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Malta

Day 6 - Hypogeum

22nd November 2021

Flag of Valletta
  

Getting Neolithic, Oliver Reed and a Christmas Marching Band

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A day of culture.

After getting a little lost, we eventually found the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, the over 5600 year old Neolithic subterranean structure discovered in the early 1900's...

Hypogeum 1






Only 80 people a day can visit and you have to book many weeks in advance...

Hypogeum 2


 

        

You're not allowed to take photographs inside (good idea as it's pretty compact and on a schedule), so I didn't take any and the 2 below are a couple of stock ones.

Red ochre painting...
 
Hypogeum 3



Holy of Holies...


Hypogeum 4





More traditional balconies in a normal backstreet...

Tarxien 1



Orange tree...

Tarxien 2



After a wonderfully restorative coffee in a small local cafe we wandered off for more 5000+ year old culture...

Tarxien 3




Above ground and less claustrophobic...

Tarxien 4


 
The presence of a school party meant that to avoid getting twitchy about infection risks we dashed through one area into the heart of the site...
 
Tarxien 5




Impressive lintel...

Tarxien 6



Neolithic cankles...



Tarxien 7




Certainly very sturdy...

Paul ankles



Tarxien 8



Bringing history to life, Miche & a lintel...

Tarxien 9



 
Chocolate District logo

Back to Valletta and a stop at chocolatier we'd seen on YouTube before arriving.

Quite literally chocolate on tap, Miche with a thick chocolate drink...

Chocolate District 1







I was here for their prickly pear spirit and chocolate cocktail...
 
Chocolate District 2



Cheers...

Chocolate District 3



From 5500 year old Neolithic temples to a temple dedicated to Oliver Reed at the bar (The Pub) where he finally succumbed to a devastating session of beer, rum & whiskey...

The Pub 1



Appropriate wifi password...

The Pub 2



A cheeky Cisk outside...

The Pub 3



Miche tackling a pineapple juice, Ollie would be spinning...

The Pub 4




 
We headed to a bar called Cheeky Monkey, again the sort of bar name that normally means 'avoid' but they had a decent reputation; alas if you pay peanuts, etc. Miche's expression says it all when it came to their knowledge of their own menu...

Cheeky Monkey



Miche heading back to Republic Square...

Arch




 
This uplifting marching band came to a halt in George's Square outside the Grandmaster's Palace and played some cheery Christmas and other tunes...

Band



Miche ahead walking back to the hotel...

Fountain 1


That Triton Fountain again...

Fountain 2


Next - Day 7 - Harbour Cruise - Part 1

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Days 1 & 2 - London to Valletta Day 3 - Valletta Day 4 - Mdina
Day 5 - Blue Grotto & Marsaxlokk Day 6 - Hypogeum & Tarxien Temples Day 7 - Harbour & Valletta
Day 8 - Gozo Day 9 - to Home