Jenny and Doug arrive about quarter to twelve, having been delayed by a puncture before they set out and by the inaccuracies of the map. It's a lovely day, though Doug says, disapprovingly, that this is not in accordance with the forecast. Nice that it is, though, because we take the old coast road back and it is stunningly beautiful, with rugged cliffs above multicoloured sea. Aphrodite's birthplace, a breathtaking mix of rock and foam. We drive through the British sovereign area, which contains the military base on which Jenny and Doug, as well as Jane and Dave (now retired in Cumbria) were living when we met on a Nile cruise. Then on to look at the ruins of a roman stadium as well as stopping at the beach below Curium (also very good Roman ruins). Jenny's a good guide because she remembers many of the places from 30 years ago and can chronicle the changes.
Jenny's father and his wife, Sam and Paddy Taylor, live in Erimi, a village a little south of Limassol. It's a lovely house and the back garden is beautiful, with a swimming pool, trees, flowers, statues, and tiled sitting areas for sun and shade.
And a lovely lunch as well - with chicken and mushrooms on basmati rice and a choice of apple tart or creme caramel - we're encouraged to try both and find it impossible to resist. It's a real pleasure to listen to Jenny's father's reminiscences - he's philosophical, knowledgeable and soft-spoken - and we could do so for much longer. He was born in Palestine of an English (Irish?) father, a military man who went in with General Allenby in 1917, and a Palestinian mother, and has spent much of his life in the Middle East. His second wife is Irish and turns out to be from Enniskillen, birthplace of my great great grandparents, in honour of which she gives me a copy of the Book of Kells.
J and D drive us back to Paphos and come in to see our flat. We have tea and coffee but no biscuits. Doesn't matter as no one has room anyway.
Jenny's father and his wife, Sam and Paddy Taylor, live in Erimi, a village a little south of Limassol. It's a lovely house and the back garden is beautiful, with a swimming pool, trees, flowers, statues, and tiled sitting areas for sun and shade.
And a lovely lunch as well - with chicken and mushrooms on basmati rice and a choice of apple tart or creme caramel - we're encouraged to try both and find it impossible to resist. It's a real pleasure to listen to Jenny's father's reminiscences - he's philosophical, knowledgeable and soft-spoken - and we could do so for much longer. He was born in Palestine of an English (Irish?) father, a military man who went in with General Allenby in 1917, and a Palestinian mother, and has spent much of his life in the Middle East. His second wife is Irish and turns out to be from Enniskillen, birthplace of my great great grandparents, in honour of which she gives me a copy of the Book of Kells.
J and D drive us back to Paphos and come in to see our flat. We have tea and coffee but no biscuits. Doesn't matter as no one has room anyway.