The Caledonian Star arrived at the island of Gozo, off the coast of Malta, at sunrise. After breakfast, Zodiac shuttles were arranged for those guests who wanted to stroll around this rather "sleepy" tourist location. Others took advantage of the crystal clear water and excellent temperature to swim from another of our Zodiacs anchored a short distance from the shoreline. After lunch we set off on a tour of the island, many of us marveling at the interesting architecture of the main town of Victoria. It is hardly surprising, as the island was been inhabited initially by people of the Copper and Bronze ages, and later by the Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, the Knights of St. John and the British.

Our visit included a stop at the Ggantija Temples, which date back to pre-historic times and are thought to have been built around 3500 B.C. These two temples are not only older but much larger than the other pre-historic structures we had visited on previous islands, of this cruise, namely the Taulas (Menorca, ca. 1500 B.C) and the Nuraghi (Sardinia, ca. 1800 B.C). We did also have a chance to visit the more dramatic part of the coastline when we ventured down to Dwerja and the Inland Sea. Here we stood out on the windswept coastline and "The Blue Window" - pictured above.

To round off this special visit we visited the home of Mrs. Sonja Lindblad for cocktails, in the late afternoon. Mrs. Lindblad not only greeted and made everyone feel welcome in her home, but delighted us all in arranging for local Maltese craftsmen to be on hand to demonstrate the making of typical local handicrafts. We were also treated to what seemed and endless supply of Champagne and delicious savory and sweet snacks, all of this whilst standing around the pool in the beautifully kept gardens. We did have to tear ourselves away, as this being the final evening of the cruise, we had the Captain's farewell reception to attend, and the final 18 miles to sail to Valletta, capital of Malta, on a large bay protected by two huge forts.