We are just back from a short holiday in Malta. Anita found us a nice hotel in the centre of Valletta, the capital city. It was unusual to find myself on a warm foreign holiday where everyone speaks English (no need to mentally rehearse every conversation), they drive of the left and they take euros. It was busy, even in this off-season.
The first day it rained continuously, so we went to visit the Grand Master's Palace, the seat of much political evolution in past centuries. There's not much point in my trying to summarise its history here, but let me tell you that the armoury is amazing. I have visited Scottish castles and the Scots know a thing or two about armour and have some impressive displays, but I've seen nothing like this.
Incidentally it was in this building that I found two uses of English that are a bit out of the ordinary. One of the displays had a notice that talked about the use of weaponry to "offend" the enemy. I know we talk about offensive weapons but I've never seen the verb in that context. They also spoke of mortar cannon being made by bronze founders. They worked in a foundry of course, but again, a use of English I had not seen before.
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