Archive for the ‘ Environment ’ Category

Once there was a view

2011 10 17 11.44.43 300x225 Once there was a view

The photo above depicts what one sees today upon reaching the car park of Gnejna Bay – three aluminium container-like structures housing two kiosks and a water sports centre, all partitioning the beach from the parking area. In the eyes of some, the sight of silver aluminium shining in the sun is more satisfying than tanned sand, shimmering sea and crumbling cliffs. In the pockets of others, it is more rewarding to allow businesses to appropriate what, until recently, belonged, at no charge, to all those who frequented the bay. Where once upon-a-stormy-day it was possible to sit in the relative comfort of one’s car while watching nature unleash its fury, today one can still sit in the relative comfort of one’s car but, watch what exactly? Aesthetic idiocy unleashed.

Hailstorm – 17 October 2010

The enormous hailstones that were smashing down on Malta exactly a year ago today: Hailstone pic. Guess many of you had already forgotten about it.

шишка (“shishka”)

acorns 300x225 шишка (shishka)

shadows 225x300 шишка (shishka)

MalteseSnow 300x225 шишка (shishka)

Malta’s neutrality finally ends

We have been waving the neutrality flag since the start of the Libyan crisis. We castrated ourselves as a nation in order to excuse our inaction in the face of human suffering. However, the hormones are now getting the better of our peaceful vocation, reigniting the desire to take up arms and fight for the just cause.

The day to proudly do our patriotic duty has arrived; oil our weapons, stock up on cartridges, don camouflage and take aim. We will have no qualms in peppering the neutrality flag with shotgun pellets because of the innumerable migrants having the gall to try and land here. Even though their intention is to rest awhile before moving on to more northern countries, the order is shoot to kill.

13 April and the government declares the hunting season open.

All hail.

Tableaux from a tourun

First, let me clear the air about this word – tourun. It’s a term I coined today to capture the two specific activities of running and touring which happen concurrently. This development has been a long time a coming. I have written before how I have no qualms in pausing a training run to take in breathtaking views, to admire the appearance of an uncommon species of wildlife or, with nose to the ground, to sniff at a floral specimen of lilliputian size.

FloatingPalm 300x287 Tableaux from a tourun

This morning I decided to take it a step further by carrying my Sanyo Xacti movie cam in a waist bag. With photography being another of my interests, I have often rued the missed opportunities which arise during a dawn run. However, I have now resolved this quandary by committing myself to the occasional tourun.

RunIntoFog 300x225 Tableaux from a tourun

I can see where this is going. Next will be snacks on some craggy cliff face and, with the warming of the weather, a plunge into a cool pool of water far away from the popular bathing places. All these sensory pleasures will still be bookended by a pair of running shoes carrying me to and from my destination.

 httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkiwH1NWc9g

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYO9WgfbAzU

 
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