First things first. The Maltese falcons are now extinct. Of course, the one in the 1941 Humphrey Bogart movie was only a statue, but Peregrine falcons did once soar over Malta. According to legend, the Knights of Malta gave a trained falcon to King Charles V of Spain each year as a tribute. Falconry was a favorite sport of royalty and nobility from medieval times until the 17th century. The Peregrine falcons were trained to sit quietly when hooded, but to soar the sky, find, attack, kill their prey, and leave it untouched when the hood came off. Fortunately for all of us, Peregrine falcons still exist in other parts of the world and have actually been placed in cities to extend their habitat. They love to nest on high ledges (i.e. tall buildings), and pigeons are one of their favorite foods. Sounds like a perfect match, doesn't it?
Toy Maltese dogs did originate on Malta over 3,000 years ago and were a popular lap dog in ancient Greece and Rome. They are beautiful dogs, with long, silky white hair. Even with their aristocratic background, they make great companion dogs, but you have to brush that hair every day!
The Knights of Malta are a religious order founded around 1100 AD. Their formal name is the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, and the brothers took their name from a hospital in Jerusalem. Since they are sworn to povery, obedience, and chastity, I guess most of us would not be interested in joining! The order was first based in Syria, but moved to Cyprus in 1291, Rhodes in 1309, and finally settled in Malta in 1530. Today the order is devoted to hospital service and offices are scattered throughout Europe. The Knights of St. John brothers can be recognized by their dress -- a black gown with a white cross.
Now that you have a few factoids and trivia to impress your dinner companions with, let's look at the history of this fascinating island and some facts for cruisers visiting the island for a day.
