A little research (in the Bible, no less) would have told you that we Maltese are a kind, friendly lot. We are, however, also Mediterranean, besides being Maltese and European. This would explain what you consider an attitude problem. I hope the weather and the food and the rest of us eventually made up for the rough edges of the compatriots of mine you found rude and irritating. As we say here (we have hundreds of idioms) even the intestines grumble, go figure the whole person... Meanwhile, I wish that those persons who posted as many adjectives as they could think of, to insult us, would have used a dictionary... and signed their names and surnames. Tanja Cilia

Written above:

" the fact that this person has chosen to stay anonymous is proof enough that he is scared to be identified and associated or branded as being a young fool who really has no idea what he is taking about."

No. There are lots of reasons for not using one's actual name on the Internet, none of which you have described. In fact, an ad hominem attack like this is most often an indication that one doesn't have a factual answer to a charge, so instead attacks the speaker.

If you are Maltese, I wouldn't worry so much that people reading the first post are going to jump to negative conclusions about Maltese people. Most people reading this website are experienced travelers who understand that reports of "rudeness" to visitors have been lodged against every country in Europe, and it is just in the nature of travel that (a) cultural misunderstandings will arise and (b) not everybody on the planet likes dealing with tourists.

Part of the thrill of traveling is that you are deeply impressed by all the new things you are seeing, but that runs the risk of occasionally jumping to the wrong conclusions when a few bad things happen in a row.

So the Maltese are cross sometimes? So are the rest of us.

Interesting discussion!

Firstly, I appreciate those of you who know my original intent was simply to report my unexpected experience here and I so appreciate the additional insights. To those of you who took exception to my posts I understand but I believe if you read them again you'll find I did not mean everyone. Many people have been kind.

Now, in the "more as it happens" spirit, today we took the bus to Birgu/Vittorioso and the bus driver could not have been kinder. Helpful and happy he proved all of us wrong who assumed they were all alike. I was very pleased, needless to say.

I have 2 more days here and will report any notable events, one way or the other.

Not my real name,
Mme Perdu

Never been to Malta. But I have an Italian friend whose last name is Maltese. Someone I knew who was married to a Maltese man who had the biggest head I have ever seen. And I have another friend who owns a Maltese dog. (Insert ironic smiley for the tight asses in the group.)

First, 99% of the people on Fodor's use an Internet name.

Second, I live in NYC and have all my life. People think we are rude, etc. In fact, some visitors are rude as a pre-emptive strike. If NY'ers did not know how to get along there would be bodies littering the streets and he have had the lowest homicide rate in years. We may not be the most smiley people, but if you need help, I would rather have a NY'er on my side. (Except for example below.)

NY'ers have scores of non-verbal ways of communicating and an equal number of unwritten rules, which no one would expect a visitor to know. There are always cultural differences.

The only time I encountered epidemic rudeness was in Paris in the late 1970's and early 80's. It was so annoyed that if someone with a French accent asked me for directions in NYC I would intentionally send them in the wrong direction. Sorry to all the Québécois, I am not smart enough to the difference in accents. But all that ended in Paris after the Albertville Olympics campaign for the French to act like humans.

There are three sides to every story, and I would hate to paint any one group in a certain way or blame Perdu for her clothes, mein, or temperment.

And yet you stayed your holiday,if it's like you say,you should have got the first plane out of Malta, to your country!!!

I am Maltese and am very proud to be so. If there is one thing that I am proud of it is the friendliness of the Maltese people. Unfortunately, I live in Belgium and I wish to invite Mme Perdue to live here or Paris or Munich for that matter to know the meaning of rudeness or surliness where most foreigners are treated as inferiors wherever they come from. Malta is not perfect - nowhere is, but comparitively I say with hand on heart that it is a very friendly country and tourists and foreigners are treated as guests rather than threats ! ps please remember that being loud is not being rude - it is the Mediterranean temperament - ask the Romans !

I have lived in Malta for 25 years and come origianlly from London. Most Maltese "think" they give good cusomer service. They do not. Most Maltese "think" they are overtly friendly. They are not. It is usually ignorance rather than arrogance. Good customer service here is noticed because it stands out SO much from the norm. I do not wish to offend anyone, and say this as someone who chooses to live here and will conitnue to do so. They lady who started this debate is giving her opinion and impressions. Perhaps everyone should take a step back a wonder why she has this impression. (Well done to xMaltese for noting how it actually is.) Why do I live here? Because you have no groups of teenagers hanging around on street corners, you have no tramps, the pace of life is slower and relaxing, relatively little crime, and the lifestyle. Live and let live....

well, what an interesting departure this thread has taken.

sounds like the locals are as varied in their opinions of their compatriots as Mme P is.

