September 12, 2008 - a day in Nicosia

Before I begin, I want to comment on Anita's blog - I just read her additions since we arrived in Cyprus. I hope some of you are reading hers as well as mine. She is seeing things on this trip as I did in 1990 and 1993. Her impressions are unique because she has not expected anything. Some activities and thoughts that she has included are really important because they complement my stories. Her blog is at adventureswithanita.blogspot.com- read it to get a complete accounting of our adventures.

Yesterday was a day of appointments - visiting relatives who will be away this weekend, shopping for last minute things we still want, and all those last minute chores that simply must be completed.

Liz picked us up a little before 10 - I was finishing yesterday's entry and quickly gathered my stuff to join her and Anita at the car. George did not join us for this day's adventures. (Incidentally, my Palm shows that the 12th is Defender's Day in Maryland as well as International Video Games Day - hope you enjoyed one or the other.)

Our first stop was at Liz's office to meet her coworkers and the husband and wife who own the business, which is named THE BEST - cleaning and maintenance services. Liz manages the records for accounts, payables and billing. We spoke briefly with the owner and his wife who co-manage. We also met a couple of the supervisors who manage the cleaning crews as they were leaving to check the daily assignments. And Liz spent some time with one employee who has been trying to manage the most important items on Liz's desk while she has been with us. Of course, we thanked Liz's employers for giving her the time to spend with us - brownie points for Liz we hope.

Next was a stop at Mike's house to spend some time with him (Liz's twin brother is an email buddy of mine). Liz had told us he has been diagnosed with early Alzheimers and is taking medications that seem to be helping him remain focused. As is usual, his wife served snacks of sweet cookies and savory pastries filled with cheese, sausage and minced olives. With all the food we have been served, we are hardly hungry when meal times arrive. Mike shared photos of his children, grandchildren, and his beloved dog ERIC who was killed about 3 years ago by an auto right in front of the home. Mike and his wife were leaving for a weekend in Paphos so our goodbyes needed to be in the morning.

Then into old Nicosia again as Anita decided she really did want the red earrings she passed on yesterday. And while she was looking (with my help) she found some others she ultimately purchased. We are both really conscious about how little room we have more more 'stuff', so these little earrings seemed OK. Liz was also encouraged to purchase a few more red items to finish the ensemble she began yesterday.

A stop at the grocery to purchase items for George while we are in Larnaka was next. We leave on Sunday and will remain there until our flight on Tuesday afternoon. Liz had also confirmed that we would be able to purchase Cypriot sweets to bring home with us. However the jars were larger than we had hoped, so I also purchased some plastic storage containers to protect the glass jars. Panos will help me package them so the labels on the jars are still visible and tape the jars and the plastic containers to stop the spread of the sticky honey-laced liquid the sweets are in, just in case! We also purchased small plastic coin organizers for all the types of coins used with the Euro currency. I think it may work with American coins as well after I get home.

When we reached Liz's home we unpacked and had a bit of lunch since it was almost 2 pm. We purchased food cooked and in packages, so all we needed to do was set the table. George did not join us, and went to the bedroom to watch TV with the airconditioner on. We sat on the terrace where the breeze was blowing and the sun was light as it came through the overhanging trees.





Liz's older sister Stavroulla lives next door so we walked to her house, had more food (grapes and nectarines, only, thank goodness) while we chatted with her. On her last trip to the US to visit her son who lives in Virginia, she visited Williamsburg and was quite enchanted with the experience. Her husband Vasillos really enjoyed Atlantic City, as did Roulla. We all agreed that gambling must be done knowing that you will lose, and that you must be prepared to stop at the limit you have set.

Anita has been curious about Liz's wedding with George and her marriage to Pericles and asked to see some photo album. She also asked for some photos of Liz and me when we were seniors in high school, so when we returned to Liz's home we sat and meandered down memory lane. I was amazed to see and remember my life with Liz when she was the foreign exchange student. Mom and Dad, my brother and other relatives and friends were all in her photos. Some of the other friends she made through the AFS program were there as well. Anita's curiosity was satisfied and Liz and I reconnected in a way we had not done for a long time. Anita's request was an excellent one!

