Artiste 173

[sims]

An older Valletta chap stopped by today with a xmas gift
for me...items from Strait Street.

He handed me a metal badge which has ARTISTE 173
stamped on it. All musicians who played in the bars & dance
halls were required to have one pinned to their jacket while
playing. Hand hammered by the prisoners at the Malta prison,
just several bus stops away from the Shipyard, about 1.5"
in diameter.

Gonna check the records at the police archives and see who
used to have that number.

The other item was a 'bar maid' badge marked MP for
Mara Pozzadtzzi or as my friend put it 'naughty woman'.

Had a nice chat about Strait Street, about the Metropole
which has been empty now for over 30 years. If you went in
you'd probably find beer bottles left by American sailors still
on the floor.

Plenty of interesting tales were relayed.   ;-)

Enjoy ya holidays

ciao,
sims

European Rev Conference  2006
www.techietours.com
sims