Rome, Italy

 We found this wonderful hole-in-the-wall pizza place with the best pizza ever!! Then we found the next most wonderful place to eat, the gelato store; that's Italian style ice cream.

We walked some more and found the Supreme Court Building, a beautiful church and walked along the river Tiber. An interesting fact: there are boat rides along the Seine in Paris, the Thames in London, etc.

(to be continued) 

Rome, Italy, Day 1

 Today we left Malta and flew to Rome, Italy!! We got here about noon, checked into our beautiful hotel and met our new guide, Luca. 

He gave us a short walking tour around our hotel to show us the many places to eat. He also covered the schedule for the rest of the week. He then left us on our own. We're with another couple, Roger and Sandy. We strolled the streets to find something to eat.

(to be continued) 

Malta Three Cities

 We then visit The Three Cities. They are three historic fortified towns of Cospicua, Senglea and Vittoriosa. This where the Knights of St. John made their headquarters before Valletta was built.

 Tonight is our Farewell Dinner. We will say good-bye to most of our wonderful and interesting traveling companions. Most of them go back home to the US but a few of us fly off to Rome for another week of exploring.

(to be continued) 

Malta Archaeological Park

 It now has a protective tent covering it to reduce any further deterioration. Stone balls of different sizes are located alongside the walls of the northern temple and other parts of the structure.

These are theorized to have been the rollers used to transport the megaliths (huge stones).

(to be continued) 

Malta Archaeological Park

 The Archaeological Park was amazing and so interesting. The ruins date to way way before Christ was born; about 3600 BC! It must have been the first human beings. How did they build such structures? That's where the archaeologists come in and figure these things out.

Hagar Qim is thought to be one of the most ancient religious sites on Earth. The builders used the local limestone in the temple's construction.

(to be continued) 

Malta The Blue Grotto

 Following the conquest of the Holy Land by Islamic forces, the knights operated from Rhodes, over which they were sovereign, and later from Malta. The Order of Saint John is still operating today, world wide, providing health care to everyone.

Today we start out bright and early. We head for the Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Park.

On the way we stop and take pictures of the Blue Groto.

(to be continued) 

Malta Order of Knights

 I must tell you a story of Malta that I didn't yesterday. There was an Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem. They arose around 1023 to provide care for sick, poor or injured pilgrims coming to the Holy Land. After the conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 during the First Crusade, the organisation became a military religious order under its own charter, charged with the care and defense of the Holy Land.

(to be continued)