Annhig, interesting indeed. I expected there would be a number of those, as there has been, saying the people here are all the friendliest and that I must be the problem. What has interested me the most are the people from here who do not disagree with the premise. And everyone on both sides who have put forth their thoughts on the subject at some length. What began as my way of coping has become quite, I think, a lively debate.

What began as my way of coping has become quite, I think, a lively debate.>>

therapy AND intellectual stimulation?

result!

Don't you just love it when people try to be funny and fall flat ion their faces? The Maltese (terrier) is not our national dog;the Pharaoh Hound is. When we sign our real names, you can look us up in social sites and actually gauge us from there, rather than from your encounters with uncouth folk. Oh - and do try the pastizzi at Peristyle in Rabat, before you leave...

Tanja, virtually no one on Fodors, or any other internet forum, uses their real name, and for obvious reasons that you don't seem capable of fathoming.

Trust me, MmePerdu has earned a reputation for truthful reporting of her travels. I, and I'm sure plenty of other posters here, are more than willing to accept her Maltese experience as factual. You haven't yet earned any kind of reputation (though you're beginning to earn a rather unpleasant one). No one here has been the slightest bit uncouth, either.

I`m very sorry to hear that you had a rough time here. I am myself a Maltese citizen, and am proud to say it. While yes, some Maltese do have a tendency to be rude, bus drivers included, I find it unfair to say that all Maltese are so. As for being knocked into, Malta is a busy place and many people are in a hurry to get to their destination. As an avid traveller myself, I have experienced very similar things throughout Europe, so I can hardly say that this problem is limited to just Malta. Malta has always had a reputation as a welcoming country and lives up to it most of the time. True we are not perfect and there are cases of Maltese being arrogant, but you must remember, that everything has a flaw in it. We have a lot of tourists annually; in fact our economy depends on this trade. Malta is a small tight knit community, and some as you said do not take kindly to strangers here, while others might think that women do belong in the house, but I think its very unfair to put all your eggs in one basket. Overall, I respect your opinion, but am suggesting you get to know the Maltese more, before making such a general term about us.

While yes, some Maltese do have a tendency to be rude, bus drivers included, I find it unfair to say that all Maltese are so. >>

kenny - the OP did NOT say that, not even in her first heart-felt post. In fact she was very careful not to say that.

BTW, how do you explain that some of your compatriots agree with her?

To Mme Perdu: I'm sorry t hear about your experience however I believe you were either very unlucky or as someone said you took a negative perspective from the start.

To xMaltese:(I don't believe you should use Maltese in your name) I am a proud citizen of Malta and I admit we are not a perfect civilization, if you believe other countries are perfect then you have a problem. It is a give and take situation, what we lack in one area we make up in an other while in another country the opposite may be true.

What I find troublesome however are your comments on OUR country. It is disgraceful to say the least. What I can conclude is that you are negative, you took all the negatives you could find and in some cases exagerated it.

With your attitude you shouldn't call yourself Maltese and if you feel that leaving will solve your problems, be my guest and leave, you are obviously unhappy and I will not be sorry if you do so.

I will admit, yes, the Maltese are not perfect, as everyone has flaws, but I must strongly disagree that Malta is the rudest place on earth. True some bus drivers may be arrogant, but I know some very kind ones who work. So please people, do not put all your eggs in one basket. I am sorry Ms. MmePerdu that you did not enjoy Malta, and offer my condolences to you. I hope you enjoy travelling and I wish you luck.

I will admit, yes, the Maltese are not perfect, as everyone has flaws, but I must strongly disagree that Malta is the rudest place on earth.>>

again, Kenny, the OP did not say that it was.

and you have failed to answer my question, why are there maltese people agreeing with her?

I don't know about them being rude, but it seems a fair number of Maltese have a reading comprehension problem.

It seems that many of those posting are doing so for the first time here and I wonder if what we have is a social media effect. It would be very interesting to know. How have you in Malta found this thread?