A Walk through History, Strait Street, Strada Stretta, Valletta, MALTA
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Valletta Strait Street is easily the most famous street in Malta. Known as Strada Stretta in Maltese, the street was the pinnacle of nightlife amongst American and British military men and Maltese frequenters between the 19th and mid-20th century.
Strait Street represents a fascinating period of time in Malta’s history - one in which people of different nationalities and classes intermingled together in a social context. This was a new kind of multiculturalism, one that was different from previous centuries of simply being dominated by power after power. This was more integrated, more inclusive. Strait Street became a hub in which English, Italian, and Maltese could co-exist. Certainly, this level of interaction with soldiers meant that many more Maltese learnt the English language - from barmen to the Maltese ladies who pined after the foreign sailors.
Gordon Tickle / channel
Wow brilliant video thank you 👍
I stumbled across this by accident. My father was Royal Navy throughout WW2 and I grew up with his stories of The Gut. I hoped to see his favourite haunt on your walk but sadly it wasn't . He and his mates spent all their shore leave in the Egyptian Queen ! From all accounts it served more than just drinks 😄.
I visited The Gut back in 1973 ish, I was 8 years old and my dad walked me down to the Egyptian Queen to reminisce the best days of his life 👍
I see there are still many of the old bars with signs and doors, is the Egyptian Queen still there or now painted over and lost forever?
The Gut oops my Grandfather spoke of that in WW2 😂
I was there in 1965. At the bottom on the right was a bar restaurant that the locals hung out at that I always went to first. Freddie Sylvia and Marian lived four or five apartments down the road at the bottom. Ziggy live with his parents in an upstairs apartment on the corner. I didn't know there was a street at the end. I thought it was a dead end. Wish I could go back and visit Valetta. Was my favorite place I went, when I was in the Navy.
I bet you could tell a few stories ...lol 😂
I visited Valletta in 1981. Me and a mate went for a walk because he had heard about the gut from a relative who had served in the forces. We followed two police officers down this long narrow street. I was happy in the knowledge that the long arm of the law was close at hand. We walked and talked as we made our way down this ever narrowing street when I noticed the police officers were no longer to be seen. I was 20 years old and this was my first time abroad. I looked around to find we were the only people going down that street. We had both had a few beers but I sobered up straight away when a door opened and a very large woman asked me if I wanted sex! This happened all the way down the street until we found a crossroad where we managed to get back to the town. I shit myself! Other than that I loved my two weeks there apart from the sun burn. Thanks for posting this. I am from Walsall myself.
Lol....nice story. You can see from my video i was not that lucky...lol. yes i heard old days it was a bit tough down there. All changed now. Thanks for the comments
I was stationed aboard the USS Cascade. The first US ship that went to Malta after they kicked the British out. I have fond memories of Malta. The time I spent there with Freddie Sylvia and Marian I will never for get.
Its always great to keep dear memories dear to your heart
didn't a servicemen from the American fleet kill a prostitute on straight street in the sixties by the way the British weren't kicked out they stood up to mintof and refuse to pay the extra millions they wanted to stay it was a good posting the yanks were animals
Hi STEVE WHAT FAB WEATHER...AND NICE TO SEE YOU OUT WANDERING AND EXPLORING AGAIN
REGARDS....PETER
Yes its started to warm up a little now
I love this guy, so down to earth and a little joker at heart. I like the way you explain in your own words of the views that you show. Sometimes not quite accurate but never the less entertaining. Keep up the good work. I am from Australia but lived in Strait Street Vincenti Building between St John Street and What used to be called St Francis Street.
I appreciate that! and sorry yes...I find out after making the video , I made a few mistakes ..But I stand to be corrected in the comments ..It's impossible to get all facts and details correct as good as locals , I welcome information in the comments , But saying that some maltese do not have all correct facts ..lol 😂
Million thanks 🎉🎉🎉...and grateful 4 sharing old memories
Glad you enjoyed it
Such a wonderful street. First going down then up, then down again. So small that these chairs were all over the street. From so quiet in the beginning it becomes so loud. Never seen such a street. I have close to mine street also- Rue Saint-Dominique (Paris). Very long and beautiful street. You can see it in google maps.
TheLynata-Cooking Gaming it has a long history.....with the British sailors and the ladies of the night 😜😜😜😜😜
Today is the feast of st George ,I was hoping that you are going for the feast. Today I was listening the church bells ringing at noon .At least I got my wish listening to them .The big one was named Georgia .