Finally it was time for Liz to take us to our home-away-from-home. She and Anita want to go to Larnaca tomorrow. I am not as interested as I am concerned about fitting everything into my suitcases, especially the three jars of Cypriot sweets we purchased today. So we are in the midst of a compromise - Anita will work on her blog tonight while I begin sorting and packing my stuff. She will pack tomorrow morning while I work on the computer. And if we finish in time to go to Larnaka and be back in time for a final dinner with George, we may go to Larnaca for the afternoon. George will not be coming with us so we will say our goodbyes with him on Saturday evening.

September 11, 2008 - a day at the beach

Finally, a day with virtually nothing to do except relax. Anita and I awakened at almost the same time, and got our breakfasts quickly. We had a bit more time this morning before Liz was to come to pick us up. We were heading to Larnaka and the beach at the Mediterranean. I was hopeful that my post for yesterday would not take too long so Anita would have time to check her email.

I found a message from Jim reminding me to reconfirm our reservations when we leave Cyprus on Tuesday and the reservations from London home on Wednesday. Unfortunately we will be spending our final few days in Cyprus out of computer access, as Liz has rented a small apartment in Larnaka within walking distance to the beach. Anita and I can not think of a more wonderful way to spend the final days of this magical trip than soaking up the sun and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.

Liz and George arrived a few minutes earlier than planned because George cancelled his plans to visit one of his banks yesterday. I don't know if he will be with us today as we handle some last minute visits with family who will be out of town for the weekend, and back to work by the time we leave next week. We also have a bit of shopping to complete.

It took about 30 minutes to drive to the beach. Liz had told us to wear our swimsuits under our clothes as there would be no easy location to change. Within about 20 minutes, Anita and I were ready to swim. We had our loungers and the umbrella man had rented us an umbrella for the day. George, Liz and even the waitress at the cafe where George would spend the day guarding our stuff wanted us to sit and enjoy a cold drink or morning coffee. I explained that I had come from America to swim in the sea, and that was my first activity. Everything else could wait.

Of course, Anita and I were careful in this beach sun. We are at the end of high summer and the sun is still very bright and warm. Add the reflection from the turquoise blue water, and we were in danger of sunburn. We could walk out on a sandy, ridged bottom through bathwater warm water almost a quarter mile. Only occasionally, depending on our line of walking did I not touch the bottom. I swim easily - not so with Anita, so she stayed behind me. As long as she can touch bottom, she feels safe. We paddled around for 30-45 minutes and then decided it was time to get back to the umbrella and use our sun screen.

We were relaxing in the partial shade of the umbrella when Liz came with snorkeling gear, ready to swim with us. We joined her in the water, walking out almost to the rocky breakwater wall. At that point she put on snorkel and mask to see if any fish were visible. Anita had never snorkeled before, so was reluctant to try. Liz convinced her and Anita snorkeled while walking in the water. She was so excited to see the fish. Don't know what they were - certainly not the brilliant tropical fish when I have snorkeled in Hawaii and at the Great Barrier Reef. But it was great fun for Anita to experience something new.

Liz is an expert swimmer and certified life guard, so when Anita confessed that she had never been able to swim or even float, Liz took the challenge. Within just a few minutes, Anita was floating on her back like she had been doing it for a long time. Of course, the salt water helped her buoyancy, but she was floating! In fact, she continued to float from time to time, so that Liz began to teach her how to kick her legs to move herself along in the water.

I am not an expert swimmer, but I am comfortable in the water and enjoy swimming in my own way. I especially enjoy simply floating vertically by raising my legs at the knees and directing my movement with my hands and arms. It's not exactly a dog paddle, I mostly let the direction of the swells determine my movement.

