Trips to the seaside have become so sanitised that one beach looks practically exactly like the next one. People expect the same experience everywhere they go; to find an umbrella and deckchairs waiting for them as if the beach were just one large swimming pool.
There is, of course, nothing wrong with comfort but it is difficult to escape the feeling that something special is being lost in this homogeneity. They may complain of the packed beaches yet it is people’s very demand for those facilities that is bringing about this situation. The really sad part is that all of this seems to have blinded people to the beauty of their surroundings, not just the sand and the sea but also what vegetation or wildlife there is.
For instance, who truly notices the Golden Samphire (Xorbett) that can be found all along the Maltese coastline providing sparks of colour to the Maltese seaside? Much less do people stop to notice the beauty of its flowers or reflect on how this is a glorious example of evolution.
If they did then they would probably wonder at the hardiness of this plant that thrives in an environment where not only is there a lack of fresh water but, also an abundance of salt that is hardly conducive of growth.
Botanical Name: Inula Crithmoides L
Common name: Golden Samphire (English) Xorbett (Maltese)
Family: Asteraceae (Daisy family, Sunflower family, Aster family)
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