Oh..There's not reason to go over to villages at the moment, But I have asked a few times for someone to show me around
Like 62. Amazing video my friend. The places you show always look amazing. Thank you for sharing.
welcome...great comments
Englishman in Malta thank you my friend.
The first M&S was a room in Paola main St,. There were only a few items and expensive. That was in 1960 /61
Great video Steve thank you so much 👍fond memories of Strait Street with my father-in-law showing us around and telling us about his time in the navy, he was the reason for us falling in love with Malta. Thank you Steve, job well done 👍
I was in Malta in 1969 when I was in the Navy.
So long ...Time to come back ?? sooooon !!
Love to know the stories that happened in this street
Great video Steve I love Malta but we are in lockdown in England . Best regards Charlie Hutchings.
My favourite city ever. I love how you have carefully worded about the nightlife 😉😜
Happy week to you Steve, stay in touch 🌸🙏
sooo much history over there VALLETTA CITY OF CULTURE XX
If only those walls could talk! My ancestral city 🙏
Thank you for comments and so sorry late reply but i missed them and then daunting to answer so many please forgive me
Morning Steve, the turn around and renovation of Strait Street over the past 10 years or so is nothing short of miraculous. Well heeled area now and the vast majority of people visiting know not of its seedy former years. Great video as per usual my friend. 👍
Who funded this renewal? The EU? Just wondering as I live in Italy and the EU does nothing for Italy ... Nothing. Zilch.
its its changed a lot.....but so much better in the evening jazz bars and restaurant open just a second thought to walk down there ....lots of history down that street, so much so they made a TV series about it ...thanks for your support
Malta gets a lot of money from EU but still lots of work to do ...we are a small country ??
Seems strange hearing and seeing the hustle and bustle on this video in comparison to Valletta today with Covid. It really is a beautiful city. Your commentary is tops.👍👍👍👍
Susan its changed so mant things in Life !!
@@EnglishmaninMalta Yes Steve I agree, and I think it's going to change our way of life for a long time one way or another.
@@susanhill8332 So true !!
Your videos are better than most documentaries 😊
hello thanks for the support
@@EnglishmaninMalta Of course, you do excellent work here!
Nice video and very beautiful place my friend. thanks for sharing.
greeting to my channel
Super fantastic Travel Vlog and wonderful filming. Best regards.
hello welcome to my channel
Hi Steve 👋 Another amazing walk, 👏🏻👍💓 Next to Mdina, I love 💓 Valletta. Totally different from one another but still has heaps of history. There’s an incredible home cooked takeaway shop down one of the streets in Valletta run by 3 generations of Maltese. Authentic Maltese food 😋😋😋 you must have a meal there or takeaway, I promise you, you won’t be disappointed. I will find out the name of the shop and where it’s situated and get back to you. Cheers
Thanks 👍 yes i am starting a new type of video eating Maltese takeaway
Thank you mentioning the Grain Stores. I have seen them many a time whilst on the bus to Valletta. I always thought there were pillar bases for an old building that had been demolished !
You are so welcome! There are also many over in Floriana The Granaries
Il-Fosos you must go if not already In Malta the square is known as ‘il-Fosos’ which roughly translates into the somewhat undignified ‘the pits’. The British gave it the more respectable name of The Granaries. And as granaries this space has actually served for hundreds of years. Granaries were among the first constructions undertaken by the Knights of Saint John on taking possession of Malta in 1530, and six of them had been excavated in Birgu by 1538. The Maltese islands being as dry then as now it was important that a good supply of grain was always at hand…and the Knights were all too aware that a long drawn out siege was a likely event - as in fact happened a few years later in 1565. More storage silos were added wherever space for them could be found. The first ones in the new capital Valletta were dug close to Fort St. Elmo some 350 years ago and a few are still extant.
The underground silo is called 'fossa' in the Maltese language. 'Fossos' in plural. ( Words ending in 'OS' and 'AS' maybe Greek suffixed).
Thank you Mrs wise cat xxx always great info
Very beautiful place my friend 👍‼️💯👋🤝👊👏✊
welcome to you awesome support
Very Beautiful Place. Wish to visit Malta.Thank you so much.🇩🇰🇩🇰
Oh this street full of so much history !!