The three of us played and talked in the water until our mother Liz decided we needed to return to the beach and rest. Anita and I fell asleep until Liz woke us for lunch at around 1:30. We had put more sun screen on, so we were not burning our skin. Cyprus beaches are fully clothed or partially nude, depending on the comfort of the individual.

We watched a father and his young son splash and play in the water for a long time. The father took his son into deeper water from time to time to get him used to being in water over his head. I watched the son chase his father trying to grab his trunks. When he succeeded the father's trunks were pulled down in the back as the son drew himself close again. It was great to see this relationship.

Lunch was fish mezze - we have photos again of the meal which began with salad, beets, tahini and yogurt with olives and 3 types of fish. One that Anita mistook for bread because of its light colored batter and square shape. The other two looked almost like large square shrimps, but were only pieces of breaded fish with a 'handle' for easier eating. Large lemon pieces were provided to season the fish. This was followed with a whole fish which Liz prepared before we ate the flesh. Other fish were squid and octopus deep fried. The final platters included small crabs broken in half and eaten whole and small red fish which when we were here in 1990, were even smaller and eaten completely whole from head to tail. Because these were larger, we only ate the flesh, although George ate a whole fish at the end of the meal. We again had no room for dessert.

Back to the water with an admonition from Liz not to try to swim for 2 hours. We would walk through the water, but not 'swim'. Anita and I walked out until the water was about hip high and then simply sat down. The wind had strengthened and the waves were coming from several directions. I was able to sit on my knees with my toes dug into the sand to keep myself stable. Anita was not able to copy my stance and was being bounced around too much for her motion sickness, so she went back to the lounger earlier than I did. I finally decided it was time to get out of the water and relax in the sun. More lotion to the areas I could reach as Anita was napping again by the time I got to my lounger. Anita had moved hers into the shade and was so protected a bit from the sun. I also fell asleep until Liz woke us around 3 pm. She said the restaurant was offering us afternoon sweets.

We talked a bit with Liz before the three of us packed up our belongings and walked to the cafe where George had spent the day enjoying his beer. Our sweets were miniature eggplants, figs and apples. Again Anita and I are hoping to purchase a selection of the sweets to take home.

Our day ended at the beach around 5 pm. Traffic was a bit heavy coming back into Nicosia, and we were at the apartment around 6. Anita was not feeling well, so she went to bed to see if that would help. We were invited to dinner with our hosts in the evening at 8 pm. Anita and I had decided that we were still very full from the fish at 3 pm and would probably not want too much more to eat.

Luckily the restaurant chosen was not a Greek taverna, and the menu choices were such that we had only a couple of appetizers and dessert. I started with onion rings (a favorite appetizer which I like to try whenever I am in a new restaurant). Greek onion rings are very small, with lots of breading and served with a sweet tomato red sauce with a small salad. Anita also had onion rings and ordered an appetizer of prawns on avocado with salad. The prawn were the size that come out of our canned shrimps and were not too good according to Anita. Liz ordered the same and enjoyed it. We shared the onion rings and spring rolls with Liz, Xenia and Panos. My appetizer as a main course was 6 small spring rolls again served with the same light tomato red sauce and salad. Panos ordered chicken kabobs with salad and chips. Xenia had a burger with bacon, salad and chips. Panos did not order dessert. Liz and Xenia had a fruit crepe and Anita had one called MONKEY which was made with Nutella (chocolate and hazelnut paste) and bananas. Both types of crepes had vanilla ice cream as well. I simply ordered ice cream - 4 small scoops of chocolate, vanilla and 2 of strawberry.

The restaurant was named GRAVITY and the unusual decoration was a large TV screen showing films of fashion shows from around the world, with occasional advertisements and profiles of models. There was no sound and only occasional English text explaining what was being shown. We saw shows of clothes that will be sold next spring and summer for men, women, beach and sport wear and work clothes. Liz and Panos spoke in Greek most of the evening. Anita, Xenia and I smiled at each other a lot and occasionally had something to add when the current conversational topic was explained to us.

We arrived home around 11 and went immediately to bed. Anita told me this morning that she was ill much of the night but is feeling much better this morning.

I am recharging my Palm using the method Panos devised when we arrived with a plug on my charger that will not fit the outlets in Cyprus. He is a retired electrical engineer so love tinkering with electrical challenges just like Jim. His arrangement charges the Palm better than in Botswana. I think the strength of the current is more stable here than in Botswana, as the charge from last week lasted until today and Palm battery is not completely empty.

That brings all of you up-to-date. I hope everyone who was reading before we lost our Internet connection is back as a reader. I am hearing from some of you through your comments, and enjoy reading your comments. Thanks for taking the time. I'll continue writing until we lose access next week and will finish up, and post photos as quickly as I can when we get home.

Anita and I can't believe we are less than a week from returning to home.

September 10, 2008 - A quiet day in Nicosia

Anita and I were both up around 7:30 am. We were not rushed because we did not expect Liz until around 10:30 am. We were to visit with Lillian Grinoza (sp?) at 11 am. We were to have begun a few days in the Troodos Mountains visiting George's ancestral village and an old monestary where Archbishop Makarios is buried. After Anita's reaction to the mountain roads over the weekend, we all decided to stay away from mountains and amend Liz's itinerary. So we cancelled the trip to the Troodos and will stay in Nicosia and Larnaca.

After a quick breakfast, I went down to work on my blog. (NOTE OF TODAY - Panos just stopped at the door to his office, and asked if it was my shift. I agreed saying that it works best for Anita and I if I use the computer in the morning and she uses the generally longer time in the evening. Today however, we have been invited to dinner with Panos, Xenia and their daughter, so Anita may not have too much time, unless we return from Larnaca earlier.) I was two days behind yesterday because of being overnight in Paphos. Although there were two public computers (pay as you type) in the hotel, both sported signs saying (out of order - sorry).

I finished my entries in time yesterday so Anita could check her email. We both had reminders of events coming up for which we will probably not be available. Mine was for the Soroptimist Club to which I belong for the monthly meeting the day after we return from our trip. I probably would not have been able to attend due to jet lag, but instead I will try to stay awake because a group of friends have organized a welcome home dinner for Anita and me - we travel with these women from time to time so will be happy to see them and tell them stories about our adventures. Many of them have been reading our blogs as have you, my reader friends. Anita's reminder was for the annual picnic of the fireworks group which Jim and I also work with in State College PA to help created the show on the 4th of July. Jim and I have not been able to go to help for the last few years due to the time we have been spending in Kansas caring for his parents. Family trumps personal plans easily, and until Jim retires, he must use his vacation, which of course is not infinite.

Liz arrived a bit late because of traffic troubles caused by an accident. Luckily, Lillian's home was not too far from where we are staying. Lillian is married to a French journalist whose newspaper posted him to Cyprus about a year ago, and Nicosia is the paper's middle east bureau. She estimates that they will be here for about another year before being posted to another unknown location. She was pleased to meet Liz as well as Anita and me because she has had little contact with Cypriot citizens, staying mostly with the news community. She is living in a lovely home in one of the oldest sections of the city right next to a mosque. It's right outside the gate to her backyard and as we left, the faithful were being called to mid-day prayers. Perhaps Liz and Lillian will find a way to become friends. Lillian told us of plans to be in State College in November to visit her mother, and promised Anita to be in contact again.
We parked Liz's car right across the street from Lillian's house and walked a few blocks to Ledra Street in the old town, an area that is filled with small shops.
Liz became a bit worried because most shops close at lunch time on Wednesdays and do not reopen until Thursday. However, since this area is visited by tourists regularly, most shops were open while we were wandering. Some of the side streets and alleys (especially in the Laiki Yeitonia area) are so narrow that the trees that grow in them create wonderful cool areas of shade from the hot Mediterranean sun. We walked from shop to shop, purchasing small items (none of our suitcases has much room for anything of any significant size!), and spending Liz's money for a selection of red jewelry - we found earrings, a bracelet and a necklace. Today or tomorrow we will look for a ring and perhaps and anklet bracelet.




