Maltese to me sounds a bit like Italian mixed with Arabic. It looks like it too, and about half the words are understandable to me. The H (ħ, Ħ) is so cute as well, topped with crosses.
After some public transit headaches, I make it to the Valletta ferry. Running through the town, I see some nice fortresses and a fountain.
The island looks beautiful from the water, and large cliffs and caves are everywhere it seems. The small island of Comino is so cute, but seems nothing special.
Gozo itself is also not so large; I bus up halfway across the island, but walk the rest, powered by a huge, delicious lasagna consumed the night before at Baletta Bay harbor.
I fuel up on a ham and cheese pastry, with a distinctly sweet tomato sauce, also like in the lasagna.
The ancient megalithic monument of Ggantija means built by Giants. Of course, it was built by the inhabitants over 5000 years ago. They used large chunks of limestone to build the site, used for ritualistic purposes. Lots of artifacts are on display that were collected at a nearby cemetery site.
The smell of thyme fills the air and many island endemic plants are around. I stumble upon a large wall and what appears to be just a pile of rocks. But after some careful exploration and reading the signs, I begin to picture how the historic site looked as a temple. Rounded structures of walls can be seen, strategically placed rocks to form altars, and a reconstruction really gives it form.
I appreciate the holes carved into the wall, likely a door post, and the large round structure used for an oven. It is amazing being in a temple so old.
I begin my walk to the citadel, shining iconic in the distance on a hill. I hike down, stopping for cheese and pea pastries that are divine. Traveling forwards in time, the defensive walls were first built before 2000BC, replaced by Carthage and eventually Roman walls, parts of which still remain. The medieval defenses give the place a castle feel, and it is truly a fortress—it is a maze! I navigate through to the ramparts and walk along the edge, admiring the view. Many plateaus and churches dot the island. Almost the whole island is visible from here!
I descend to the ruins of houses, the old Jewish quarter, and explore a tunnel down to the courtyard. Like a large park, I enjoy myself here before hiking out to the coast.
The landscape is beautiful, and I see many bumblebees mating, birds flitting about, and appreciate the limestone cliffs when I reach the coast. The jagged rocks are hard to walk on, so I’m careful not to trip too close to the edge. It is a long drop to the ocean! But there is a ladder to climb up from and a cave to swim in, which must be popular for the summer.
The inlet is nice, with beautiful turquoise water lapping at the sea.
But at this point I’m exhausted walking back to Victoria, but the sun is setting so I hurry back, watching the reddish glow tint the island and ocean. I even make the next bus and ferry back !
Krauss-ing The World 
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