Frangiorgio Hotel Apartments Larnaca

... to rent a car when I saw people today worrying about survival.

The morning began like any other...I woke up in my Russian hotel, had a Russian breakfast with about a dozen Russians, watched what I presume to be Good Morning Moscow on tv in the breakfast room and was wondering what in world I was going to do all day. My 7am walk into town led me by chance to a sign for the buses to Nicosia and one was going at 9am. With my bags in storage at the ...

... on this ride since it was a taxi. The girl at the front desk was no help at all when I asked if there are tours or if I could rent a car in town. Every one of my questions was met with a shrug, and "Maybe, maybe not." I am thinking, this is an English speaking island, is it not? What gives. Turns out she is from Latvia and the hotel is Russian owned or something so I forgive her for her limited English skills. This is the first time I haven't stayed in a ...

... D cell batteries, condoms, lube, lighters and cigarettes. Now how is that for before, during and after needs all in one stop?

There is a lesson to be learned here from all this. Think about it for a moment...20 years ago this type of display much less selection in Bulgaria would have been unthinkable under communism. In 2009 in our supposed home of the free such a display still is unthinkable. I mean we can't even look at the ...

All packing and cleaning is underway !!! Only 36 or so hours left before we hit the tarmac at Larnaca !! Just need to get the dog wormed and de-flead (not that he has them !), groomed and then buy him a travel box for the flight !

Fingers crossed all our accommodation arrangements have been made for Athens and Samothraki !

... fort ended with us parking the car and eating lunch...a mere
100 yards from the castle. From Larnaka we headed back towards
Limassol in order to visit Ancient Amathous and Kourion. Kourion,
although at the end of the journey, was perhaps my favourite. Here I
saw the ruins of the temple to Apollo as the sun was going down. It ...

... us. He struggled with his
limited English but made the most valiant effort. He simply was
trying to tell us that the troubles between Christians and Muslims
and Jews and everyone should not be. That this minor difference of
religion should not be causing so much trouble, so much difficulty
amongst the people of the world. He was a very nice man and it was
an unforgettable experience.

After a day of driving and walking
around it was an early night.

... Cyprus several times before, we spent much of our time in the Famagusta area in the east of the island. When we arrived in early April the countryside was awash in a sea of wildflowers, a kaleidoscope of colours covered the island, it was a real sight to behold. Our base was in the village of Ayia Thekla, situated on the coast, and we have the luxury of being able to open the garden gate and dip our toes in the blue Mediterranean. A track runs ...

... is certainly a great place to vacation in the early fall. Late October and early November was still quite warm to our standards, but the tourist season was over for Eurpeans so it was a good place to vacation as it was moderately priced.

This goes out to the moms, Please call BOA emergency services and make sure they have not deactivated my ATM. I s/w them before i left specifically about this. I need to make sure my card will work. I have some Euros left, and some USD but i will need to get cypriot pounds. It is 2.5 cyprus pounds to the dollar which means my money does not go far at all. It could be the most powerful currency ...

... for dinner and left for a circular tour of the Trodos mountains. Firstly up to the highest peak on the island, Mount Olympus. The summit of nearly 2000 metres has two army bases side by side, one Cypriot and the other a British sovereign base - there are lots of signs saying "No Photos". The view from over the razor wire was great. Then I completed a circular tour taking in an old church manned (or nuned ...