Sandy Beach Larnaca

... 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 ...

... sites in five minutes. Most people are here for the luxury beach enclaves further out but that is not my or my wallet's scene. So the Russians and I are sharing a neighborhood south of downtown whose "beach" is waves crashing up against the asphalt road that sits ten feet above the water. I was told that people accidently drive off the road and take the plunge from time to time. Now that would make my trip worth it to see a Mercedes butt end up in the water ...

... of a National Enquirer at Publix because fringe kooks don't want the other 99% of us to live our lives. I am kinda partial to the European way of just letting it all hang out in the open. If you want to look, go for it. If not, look away and shut up. Amazing that in 20 years Bulgaria has opened up and we continue to go backwards.

And after leaving Billa, turn right and next door is a tiny storefront selling the latest in cheap ...

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 !

... all just fit and seemed perfect. On the return to Paphos we spotted
the spot where Aphrodite was born from the sea and her temple up on a
cliff. It was a very long day but one filled with several
interesting sites. I almost forgot...in Larnaka we happened upon the
church of St.. Lazarus where he was finally laid to rest.

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 ...

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 ...

LARNACA It is July, and we have come to the Island I love again. We are spending 3 nights in a nice hotel in Larnaca, enjoying the sunshine, having some quick visits to relatives, but mostly we are on the beach. The reason I am at this hotel this time is because I enjoy the early morning jogging by the beach. People from Larnaca, as well as tourists walk early in the morning and late in the afternoon ...

... sit out and tan in. It is only Spring here and 25 - 30+ degrees! Have already had ripe watermelon but too early for grapes, figs and pommegranites. On the topic of food...for you sweet AND savoury lovers, they have the most amazing bakeries here that cook 24 hours a day. I go in there and want to buy 5 of everything they look (and taste) so good. So quite often I would go down and buy bags of stuff to take back to my relatives...not that ...

... world and look forward to visiting as many as possible. They have enriched my life in unimaginable ways. From Cyprus, I will travel to London for my final week of work and organizing. London is an excellent place to plan one of these trips and I have the benefit of free housing and food from my grandmother's kitchen. From London I will travel back to the US (Houston) to see family and friends. From there its back to London then Kyrgyzstan ...