Anita and I both bought maps of Cyprus detailed enough so that the small villages where we have visited are shown. Suddenly, we realized that it was almost 2 pm and our stomachs were making it known that they wanted food. Liz wanted to take us to the cafeteria at the top of the highest store in the area where we could sit on the 7th story and look at the city. She also told us that at the highest floor of the building - 4 floors above the cafeteria, there was a small museum with a 360 degree view of the city. We found comfy chairs, filled our bowls with a variety of salads and sat for a quiet lunch filled with old-fashioned girl talk. It's a good thing George decided to stay at home - he would have been bored to death and impatient to leave.

We walked slowly back to our car after a visit to the highest level. The views were amazing, especially looking into the Turkish area of north Nicosia. It was most sad as well, because one of the oldest churches in the city - a Gothic cathedral - has been coverted to a mosque still complete with the original flying buttresses. The detailed panoramic photos in front of each view were marked with numbers corresponding to identifying paragraphs so viewer could easily know what was before them. The old gates and parts of the fortified green line that divided this city and country are still visible. There are some crossing areas now, such as where we went on our trip to Kyrenia last week.

On the way back, I located the mosque tower and walked through the streets heading toward our car with the tower as the landmark. I went directly to Lillian's house and met her husband as he and Lillian left for a evening appointment. Liz and Anita took a short detour to some Turkish baths that Liz's father used regularly when her family lived in the same area. The baths have been renovated into a luxury spa. Anita suggested that Liz and Lillian might go together and get to know each other more.

We made a quick stop at the Archbishopric for a photo of the large statue of Archbishop Makarios that will be moved to the mountains near his tomb. The statue is virtually hidden due to paint that has been thrown on it since we arrived. We were only able to see it from the side and could see some of the paint on its front. Across the street is the high school where Liz finished school after she returned from the year she spent with my family. And her family home is very close so we tried going that way to drive past it. Unfortunately we were stopped at the final corner by a large truck that apparently was stuck and had hit a parked car. From where Anita sat in the front seat, she said it looked as if the wheels of the truck and the car were locked together.

A final brief stop to pick up our laundry which Liz kindly did for us this morning and we were on our way home to our little rooftop apartment. Anita and I are realizing that our daily energy levels are not lasting as long as they did when we began our journey. We have passed the 4 week mark and are surprised and saddened to think that we will be home in another week. Having this evening to do virtually nothing seems wonderful to us. We have been invited to dinner with our hosts and their daughter for Thursday evening, Friday we will spend with Mike (Liz's twin brother) and his family, and Saturday evening we must pack for the return trip. We will go to the seaside on Sunday and stay until we leave on Tuesday afternoon.

Anita has gone down to try to get out of Cairo and into Cyprus in her blog. I have fixed myself a salad of lettuce, tomatoes and onions for dinner and am quietly sitting and reading on the roof patio. I will write in my journal when I finish and will try to post the entry tomorrow before Liz arrives.

Good night, my faithful readers. I hope you have all rejoined the trip after the long days without any entries. Please let me know if this part of our journey is proving as exciting as the animals. I know it's different, but Anita and I have discussed that the extreme differences between our countries have created amazing conversations between us. From the relatively new country of Botswana, to one of the most ancient of documented civilizations, to a country that predates all of them and has endured constant change of ownership and cultures.

Two days in Paphos - September 8 and 9, 2008

September 8 - Nicosia - Limmasol - Kolossi Castle - Korium (Curium) - Apollo's Temple and Basillica - Paphos

It's late and Liz and George have gone out for dinner and enjoy some time to sit in the evening air at the Paphos Harbour. We are in our vacation flat about a block from the harbour. It is a 3-bedroom flat with living room, 1.5 bathrooms and kitchen. A very nice place for a short or longer vacation. The facility has a dining room/bar for meals if you don't wish to cook and a lovely pool which we don't think we will have time to use. We will go to the seaside the last few days in Cyprus, and plan to spend a lot of time in the Mediterranean then.

