For the second time in his life, Henri C.J. Everaars is currently in Malta. Mr Everaars is the consul-general of the Kingdom of The Netherlands, and the chancelier of the Confrérie De la Châine des Rotisseurs.
The latter is an association between hotels to promote top class hotels and restaurants, set up over 750 years ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin is an honorary member of the association.
This time, though, Mr Everaar's visit is a holiday, two and a half weeks in "sunny" Malta. During this time he spent four days in Gozo. Mr Everaars said that he "felt at home", and found the Maltese (and Gozitans) "extremely hospitable, warm and attentive".
He also enjoyed Maltese food while he was here, claiming that "Maltese wines became my favourite", and he was also surprised that the taxi drivers were very courteous, often offering to return to take him back to his hotel.
He sees this as "a fantastic sign of trust", and hopes it will bring more tourism to Gozo. He also sailed around Gozo in force five winds during his holiday.
Mr Everaars has been a diplomat for 30 years, in ten countries, mainly based in Russia. For three years now, he has been the consul-general of the Netherlands in St Petersburg, Russia. This is the fourth biggest city in Europe, with over five million inhabitants.
The Netherlands will soon be opening an embassy in Malta, whose council will employ 20 to 25 people, and direct flights between St Petersburg and Malta will also be introduced soon.
When St Petersburg was founded, 300 years ago, the Russian Tsar Peter the Great wanted to combine Russian heritage with a distinctly European outlook - the window to the West.
Next year, St Petersburg will be in festive mode all year round, but especially around the end of May and the beginning of June. To celebrate the tercentenary, 22 heads of state and delegations will be invited for a festive week in the city, where they will host cultural, economic and social events emphasising the bilateral agreements between the country they represent and St Petersburg.
Although St Petersburg attracts over 20 million visitors a year, only four five-star hotels exist, including one recently bought by Corinthia Hotels International on the biggest boulevard.
Apart from the hotel, a shopping centre on either side was bought and renovations are being made to expand the hotel from its current 287 rooms to 530. The first construction phase will commence next month, and the whole project should be ready by 2004.
The hotel will remain fully operational during the various construction phases, and while the final result will be more modern than the previous hotel, the original façade and ball room shall be retained. In so doing, Corinthia Hotels International are trying to get as many rooms as possible in "the diplomatic capital".
Simultaneously, various large investment projects, including in the agricultural sector, around St Petersburg are being carried out in preparation for the celebrations. However it is likely that cruise ships will be berthed in the vicinity of St Petersburg to accommodate the influx of visitors.
While vacationing in Malta, Mr Everaars was a guest at the Corinthia San Gorg Hotel. Corinthia Hotels International started as a restaurant 40 years ago, and the first hotel was built in 1968. They now own 23 hotels around the world, five of which are in Malta.