The Great Mdina Caper

A Mysterious Case of Misplaced History

Uwejja! If you thought Malta was just about l-iż-żiffa (that’s sea breeze for you fresh off the boat), then hold on to your ħobż biż-żejt because things are about to get spicy – and no, we’re not talking about your nanna’s timpana. This is the tale of Carmelu, the most daring, slightly deluded history aficionado from the tiny village of Sannat in Gozo, and his quest to give Mdina, the silent city, a voice loud enough to wake up the knights of old!

Carmelu, armed with his “encyclopedic knowledge” (read: obsession with Wikipedia) of Maltese history, turned detective after noticing the ancient stone ball from the top of Mdina’s main gate was inexplicably replaced with a suspiciously round qubbajt (nougat) – and not even the good kind, mind you. He vowed to right this saccharine wrong.

The Plot Thickens Like Kusksu in Winter

As Carmelu hitched a ride on a luminous karozzin (horse-drawn carriage), the mystery unfurled faster than a tourist chasing a Gozo ferry. During his bumpy travels, he met a bizarre cast of characters:

• Ta’ Qali, the eccentric artisan who could sculpt anything from glass but couldn’t remember where he left his glasses.
• Filomena, a retired actress from Valletta with a flair for the dramatic and a confusing tendency to spontaneously break into operatic arias at inopportune moments.
• Frans il-Pastizz, a disgruntled pastizzi maker from Rabat who swore that his ricotta delicacies could solve any of life’s problems – except his own.

Carmelu’s journey turned comically complicated when he started suspecting that the characters he met were part of an elaborate conspiracy. “Ma kinitx ċajta, hux!” (It was no joke, right?) he exclaimed. Everyone had an alibi as airtight as a freshly baked loaf of Maltese bread but as believable as a flying fenek (rabbit).

Unexpected Twists, Like the Roads to Dingli Cliffs

Just as Carmelu was about to call it quits, a spectacle unfolded at Maqluba, that giant natural pothole everyone and their mother claims a spaceship created. Amidst the buzz of village gossips, a UFO descended, piloted by non-other than the Mayor of Mdina himself!

“We wanted to rise above Venice as a tourist destination, mela, we had to take our historical preservation to new heights!” confessed the Mayor during a mockumentary-style interview devised by Carmelu.

It turned out, the historic stone ball was not replaced with a qubbajt but elevated using anti-gravity technology borrowed from the extraterrestrial tourists. Even the silent city couldn’t keep a secret this loud!

Interactive Elements: Mdina’s First Annual Anti-Gravity Ball

Frans il-Pastizz via Facebook: “Uwejja, join us for the first-ever Anti-Gravity Ball! Remember, what goes up must come down – but our pastizzis will still be the best in town!”

Ta’ Qali’s missing glasses were later found…
… on his head.

And as for Filomena, she took the opportunity to perform the world’s first space opera, floating mesmerizingly above the cobbled streets of Mdina.

A Rollicking Conclusion

In the end, the Great Mdina Caper turned out to be a monumental misunderstanding wrapped in a puff pastry of confusion. As for Carmelu from Sannat, his unusual adventure earned him a place in Maltese folklore – or at least a few rounds of Cisk at the nearest band club.

Mela, folks, next time you’re admiring the ancient ramparts of Mdina, keep an eye on the skyline. You just might spot a stone sphere, or a mayor, or… who knows, maybe even Carmelu’s dignity, floating by.

Kollox possibli f’Malta, ħbieb! (Everything’s possible in Malta, friends!) And remember, in Malta, the truth isn’t just stranger than fiction; it’s more appetizing, too!