Thanks my friend have a nice day
great to see you here again x
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️this lace reminds me of my hometown, restaurant oh ok, yea can see that it get arrow s you go, long walk, and very noisy or windy in the end there. Nice buildings🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺👏👏👏
This street has history as red light are as far back as the knights of st john ...over 300 years
@@EnglishmaninMalta my father was there in WW2. He said they had y lot of opium dens on Straight St. American sailor
Great video sir, thank you for sharing
hello again thanks for coming over
Awesome present! Great share 👏👏👏👏
great comments . great support
wish to go there someday. such a beauty. :)
You will love the city of valletta ....full of history
The Gut was an experience. I remember near the bottom on the Left there was a bar called the Silver Horse, known to us matelots as The Galvanised Donkey. Enjoyed all visits on the different ships I served on. Is the Dragonara Palace Casino in Sliema still in existence?
Oh wow! Very interesting, yes dragonara still going strong as far as i know
Hey steve i love all ya vids and ya live streams💜💛💚💙💖
thanks for your support
I love watching your videos, thank you.
Thank you steven ..And love having your support ...keep watching some stunners coming up !!!
fantastic thank you my friend lives there Robert the Balloon Man in strait street the best in Malta
hello mike you so very welcome to my channel
Hi Steve, i know this is kind of late to comment but somehow i missed this video, very interesting never been down there before
i loved it very much a lot of history on strait street very nice to see...thanks for taking your time and share with us.
Yes.....its got lots of history, in the war time it was full, then over the years it got neglected , if fact most of Valletta got forgot as far as restaurants and night life, after 7 pm when the shops closed, use to be like a ghost town, now seems life is being put back, with new restaurants, jazz clubs, bars etc , strait street, after dark is a very busy place .....Thanks for your support rose,
Looks so beautiful there.
it's been red light area for over 300 years ...lol
This city looks so beautiful, I never knew about some of these places! Such a beautiful historic video! ♡♡
WELCOME TO MY CHANNEL MY FRIEND
Nice to know more about Malta with yoru videos. :)
always welcome my friend
Lovely place really beautiful.
wonderful support 😌😌😌😌
Excellent video steve well narrated,enjoyed the views!👍
Awesome, thank you! have another one of this street coming up this week there are some lanterns of Mdina special display
Cool vid, Had a quick glance and will have to watch the full vid later, Thanks for sharing, CHeers bru
thanks for your support
👍👍👍well done nice place ...so quite streets. Where they're people 👀👀. Enjoyed. Thanks made nice video. Englishman in malta 🤗🤗
was so...quite no people because was so cold and look like rain xx
I've never seen Valletta like your video...wow...Strada Streta is so long. When you were at the bottom of the street...was that the area called "Il Mandragg ". I've never been. I only heard about it?
Thanks Steve
At the bottom is almost fort St Elmo, to the left is mandragg down some long stairs but not far away that street has lots of history
@@EnglishmaninMalta thanks Steve....thanks too for answering me for every question I ask....
Take care and stay safe my friend
👍👍👍very nice place
have a good day
helloooooo jay xx great support 😂😃😃😄😅😅
What can I say, I'm waiting for more videos. As always good job. 😎
Thank you so much for great support as always bart
I consider 10 c a ' heat wave ' here!
I love seeing the oldest areas of the three cities, so I especially enjoyed this video. I will watch it a few times more after I do a little research. . So thanks!
hello Carmen, this is strait Street Valletta, was red light area in war times ..thanks for your comments
@@EnglishmaninMalta Yes. It's always been a red light district. The knights patronized the area for drinking and debauchery (so many babies born that an orphanage was needed.) I sent you a pic of the orphanage. The surname ' Spiteri ' was given to the male babies of knights. Spiteri is a corruption of the word hospitallier.
yes..thanks very interesting
Brilliant Steve. I love the walk down to Fountain Street. My relatives used to live there in the sixties. Looking forward to seeing Straight street at night if you are able to do it.
My idea to go to the ditch....after see closed think why not walk down that way, was a bit unsure when fountain street start and strait street start ...thanks for following me great support !!
Love your videos, love your Perfect Maltese accent
wow......So many comments ...thanks for your support....Guess security concerns problem everywhere , but always get funny looks walking around with a camera and fluffy microphone
Englishman in Malta Yes, those minders: nothing but goons making hay while the sun shines, pretending they’re important 😂😂😂But, seriously now, thanks for your excellent light hearted commentary and creative videos. Please keep them coming!
Beautiful place.. the people walking so fast hehehehe
was quite ...very cold !!
Thanks 😁
Thank you for comments and so sorry late reply but i missed them and then daunting to answer so many please forgive me
I can tell you a lot about UK but I have some respect for one and all. xxx
No idea what you are talking about ?
