Cypress, Greece

Today may have been the best sight-seeing day yet.  Temperature was a cool, dry 68° and the island is very small resulting in a leisurely bus ride to only a few sites.

Cypress is a divided island, approximately in half.  I had forgotten this.  North of the officially named “green line” is controlled by the Turks, south by the Greeks.  It has been invaded so many times and occupied or controlled by so many nations our guide, a short, elderly, funny Greek woman, sort of took this division in stride; however, she did tell us of a personal loss.  In 1974, while she and her sister were on holiday, her family home in the north was taken by the Turks and later sold to its current owners.  She had to move south.

Our first stop was the city of Kourion, an impressive Greco-Roman site where we saw remaining public baths and pavement mosaics, such as the four-panel design in the central room at the House of Eustolios.

Nearby was a large Greco-Roman theater built in the 2nd century BC.  It is still used today for many performances.

Perched high on a cliff, we were able to easily see the blue waters of the Med below.

Next was a visit to the Sanctuary of Apollo.  The sanctuary is the largest and one of the most important religious centers on the island and was continuously used from the late 8th century BC to the second half of the 4th century AD.

Third, we visited one of the most picturesque of the old villages in Cyprus - Omodos Village.  First, we stopped at the monastery of the Holy Cross, where they were having a service for the 2nd day after Easter. This was a long service.  It begins by one priest remaining in the church conducting the service while the second visits every home in the village, carrying a small cross.  When he left each home, a group of young men joyously fired shot guns into the air!  Go figure?? We were right in the middle of this.

Then a visit to the restored wine press of Linos …

Then the best part - two hours of free time to bask in the sun and drink Greek wine before heading back to the ship.  It was a great way to celebrate my birthday.

Next, to Rhodes, where by tradition, we’ll have to consume colossal amounts of Greek wine, as the Colossus of Rhodes no longer guards the harbor.

Later, Bill