On December 2nd and 3rd 1989 Michael Gorbatchev and George H.W. Bush met on the Soviet ship TS Maksim Gorkiy South of Malta, mooring in the Bay of Marsaxlokk. The sea was choppy, which brought the meeting the name “Seasickness Summit”. It is often described as one of the most important summits since the Yalta Conference in 1945, as it marked the end of the Cold War, just about a month after the fall of the Berlin Wall. There was no treaty signed, but a core message by Gorbatchev was: “[…] The world is leaving one epoch and entering another. We are at the beginning of a long road to a lasting, peaceful era. The threat of force, mistrust, psychological and ideological struggle should all be things of the past […]”. Bush’s response was: “[…] We can realize a lasting peace and transform the East-West relationship to one of enduring co-operation. That is the future that Chairman Gorbachev and I began right here in Malta.”
The rest of the story we all know, with different interpretations. The TS Maksim Gorkiy had a dramatic story in the same year, when it hit ice near Norway and began sinking quickly. The Norwegian ship Senja took on 700 people from the ship and managed to stop it from further sinking. More were rescued by helicopter from life boats and ice. Perhaps that was a bad omen for the Malta Summit. Or a good one, given that the ship was rescued, repaired and put back to service. History will tell.
Marsaxlokk Bay, or also Kalafrana Bay in Birżebbuġa, is framed by the power plant with its LPG tanker to the East and the Freeport to the West. But it is still a very pretty area with its turquoise waters and the traditional fishing boats. It was also a set for the award winning Maltese movie Simshar (trailer also below). There is a fish market on Sundays which became a tourist attraction. What I enjoy is a hike along the Maltese West coast, along the cliffs and then going to the place where you get the world’s best Octopus in Garlic. It’s a family business. I am not an “Influenza” and don’t make promotions of my favorite places. But if you write to me in the contact section, and describe why you think you qualify to go there, I may tell you.
I have walked to this bay many times, and always like it as a day’s outing. This time I saw it though a little different, perhaps being overwhelmed by recent events which’s historical trail also crossed this little bay, back in 1989.
