Cyprus

This time it took me couple of weeks to publish this post... the problem was adding the photos! But here it is, my week in beautiful Cyprus :).

Week off in late November, and I really needed some sunshine! Ryanair flies from Dublin to Paphos, and that is where I went. The flights cost just about 70 € with 10 kg checked in luggage, and the flight takes 5 to 5 and a half hours. My flight was in the morning, so I had to take the night bus from Limerick to Dublin airport again. Surprisingly I took a little nap on the bus and also on the plane so I wasn't that dead tired when I arrived. I had booked an apartment from booking.com, and they also arranged a pick up to the airport. The driver was waiting for me there (even had spelled my name correct), and took me to the apartment, even carried my bag to the door! Good service! Very nomadic :D.

The apartment was lovely modern one bedroom apartment, about 3 km from the centre. The owners had car sales and hire downstairs, very nice couple! The bus stop was right in front of the building, and the bus runs every 10 or 15 minutes all day, the cost for one ticket is only 1,50 €. They also have a weekly bus ticket for 20 €, makes sense to get that one. I saw hardly any locals using the bus, almost all tourists. One local told me that they drive everywhere, even very short distances and everybody has a car. If it is a family of 5, they have 5 cars, sometimes 6.

I also had a view to the sea from my balconies (I had 2 balconies), and it was nice to have breakfast on the balcony looking at the sea... I was of course out every day, first days I was walking around the city, visited an archeological site, went to the beach too, and ate lots of moussaka and halloumi cheese :D. And had a few glasses of local wine 🍷.

Pics of Paphos

View from my balcony, had breakfast looking at this view every morning...

On Wednesday I went to Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, and the last divided city in Europe. I chose guided tour, it cost just 22 € and it was a full day tour. We visited St. John's Cathedral first and then had a few hours to explore the city. I visited the Turkish side first and had lunch there. Now it is peaceful there, but of course the situation was different in the 1970’s after the occupation, Turkey occupied 37% of Cyprus, and thousands of people had to move, and many moved abroad. Guide said that 600 000 Cypriots (Greek Cypriots) live abroad. A local told me that all Cypriots consider themselves Cypriots first, and then either Greek or Turkish, and both just want to live in peace. Turkey is still the only country that has recognized the independence of North Cyprus, and most likely it will stay that way.

Photos of Nicosia

On Thursday I did another tour, to Troodos mountains and visited 3 monasteries. This tour also was a full day tour, and cost just 20 €. First monastery was Chrysorrogiatissa (can you say that fast 5 times after a few beers?), and only the abboth lives there. Next one was Kykkos monastery, that church was unbelievable! I have never seen a place like that in my life, literally my jaw just dropped when I entered. No photos are allowed at the church, so you just have to take my word for it, or visit yourself :). Twenty monks live in Kykkos according to our guide. After that we drove to Pedoulas to have lunch in a traditional tavern. And the last stop was Omodos, and the Monastery of the Holy Cross. Omodos was lovely little place with probably thousands of cats. I saw cats in the other monasteries as well, and everywhere in Cyprus, but Omodos was just full of cats! The scenery on this tour was just amazing, and it was a lot cooler in the mountains. In the winter they have snow for a couple of months even, and there is also a ski center. You can ski in the morning and swim in the sea in the afternoon :).

Photos of the Troodos mountains tour

Friday I just stayed in Paphos, visited the Tombs of the Kings, and enjoyed the sea and the sun. The temperature was over 20 degrees all week, about 22 to 25 every day, a couple of short rain showers but mainly the weather was just perfect. I really have missed the Mediterranean soft and warm sea breeze.

Photos of the Tombs of the Kings and the archeological site

I have a new phone with a decent camera (finally), and I took a lot of photos of flowers everywhere I saw nice flowers. Here's my flower photos.

I enjoyed my week in Cyprus so much! There's a lot to see and I could've stayed for 2 weeks and explore the island more. On Friday, my last evening, I even googled for jobs in Cyprus :). Not going to apply anywhere, at the moment, but Cyprus could very well be a candidate for my next location when it's time to move on again. But that of course depends on if I can get a nice job there first. Well, now I have to wait 1,5 weeks weeks until my Christmas vacation in Palma de Mallorca.

Otherwise weeks just go buy… It is getting cold and windy and rainy and sometimes cycling to work is not so pleasant. But I have good gear for that, just not waterproof shoes so I put plastic bags to my feet :). When I bought my sneakers, the sales person told me they are showerproof. Well bs! Every drop gets in, so thanks Foot Locker! After Mallorca I have no trips booked, so after that it is time to start planning and booking my travels for 2019 :).

I went to a lovely violin concert at University concert hall. They had 2 violinists (they are brothers originally from Slovakia), a pianist and a double bass. They played traditional Russian songs, like Moscow nights etc., and also more modern pop songs. It was so enjoyable, can't believe that kind of sounds come out of violin and you can play violin that way!

And one last note, I found my next eternal love; hot water bottle.