Forgot to mention I got Married in St Paul's co cathedral.
Good video bro im still connected
awesome support .............Thanks
Excellent video & channel!! Looks & sounds fantastic! LIKE #60 👍 - very historic!
oh...soooo kind welcome
Hey mate! Wonderful job. Your best video yet. This is Stimmy, friends of Big & Small, in Italy. Wow, it looks like central to Southern Italy. Anyway, I'd start to make videos but you do a great job and your style is charming. Sometimes, I make an appearance in Big and Small Videos so check them out. Keep up the great work!
i always check big and small channel out
Good channel 👍👍👍👍👍
hello my friend awesome support
20:09 St Dominic (kneeling) This lower part of Valletta is “staunchly SAN Duminku territory”
I know I'm very proud!
Thank you for comments and so sorry late reply but i missed them and then daunting to answer so many please forgive me
Thank you for comments and so sorry late reply but i missed them and then daunting to answer so many please forgive me
Thank you for comments and so sorry late reply but i missed them and then daunting to answer so many please forgive me
Interesting English accent. Which part of the country?
Wish to go there someday.. DM
hello rachael......welcome x
That tattooist is famous. Tony zalzetu. Aka sausage
Oh yes what Noticed in my video !! I have no idea ..!! You know hime ??
Englishman in Malta you’re very good at what you do keep it up look forward to the next 👌
Englishman in Malta just to add back Oct. take you to da pippos dinner on me
is there english spoken in malta
Hi Shahid, welcome to my channel ...Yes most people speak english, lots speak italian also, maybe you only find a few older people that not speak a lot, but still understand you and speak broken english
sir want to immigrate in malta with my family and my kids study in english medium school so is there english medium school in malta
I went to the war museum to find any info about where the military we're based in valletta and where the wives lived back in 1937 I was born in Marfa military hospital, so must have lived somewhere near floriana as I was baptised there. The people in the fort were very helpful. Aparantly The tax office in floriana was a military building and the building behind (somewhat dilapidated when we went.)and closed up. This was in 2012.
L
Not sure about that place but many places in floriana have been upgraded to better standards but sounds interesting history you have
The Gut, as they say, you are never a true sailor until you have done the Gut.
Your voice sounds like you are from Malta ?????
Thank you ..but i am 100% englishman 🙏👍🙏👍🙏 welcome to my channel
Are you English or Maltese?
Lol.....guess you answer in my channel title , born west Midlands, lived Birmingham, now live malta, thanks for your support 👍👍👍
@@EnglishmaninMalta You're great! I love how much you love Malta.
I'm from Valletta btw. Where do you live?
@@LE-kf4ql hello my friend ...from three villages, Got any interesting facts or places in Valletta i have not covered...be interested drop me a pm on Facebook
@@EnglishmaninMalta What have you covered exactly because I only have recently started to watch your amazing channel.
You covered Fort St. Elmo, Strada Stretta...
@@LE-kf4ql lots luca ..many videos on valletta
hello ~♤₩
hello my friend
The Ordnance Pub..... worst meat pie I’ve ever had in my life! Can’t believe they’re not embarrassed to serve that!
Thank you for comments and so sorry late reply but i missed them and then daunting to answer so many please forgive me
4:36 Back of the law courts on your right...government/police minders there glaring at you suspiciously 😂😂😂😂
lol...i get a lot of that !!
Amazing. Great Work! Keep it up! Please visit our channel and like our new video. Thanks so much for your help and support.
helloooo welcome to my channel
You know nothing about it; mate. Lmfao
Strange comments??
Something you "FORGOT" to mention was that before you were born; Straight street was an attraction to The Best Entaitainment that came from all over the world; mostly Italy and UK; Straight Street change it reputation when the "Services" started coming to Malta, mainly English and Americans, the Americans were more popular maybe cause they spent more money and were easier to empty their pockets. Ofcourse at that time Malta lacked the privilige of Social Security and that what make Straight Street popular, because woman from any part of Malta would end down there to help with their income to feed the family. Prime Minister Dr George Borg Oliver started by getting "The Indipendance" In 1964 and followed ; Prime Minister Don Mintoff ending all Services from Malta including the Nato in 1979 "Jum Il-Helsien" Freedom Day when the last ship "HMS London" left The Harbour. Prime Minister Don Mintoff continued his wish to END the Slums down there by building Housing Estates` Btw protitution still egist all over the world so next time pick another country; especially HOME you should know more than me about it.