Neolithics rock.

Do Neolithics do it for you? Caught the bus to Zurrieq on the south coast yesterday and began a 15 km walk to Dingli via some remote country and some spectacular cliffs. Pretty hard to find remote parts of an island the size of Stradbroke Is with a population of close to half a million. We chose well.  First stop was the Blue Grotto (photo) and soon after the Neolithic Temples of Hagar Qim and Mnajdra. Now, how to keep you non Neolithics reading? We three all agreed that anything 5000 years old and obviously built to last must have had some purpose. It's all guesswork but the fact that the sun shines to the central part of the temple only at the equinox (equal daylight and dark) twice a year seems ingenious (or luck)? Is it just a giant calendar? Suffice it to say they were impressive. They didn't seem to live here. No evidence of human sacrifice. Perhaps just a giant party scene - Snoop Maltese  Doggy

We then walked along the cliffs for about 3 kms to the little fishing village of Ghar Lapsi. The walk was rough and largely barren though tough scrubby wildflowers abounded. Ghar Lapsi was isolated and only accessible by car or foot - there is a bus stop but the drivers refuse to come down the steep hill, maybe because they fear their old vehicles might never make the climb back. The swimming hole was splendid and full of locals though not really crowded.

I don't have any photos of the second half of the walk because I decided to walk to the top of the hill and catch the bus home. I was all Neolithed out. Pauline and Denis arrived back four weary hours later.

We then went to a local restaurant for dinner - pork belly, seared sea bass and rabbit with prunes. We were lashing out as the last night together. Finished with an hour or so at the local outdoor jazz bar.

Goodbye Peels - what a great week. Thanks for your company.