the connection.

Watch the video below:

What Happened to the Sliema Chalet?

In this walk and talk in Sliema Malta, I ask what happened to the famous Sliema Chalet.

The Chalet was a Marvel in Malta, a real Gem. The Sliema Chalet at Ghar id-Dud was a first-class open-air “Chalet”, inaugurated in May 1926, became the most popular rendezvous on the island particularly in the hot summer months. On the right-hand side there even was a Waterpolo pitch. What happened to it? Watch the video to learn what happened, and view some old and not so old photos of the Sliema Chalet.


 

View my video of the Sliema Chalet Revival in 2014: