James Vella Clark: “make it a point to get in touch with us locals”

What is your most vivid childhood memory in Malta?

I’ve always been very attached to my childhood memories so I have plenty of them to recount. One of my most vivid ones is catching the bus with my father in the afternoon, arriving in Valletta, walking down Old Bakery Street where we would stop at Il-Kaptan, a quaint corner hanut tat-te (tea shop) where my father would buy me a milkshake and a cake and then walk me down to my three-hour art class at the Society of Arts. Another very fond memory is running up the steeple of our parish church in Zabbar to watch the bigger boys ring the bells on the first day of the novena. Summer holidays in Marsalforn and waking up early to climb the hills and cut prickly pears is also another very fond memory.

What is you favourite…

Bar or watering hole & your usual order: Lately I’ve been stopping at Fellini, a corner eatery on Archbishop Street overlooking St George’s Square in Valletta. I always settle for an espresso and a croissant with cheese and Parma ham.

Beach or swimming spot: Off Munxar cliffs in St Thomas Bay.

Place for a walk: From Bahrija down to the Roman temple remains on the cliffs at Ras ir-Raheb.

Activity to do in Malta: Trekking on the cliffs or sailing round the islands.

Family tradition: On New Year’s Eve, I always take my children for a long walk up north on Dingli Cliffs, Kuncizzjoni, Bahrija and Fomm ir-Rih.

Maltese word: Grazzi (thank you) - seemingly on its way to extinction!

Landmark: St John’s Co-Cathedral.

Local smell: The smell of wild thyme in the countryside.

View: The view of the valleys as seen from next to the chapel in Mtahleb.

Town/village: Though I live in Valletta, I still have a soft spot for my hometown, Zabbar.

Is there anything you would change about Malta or the Maltese?

A smaller population would make Malta less noisy, less crowded and less polluted. I wish the Maltese took life more lightly and I wish there was more respect and courtesy instead of outright bullying of the ‘might is right’ type.

What do you like on your hobza?

Pork and brie.

What is the one tip you’d give to a visitor?

I’d tell them to make it a point to get in touch with us locals more, so that we can guide them away from the tourist traps and help them enjoy a more authentic experience of Malta.