We’re off to Gozo for Easter, this time with Denise (my daughter), Ian (her husband) and Max (her son). Will be back on 365 next Tuesday. My son and his family will join us on Saturday. In the meantime, I am posting a few shots to fill the gap.
A re-enactor dressed in the costume of a soldier of the Order of St John and Malta. Originally named after St John the Baptist, the Order ruled Malta like a sovereign state between 1530 and 1798 and it became so synonymous with the Island that it is now better known as the Order of Malta. I was about to take a candid shot of the guy but he saw me and stopped to let me take his shot. I did some processing on the background as I considered it a bit dull.
The guy is part of ‘In Guardia’ , a re-enactment that evokes an authentic event that took place regularly inside important military fortifications in Malta and Gozo. This re-enactment portrays the inspection of Fort St Elmo by the Grand Bailiff in charge of military affairs in order to ensure that the fort is in good condition to defend the Valletta peninsula and the two harbours situated on either side of it.
Joke: A new soldier was on sentry duty at the main gate. His orders were clear. No car was to enter unless it had a special sticker on the windshield. A big Army car came up with a general seated in the back. The sentry said, "Halt, who goes there?"
The chauffeur, a corporal, says, "General Wheeler."
"I'm sorry, I can't let you through. You've got to have a sticker on the windshield."
The general said, "Drive on!"
The sentry said, "Hold it! You really can't come through. I have orders to shoot if you try driving in without a sticker."
The general repeated, "I'm telling you, son, drive on!"
The sentry walked up to the rear window and said, "General, I'm new at this. Do I shoot you or the the driver?"
Thank you so much for looking and for your lovely comments on yesterday's picture.