We ran into a small problem as we checked in - our original reservation was for a 2-bedroom flat and we discovered we were booked on the 3rd floor - 4th floor from an American point-of-view because the Cypriots use the British way of counting floors. Ground level is just that, and the 1st floor is the one above ground level. Liz knew I would never make it up four floors with my leg still hurting when I go up, so she and the lady at the the front desk talked quite a while with them both pointing at me from time to time. Apparently, George also told her that he had a heart condition and could not climb that many steps. So we were put into this lovely flat. Anita and I have separate bedrooms now, which is nice as well.

We were invited to join Liz and George for a late dinner - too late for us and we weren't really hungry as we had eaten only a couple of hours before arriving in Paphos. Actually we had already eaten about 5 meals today. Cypriots eat many times each day, some large meals and some snacks. That was enough for both Anita and me, although Liz insisted on coming back with a bag of food from McDonald's. Imagine that!

Our day began around 10 am as has become our habit. I was finishing my entries into the blog for the 6th and 7th of September. Anita had hoped I would finish sooner so she might have had some computer time. She lost this morning and we are finding that she has more time in the evening after we return from our day's adventures. She was on the computer until almost 11 last evening before she returned to our rooftop apartment. I was already asleep.

Our first stop was outside Limmasol - on the south coast and a town where George and Liz were married about 10 years ago. They go to Limmasol often for the weekend staying in the same hotel where they were married. Outside the city is the Kolossi Castle dating from the 11th century, I think. We did not pay to go inside the castle as there is virtually nothing left of the inside except more steps up to the ramparts where you can have an excellent view of the countryside. It is an interesting, although small castle from the outside. One big square building with ramparts (crennalated?, I think this means open with spaces) where they poured boiling oil on any attackers. A bus full of tourists arrived so we left for Korium, hoping they had just come from there.

Korium (sometimes spelled Curium) is a very large archaeological site, still active today, which Jim and I visited with my Dad during our 1993 visit with Liz and Pericles, her first husband. More areas have been uncovered and stabilized. One large area is under roof now, which I don't remember from our first visit. The amphitheater has been recreated more completely so concerts and plays are performed there regularly. There is a 'sweet spot' at the bottom of the seating levels where sound is amplified by the design. Both Anita and Liz stood on the spot - Liz sang a Greek song and Anita recited some lines from Hamlet. I was at the very top - perhaps 20 rows up and could hear both of them clearly, even without my hearing aid. Anita's experience was as if there was an amplification system which bounced her voice back to her, louder than it seemed she was speaking. The theater is situated so each seat looks over the countryside to the sea.

Next to the theater are the excavated remains of the home of Eustolios. Original clay piping for water and sewers have been discovered as have walls to rooms whose their use can be be determined by trained archaeologists. There are mosaic floors, some in limited view and some almost complete. We left George at a tavern at the edge of the Korium grounds as he had no interest to visit the site.

When we completed our tour, we joined George at the tavern for lunch. Much discussion was needed before he was convinced that the three women wanted lunch now, not in two hours as he suggested. I enjoyed hallumi cheese with onion and tomato in a warm and fresh pita. Salad and chips (french fries) completed the meal. Anita had moussaka which she had wanted since Cairo airport. She had been told that the small airport restaurant there had none, although as we left she found several pieces in a cooler by the register. Liz had a sandwich similar to mine without the onions, as did George.

We talked about stopping to see Apollo's temple next (a site I had enticed Anita with during our plans). George wanted to back track tomorrow, but I insisted today. When we got to the site, both he and Liz waited in the car. The day had turned hot and humid due to the proximity of the sea and the prevailing winds, and they found a shady spot to park. The temple was on the same grounds as the basilica which I remembered and Liz did not. She simply could not remember it until we actually arrived. What she then remembered was my Dad's comment - "Do we really need to see any more old things because I am done!"


