When Mdina’s Silent City Got Too Loud: A Hilarious Tale of Business Unusual

The Unicorn-pulled Carriage Conundrum

It was just another sultry summer in Mdina when Leli il-Fuħħari, a local potter known more for his whimsical ideas than his terracotta pots, decided to shake things up. “These Mdina horse carriages are too plain, it’s time for something magical!” he exclaimed to his uninterested cat, Bidu. And with that spark, Leli embarked upon his next great venture: unicorn-pulled carriages.

News of the enchanting rides spread faster than the mistral wind across the Maltese islands, reaching the curving alleys of Valletta and the sandy shores of Gozo. Tourists flocked, locals gawked, and even the statues in the Baroque city seemed to smirk at the sight. Beautiful as they were, these ‘unicorns’ were just stubborn donkeys sporting ice-cream cone horns painted in glitter.

An Entrepreneurial Surprise

Maintaining his entrepreneurial spirit, Leli pitched his idea to the Mdina council with such passion that they couldn’t help but give in. “Imagine, l-ekoturizmu with a twist!” he waxed lyrically, while council members exchanged confused glances. Despite the skepticism, they agreed, probably just to stop his monologue.

The Clash of the Unicorn Carriages

But there was trouble brewing in the medieval city. With every clop-clop of the faux-unicorn hooves, the cobblestone tranquility of the Silent City was shattered. Locals couldn’t sip their ħobż biż-żejt in peace, and the Mdina dungeons saw more complaints lodged than in the heyday of the Knights. “Uwejja, this noise is worse than the feasts in Għaxaq!” cried Rita tal-Għaġeb, a beleaguered resident, to her nosy neighbor.

The Unexpected Twist: A Real Unicorn?

As if in some mad twist of fate, a mysterious shimmering creature appeared one night. The town was abuzz with whispers of a ‘Real Unicorn’ that had been spotted by Toni tat-Tomatoes, dancing under the moonlit bastions. The spectacle swelled the streets with phone-wielding hopefuls, all aching for a snapshot to break the internet.

Majestic Misunderstandings

“Mela, have you seen it? A proper unicorn in Mdina!” gushed Lara tal-Lampuki on her wildly popular Facebook page, “Qaleb Mdina Upside Down.” But little did she know, this “unicorn” was none other than Leli’s more enterprising cousin, Ċikku, sporting a new holographic festival outfit, lost on his way back from a rave in the catacombs.

The Burst Bubble

In the chaos that ensued, Leli’s unicorn-donkey carriage was soon yesterday’s news. The myth of the ‘Real Unicorn’ had taken over, and his unicorns were relegated to the sidelines. That is until a vegan influencer from Sliema accused him of animal exploitation, sparking a heated debate that Leli couldn’t potter his way out of.

Yet, in a surprising twist of self-awareness, Leli saw an opportunity amidst the controversy. Switching gears, he began offering silent segway tours instead, calling them “the unicorns of the future.” Against all odds, and to the collective relief of the Mdina preservation society, the Silent City reclaimed its serenity as segways hummed quietly along, barely disturbing the gossiping neighbors.

The Interview That Never Was

“Mela, look, it’s all kollox good,” Leli cheerfully declared in an interview that happened only in his head, “You got to roll with the times, or in this case, glide with them. Mdina is silent once more, and me? I’m on to the next big thing. Maybe submarine tours of the Grand Harbour… with mermaids!”

And as history always has it in Malta, life in Mdina went on, with the fantastical tales of glittery donkeys and moonstruck tourists woven forever into its everlasting narrative.

Stay tuned for more unbelievable business ideas that send ripples through Maltese waters faster than a luzzu on a mission. This has been an exclusive, inside look from the ‘Times of Mela’ – where the news is always as spicy as a good hot pastizz, and businesses are, indeed, anything but usual!