For almost a millennium and a half La Belle France had been dominated exclusively by the male sex. The Capetian dynasty that ruled it for 1,000 years introduced an inflexible Salic law to ensure that no woman should ever dare to aspire to be the supreme ruler of a race that, ironically, is notable for its gallantry towards the female sex. Although there have been several Queen Regents of enormous capabilities like Blanche of Castile and Catherine de Medici, among others, the mystical anointing of a King of France at St Denis was reserved exclusively for members of the male sex. Having a Queen Regnant in France was as unacceptable and unimaginable as having a female pope!

If Sego had defeated Sarko, the unthinkable would have indeed happened. Prognostications indicated a Sarkozy victory and it indeed came to pass. The accession of a certain Madame Royal, a title that in its day was reserved for the eldest daughter of the King of France, as France's first de facto female ruler ever will be something that Frenchmen will have to wait for another decade for. Meanwhile Nicolas Sarkozy's first speech was an amazing exercise in tactful statesmanship that was aimed just as much at those who did not vote for him as those who did. I was impressed! Madame Royal's concession of defeat was equally admirable and diplomatic and if this spirit of mutual cooperation can be sustained it augurs very well for the country which, in the European concert of nations, ranks always as primus inter pares.

On a totally different tack, Malta ranked second on the EU grumbling list. We Maltese have been very busy indeed filing complaints to the EU Ombudsman and have maintained our placing in the top echelons of grumblers for the third year running. These percentages per capita always baffle me for the simple reason that, as I have always told you, I am numerically challenged and formulae of the kind surveys are resolved in will perforce remain cabbalistic and mysterious. I simply cannot understand two aspects of this survey's result. The first is that for some weird reason the smallest countries in the EU, namely Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus, always top the poll and the second is that a survey some time ago voted Malta the happiest nation in either Europe or the world, I forget which; a result that, logically, is diametrically opposed to the latest result. No wonder I am confused!

Maltese gemgem is an old malady. We all know that we adore a good old grumble about how things are not as they were, how the younger generation have no respect or patience for the older, how Malta has gone to the dogs, how politicians have betrayed their calling, about the price of electricity, vegetables and parking your car, the illegal immigrants, the drop in Mass attendance, topless bathing and a host of other "grumbles" that are given vent to with monotonous but sometimes hilarious regularity on the opposite pages. We are, however, happy grumblers to boot. We grumble with a smile!

At the time of writing, I have personally not yet sampled what the implications of going to Valletta with my car are. I have seen TV footage of deserted streets and have heard cries of woe from the retail outlets. We have been informed that the Park and Ride was packed to capacity by 8.30 a.m. The car park holds a maximum of 950 cars and an increase in bays is scheduled. I have been using the scheme since its inception and found it excellent. Of course, I am personally not subject to vital deadlines and fine time constraints therefore the scheme suits me admirably. I occasionally take the bus or the ferryboat to town too. I am, of course, the exception not the rule.

If I am now unable to find a place at Park and Ride at, say, 11 a.m., I am indeed stumped! For all those who have to be in Valletta every day this new scheme must be a nightmare. I am sure it will sort itself out in the end but I now wonder how I can take my elderly mother into Valletta for lunch during the week. I would have to drop her off at the restaurant and then go to find a place to park which, I am told, is even more difficult than before.

Whatever the outcome, I will reserve my opinion till after I have tried it out. When the Park and Ride thingy was introduced, people were throwing their hands up in horror but it worked, so let's give this initiative to create breathing space in our revered capital city a chance to prove itself before rubbishing it.

Speaking of Valletta, I read that Unesco never had any intention of demoting it off its list of World Heritage Sites. Apparently, the rumour was started by someone who may have jumped to conclusions when the chairman of the Valletta Rehabilitation Committee, Ray Bondin, declared at a recent seminar that Valletta's status as a World Heritage Site was being questioned. An overreaction? Possibly; however it still remains to be seen how the setting of the city will be affected once the high-rises on the Marsamxett side are finally completed. Sadly, the view from the glorified chicken coops is far more dramatic than the view from Valletta which is probably why apartments that face the old city across the water sell for telephone numbers!

Now we all know that despite the restoration of various buildings within the city, the removal of the spaghetti wires and the air-conditioning units and other initiatives, Valletta's rehabilitation still has a long way to go. Slowly but surely this is happening; but it is simply not enough. Dr Bondin, has, among others, voiced his opinions about the subject. Valletta is simply not getting the attention or the money it deserves and needs. It remains to be seen what impact the new parking and entry regulations will have on the regular residents of Valletta. It is an open secret that businesses are leaving the city in droves as it is patently obvious that a 21st century concern is way out of place in a city that was laid out in the 16th century and which, unlike many other cities, is locked in by massive ramparts and surrounded by the sea that makes natural expansion impossible let alone commercial access and practicality.

Valletta is still a Mecca for shoppers, but, there again, shopping areas like Sliema, Hamrun and San Gwann have long caught up with Valletta in this respect. So which way is the city going? In my view more and more people will take up residency there in future and Valletta will become what many a Centro Storico is in neighbouring Italy: a residential city but one of huge prestige wherein Parliament, ministries and other seats of administration vie with museums, public gardens and up-market restaurants. In other words the W1 of Malta!

If one examines the Valletta situation closely it is clear that this is the direction in which it is moving. Valletta is a gorgeous city of which we should all be jealously proud. It symbolises everything that is unique about us. Just think of any other island of our size in the world that is not only a sovereign nation but has a dramatic chequered history and a wealth of architectural and artistic heritage like Malta. Valletta encapsulates all that, which is why I see no reason for not having a "full speed ahead" project heavily financed by the EU to spruce it up good and proper. In fact, if I were a grumbler I would definitely feel that Brussels has slighted the symbolism of Valletta; it having been an EU long before the EU came into being. Were a European cultural and historical capital to be proposed there is no reason to doubt that Valletta would be awarded the status without any hesitation at all.

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