Anita and I spent quite a bit of time in this location - the weight of history was very apparent - perhaps even more than when we were at the Pyramids. Although they were older by several thousand years, the cities of Giza and Cairo look much closer, older and dirtier. Here the ruins date from Roman time (a few years BC and a few years AD).












At the foot of Apollo's Temple, there is little to remind you of the present, if you can ignore the telecommunication towers on the land around the site that continues to be a British army post. Most could be hidden by trees when taking photographs. Those photos where my fancy footwork and point-of-view would not hide the telephone poles or towers will probably be cropped a bit to remove them.

Between the remains of the basilica and the small corner of the temple that remains is a sacred road that dates from 1 AD. Worshipers walked the road to make gifts to Apollo and if they touched the altar or did some other forbidden act were thrown from the near by cliffs into the sea.

As we left the site, Anita and I just sat for a moment before we could returned our minds to 2008. George and Liz were ready to go on to Paphos where near the city are three large stones at the edge of the sea cliffs and which mark the spot where Aphrodite is said to have been born from the sea foam. According to legend, the stones themselves were thrown by a giant from the mountains on the northern side of the island, the mountains that ring Kyrenia where we visited the Turkish side of Cyprus. The rocks are similar to those found along the coast of Oregon. We stopped to take photos from along the roadway. There were paths down to the beach area, but George was anxious to reach a restaurant on the higher hill where we were promised a better view of the stones. Better, yes, but not as close. We sat watching the sun set over the Mediterranean and ate ice cream and baklava.
Finally, we drove the final 23 kilometers. Liz only knew our hotel was close to the harbour and Paphos castle. We drove through the city, turned around and came back through, asked directions several times, and finally parked the car in a public lot near the harbour. Liz asked more questions and then we walked with our luggage for about 5 minutes to the hotel.

My leg may be healed by tomorrow morning. There was a small church on the grounds by the restaurant where we had lunch after visiting Korium. Liz told us that at one time the church (no more than 10x15 feet) had an icon to St. Elizabeth, her namesake. When we went into the church, we found the painting was gone. However, the tomb of St. Ermogenis is said to heal parts of bodies when the injured part is placed against the tomb. Liz asked me to sit on a small ledge at the bottom of the tomb with my left leg straight on the ledge. She believes and prayed to the saint. Who can say if my leg will feel better because of the intervention of Liz's prayers, the extra Tylenol I have taken or the time that has passed since I fell. Whatever works is fine with me.

September 9, 2008 - Paphos - Limmasol - Nicosia

We learned that Liz and George returned around 11:30 last evening after a late dinner of pizza and beer for George and a diet Coke for Liz. We had heard popping and saw light flashes from the direction of the harbour. There was a small fireworks display, but apparently no arial shots.

Breakfast was part of the room rental - an English breakfast buffet - eggs, bacon, sausage (more like hot dogs), baked beans and toasted bread, cold cereals, fruit, cheeses, yogurt, jams and jellies and hot tea and coffee. Very tasty! George did not join us for breakfast until just before we left for our tours. He was not interested in antiquities nor did he want to go shopping with us, and intended to remain in the apartment and watch television.

After looking for an ATM and discovering that I had not brought the correct card, we joined Liz for some shopping in the local bazaar. I found a few items for my brother and his family and something for me. I generally purchase one piece of jewelry on each major vacation I take. Today I found a lovely pair of earrings.

(Incidentally, a note to my brother if he is reading the blog. Jim is a VP of marketing for Sherwin Williams Paint Company in Cleveland. Yesterday I saw a billboard advertisement for Sherwin Williams Paint. I think he should visit this customer in Cyprus and spend some time with Liz. She says she would certainly enjoy seeing him and his family.)

We stayed a bit longer at the bazaar than we planned and were therefore later than expected at the ancient mosaics. The area is designated a World Heritage Site and so is highly protected with continuous exploration, excavation, and stabilization.

