Mercure Cyprus Casino Resort Kyrenia

... etc. I didn't feel like I was anywhere special or unique as I wandered down Ledra Street which is a pedestrian shopping zone. I still hadn't found what I was looking for but wasn't leaving Cyprus until something unique to the island crossed my path. And there it was at the end of Ledra Street...the Green Line and a border checkpoint.

Now before we cross the border I need to give a brief explanation of why this country is divided into two. Cyprus ...

Saturday, July 4th,
2009—Nicosia
The drive up to the capitol city of
Nicosia was uneventful and our attempts at locating the hotel were
good but we ultimately had to park and find tourist information to
assist. Even after that we had a bit of trouble but thanks to a good
navigator we found the hotel, checked in and headed back into the
walled city for lunch. After lunch, we just started to wander around
and we took pictures of the winding ...

... even half-way romantic and picturesque, though I'd hesitate to overstate the case. The outskirts of town are even less so, mostly semi-developed, for tourism at least, and home to pubs and discos for the world's peripatetic Brits. But northern Cyprus is a ******* state of course, so I need to go at least to Nicosia, the Greek half of the divided city it shares with Lefkosa. So I do, and just the getting ...

... from me next week when the paper comes in. then Jayne and I would go so she can bring in her passport and do the final step in her visa. This was the second time I called on her cell phone. You'd think that she would call back to say something as she would see missed calls. Calling her office phone I was told that the number is wrong. This is poor service by Maria. Richard called to say that he might be going to New ...

Spent a week in a resort hotel in the city of Limmosal. Toured the entire island except for the Turkish portion on the top third of Cyprus.

Most of the tourist signs are in 1) Greek 2) Russian and last but not least 3) English.

This ...

... pastures full of sheep and cows.... Kerry is beautiful. We upgrated our room at the hotel upon arriving because we decided that the last 6 days of this trip to be really the best. We got executive rooms with sauna and shower. The small city is SO PICTURESQUE!!! We wanted to do some touring, and we did....However the weather conditions were not the greatest. For instance when we reached the very western part of Ireland ...

... we set of walking from 'the flag' in what was perfect weather for the trip. The route was well marked and passed through bare ground and some fairly newly planted forest. At one point we passed by a large rock face where birds which we couldn't name had made there nests in the many caves. We took a tentative look at the quarry from the top but didn't venture to close as the edge looked very unsafe. This quarry is a lot bigger from the mountain view side than ...

... the night there, and drive all the way to our residence early the following morning.

Unbelievable what we could see. The fire had reached the last bushes down the sea.

And this trip ends here unexpectedly.

We spent 4 months working on the house, cleaning and having it painted again.

It was a nightmare, but we survived. This incident made us stronger.

... I'm having breakfast, when the person in front of me's dog (which I didn't know was there) jumped over the seat into my face. One doesn't expect black Pugs with one's airline food, *******mit! The Russians all tried to jump into the EU queue at passport control and the Customs guy sent them off with a flea in their collective ears. Aaaaahahaahahahaha! Revenge at last! I knew this ...

... if I could draw money out on my card. No. My fall back was a 10 Euro note I had acquired from a Dutch couple desperate for some Turkish currency outside the entrance gate to Aspendos. It rescued me - I can now eat and visit the next set of monuments on my list. First stop, Panagia Kanakria Church, early Christian and quaint. It provided photo opportunities more than anything else. I didn't bother ...