Photo. The stand for promoting Malta during Reiseliv06, Norway, in January 2006 - The Norwegian International Travel Fair 2006. © Travel Explorations.
Malta it's such a small place. It is just an archipelago of islands about halfway between the coasts of Sicily and North Africa. Set in the clear blue Mediterranean Sea, the Maltese islands are the most southerly European country. The archipelago consists of five islands: Malta, Gozo and Comino, together with two other uninhabited islands Cominetto and Filfla.
As Lonely Planet (www.LonelyPlanet.com ) writes on its website: "Mediterranean splendour and historical charm on the ancient streets of Malta".
Ancient wonders
Malta`s stand on the travel fair in Lillestrøm, Oslo, depicted Gozo's rich past. The Gozo Heritage traces the island's 7,000 year history. Hagar Qim and the other Neolithic temples on Malta are the oldest known human structures in the world. These are dating from as early as 3600 BC. This megalithic temple complex is adorned with carved animals and idols, sacrificial altars and oracular chambers. It`s amazing to know that all have been shaped with flint and obsidian tools.
Mysterious trackways
South of Buskett Gardens you find a dense concentration of cart ruts. The number of pairs probably runs to several score is estimated to be over 30. One pair runs across the crest of the ridge intersects all the others. Near the westen wall bounding the site, there are a number of Punic tomb shafts. One of them cuts through a rut proving the rut's greater antiquity.
Erich von Däniken has his own amazing theories about the cart ruts. He is an explorer from Swiss and author of the book Chariots of the Gods? and twenty other books, which have sold nearly 57 million copies in 31 languages around the world.
Have the cart ruts been made by aliens, humans, or these been shaped by "mother nature"? Go there for yourself, and make up your mind about these amazing ancient cart ruts.
It`s never too late to dream about unique adventures, but it could be too late if you plan too long to make it real!
Stein Morten Lund, 16 March 2006
Additional information
Tourist guide to Malta: www.visitmalta.com
Malta Tourism Authority: www.mta.com.mt
Based on information from the World Fact Book - CIA:
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814. The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A decade later Malta became a republic.
Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination. Malta became an EU member in May of 2004.
For more information about Malta: Facts Malta.
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