We were surprised that the first house with mosaics was open to the elements and sun. Therefore the floors, while beautiful were sun-faded by the hot and bright Mediterranean sunshine. The house excavation continues around the mosaics already uncovered. Elevated walkways take you as possible to the mosaics that remain and over the walls and other house structures. I had remembered mosaics with quite vivid colors and was disappointed with those in this first house. Those we saw yesterday at Korium were far superior, although there were not as many.






































When we went to the House of Dionysus, I found the mosaics of my memory. Again the elevated walkways took you from room to room over the remaining walls of less than 3 feet. While most of the mosaics were almost complete, some were missing large areas. Both Anita and I took many photos of all the mosaics we have seen in the past couple of days.

Walking above them and understanding that real people not only walked on these floors, but lived very normal lives in the complete house was almost difficult to comprehend. These ruins dates to the roman times before the birth of Jesus.

We ran into some difficulty because busloads of tourists joined us in clusters - each with their own guides and interpreters. As individuals we were squeezed out of the viewing areas in the various rooms regularly. Consequently, by the time we made it back to where Liz was waiting for us near the entrance, she was worried about us and we were late to pick up George.

Anita decided not to talk to the castle on the harbor - dating from the Crusades. It was very hot and humid by 3 pm in Paphos and her feet wanted to sit, not walk more steps to the ramparts of this castle, no matter how wonderful the view might be.

I had planned to stay with the car while luggage and George was collected. Don't know what I would have done if someone like a policeman perhaps wanted the car moved. It's a stick shift which I don't drive and Liz had the keys. Everything was still quiet when the 3 of them returned with all luggage.

We drove back to the same restaurant above Aphrodite's birthplace and had a lunch of meat mezze. Anita took photos of each course. I convinced George and Liz to let me pay for this meal, the first time I had succeeded in this type of discussion, and found that for some reason, the credit machine would not accept my cards, evening though I had used them at the bazaar in the morning. So today, I will find an ATM and withdraw money to repay Liz. The meal was not as good as the mezze we have had the other 2 times.

Bot Anita and I napped on the way to Limmasol where Liz was to pick up rental checks for a shop that George manages for his family. That was accomplished before we awakened. We stopped at a fish taverna wehre Liz and George frequent when they visit Limmasol. Their outermost room sits right at the edge of the Mediterranean, so close that with the winter storms it is not usable. The owner believes he looks like the American actor John Wayne. Perhaps when John Wayne was really young and this man was much younger as well - not now, but I took a photo of him anyway.
We had iced tea and an assortment of candied orange peel and watermelon rind, another fruit that could not be identified in English and the wonderful black walnuts soaked in honey. These are the sweets I am hoping to bring home with me.

The drive from Limmasol to Nicosia took a bit longer than expected because we ran into traffic later than Liz says is normal for a workday. We got to our little apartment, collected dirty clothes for Liz to take with her. She is planning to do laundry for us today. We are expecting her around 10:30 when we go to visit Anita's new friend or almost new friend. Anita is anxiously waiting for me to finish so she can check her email before we leave. I think I will make it in time.

After the visit we hope to shop a bit in the old bazaar in the oldest part of Nicosia.

Last evening, Anita went down to work on her blog, and soon after Panos knocked at our door to invite me down for juice and conversation. We sat and talked about his life in the war and army, their travels, and the bible. I enjoyed the hour that I spent with them and have enjoyed their hospitality to us. There was a lovely refreshing breeze on their back porch and it was a great way to end the day.

I'm tired now, back up in our room, and will be going to sleep. Anita is not back yet, so I'll leave a light on for her.

Birthday greetings to...
Johnny Rowland (my oldest godson) on September 5th
Fritzi Newton on September 7th
Contobia Adams on September 8th

Wedding anniversary congratulations to..
My brother Jim and his wife Becky on September 2nd
Dustin and Barbara Aldridge on September 7th

An wishes of an excellent recovery to...
Herm Trabbic