Malta -- the 'big' island
The country of Malta is made up of 3 islands, with Malta being the largest (but it's still pretty darn small), followed by Gozo, then tiny Comino. Before heading to Gozo, we spent 4 days on Malta.
Malta was full of surprises with quiet coves, great food and layers of history that boggled the mind. The temples on Malta and Gozo are the oldest freestanding structures in the world, predating Stonehenge by 6 centuries, and the Egyptian pyramids by 1000+ years. Built circa 3600BC, the neolithic temples are scattered around the islands.
The temples were interesting, but the Hypogeum was the highlight for us. The Hypogeum was used for burial and storage, built to mirror the look and feel of a temple BUT underground.
Many of the walls were painted with red ochre spirals or other patterns.
The site was abandoned and lay undisturbed for several thousand years until 1902, when workers attempting to dig cisterns for a new housing development fell through the roof. Imagine their surprise when they discovered piles of human remains in an extensive and impressive network of burial chambers.
The Knights of St. John had a strong presence here and funded the construction of the massive but rather plain Cathedral of St. John in the 1500s. The interior was remodeled in the 1700s and is crazily gilded in High Baroque style. Caravaggio painted the Beheading of St. John the Baptist for the oratory. It's one of the most impressive churches we've seen anywhere!
The powerful Knights of St. John mandated that religious statues and small shrines be installed on all street corners in the center of the capital city, Valletta. We also noticed that many doorways include depictions of Jesus and Mary. It took us a while to get anywhere since I kept stopping to admire and take pictures of them.
We rounded out our Maltese adventure with snorkeling in 2 different locations. We saw plenty of colorful fish, moray eels, starfish and a sting ray.
We were in good hands with Pepo, our snorkeling guru, who kept an eye on the ever-changing weather conditions. Regardless, I still got a little seasick when the winds picked up. I am happy to report that I didn't hurl in my snorkel, though.
We were wondering if the long-term British occupation of Malta would have a negative impact on the food scene here. We need not have worried! Our favorite dishes included roasted rabbit in "secret sauce", giant olives stuffed with tuna and capers, and an assertive herb-crusted goat cheese that tasted great fresh or deep fried.
In case there has been any doubt, Eric has been working! He found a quiet place to think at our guesthouse. He just had to watch out for falling pomegranates.
~Peggy
Malta was full of surprises with quiet coves, great food and layers of history that boggled the mind. The temples on Malta and Gozo are the oldest freestanding structures in the world, predating Stonehenge by 6 centuries, and the Egyptian pyramids by 1000+ years. Built circa 3600BC, the neolithic temples are scattered around the islands.
The temples were interesting, but the Hypogeum was the highlight for us. The Hypogeum was used for burial and storage, built to mirror the look and feel of a temple BUT underground.
Many of the walls were painted with red ochre spirals or other patterns.
The site was abandoned and lay undisturbed for several thousand years until 1902, when workers attempting to dig cisterns for a new housing development fell through the roof. Imagine their surprise when they discovered piles of human remains in an extensive and impressive network of burial chambers.
The Knights of St. John had a strong presence here and funded the construction of the massive but rather plain Cathedral of St. John in the 1500s. The interior was remodeled in the 1700s and is crazily gilded in High Baroque style. Caravaggio painted the Beheading of St. John the Baptist for the oratory. It's one of the most impressive churches we've seen anywhere!
We were in good hands with Pepo, our snorkeling guru, who kept an eye on the ever-changing weather conditions. Regardless, I still got a little seasick when the winds picked up. I am happy to report that I didn't hurl in my snorkel, though.
~Peggy
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