On heat waves

There are heat waves and heat waves. Those produced by mother nature and those produced by humans. It is true that they are different one from the other; but they are also similar. Both tend to be cyclical and temporary. They surface from time to time, while, thanks heaven, they only only have a short existence.

Malta is currently passing from both types of heat waves.

The heat wave regaled by nature is an annual thing. It will come and go, but it will definitively not go beyond September.

The heat wave produced by middle aged men urged, no doubt, by principles, not oversized egos, has almost become a feature of Malta's political life these last two (or is it three) years.

The heat wave was characterized by strange bed fellows, stranger alliances, protestations of innocence, declarations of loyalty, great disillusions, accusations of cruelty and some nasty moves that would make the inhabitants of the island to our north look like amateurs. It could be that we have still not reached its climax.

This heat wave will probably go beyond September but will definitively blow over by the general election. This could have been pencilled in by the powers for the last quarter of of this year, though it can stretch into the next if the Mayan protect about the end of the world turns out to be a hoax.

I will let it be for now to concentrate on the more important nature-produced heat wave.

The weather people gave us all a list of does and don't does. It was quite extensive and helpful. They, however, forgot the most effective of them all.

If you want to beat the heat wave go somewhere with lousy, cold and wet weather. There are no heat waves in the north of Europe. I know as I have just been to the English Midlands. The temperature hovered between 10 and 15 centigrade. It was mostly cloudy and  with occasional showers. (It was much better than the weather man said. He - perhaps she - said it would rain every day. Fortunately it didn't.)

People in Manchester told us (I am not using a royal plural. I just refer to the group traveling together.)  that this is great weather. The guy who picked us at the Liverpool airport, for example, wore short sleeves and was ecstatic about the weather.

I am not one of those who generally visit many museums during trips overseas. Some of my friends say that I am a Philistine.

This trip was no exception.

Since I was accompanied, among others, by my sister and her daughter I had to visit quite a few shopping malls. We spent almost a day at the Trafford Centre. As they used to say during a  programme on One TV: trid tara biex temmen.

We were all surprised that just in front of our hotel there was shop called: La Maltija. It specialised in Maltese and Mediterranean food. Unfortunately it was always closed. The hotel people told us that probably it went out of business. This is not of great surprise. There is an economic crisis of sorts. Besides the Brits were never great when it comes to the good things of life, particularly food.

Probably this blog will open me to accusations of elitism. Some may say that even in this era of low cost flying not everyone can fly away to cooler climes. True. Since politicians, during this time of the political cycle, tend to be more generous then they usually are I suggest the setting up of a Facebook group. This will fight the inclusion of a new fundamental right in our Constitution: cheap trips to cooler lands to fight heat waves.

Who knows this could also solve the heat wave created by humans.