Sunday, March 226/2017

Biking friends at breakfast again. They stayed an extra day and biked up to see Salamis and St Barnabas Church. Off now to Nicosia. We chat with our host. His day job is teaching at the university, but he is also interested in Cypriot history and culture and has authored several books, one of which he gives us a copy of. 

Lovely day walking round the tiny city. The Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque is early Gothic. it began life as the Church of St Nicholas, dedicated in 1328, but became a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of the city in 1571. The fig tree in front is believed to be the oldest living thing in Cyprus, planted in 1220 when construction of the cathedral began. A fascinating city. 

A nice chicken curry at an outdoor restaurant where we've eaten before. People at the table next to us are Swiss - or at least the lady who speaks to us and exclaims at the size of our enormous dinner is. We agree, but that's how they come. Then a group of Russians takes the next table. Very cosmopolitan in midday.