We drove 6km along a single lane track to the parking. Fortunately, we didn’t see another car, soul or livestock. The castle was special as on different levels, all with different views.
Monument to a Boeing 727 that crashed in February 1988. Fortunately only 15 on board. No survivors. We headed up to the castle, just visible on the skylineAfter the climb, we we relieved the castle was openAmazing views from different levels of the castle The other direction… eastA bath with a view of Nicosia!
Bellapais Abbey
A short drive onto Bellapais Abbey. We came in the back way through narrow twisty roads. Not for the first time in N Cyprus have we been glad we are not in Jez the motorhome.
The Abbey, was not free for J, but at about €1 each and another €1 to park, it was hardly a rip off. Obviously a tourist spot … there were quite a few visitors.
Inside the churchRefectory now concert venue, but you’d need warm layers as it was coldLoved the colored glassBlossom and Greek eye
We didn’t treat ourselves to coffee by the Abbey, but drove in search of proper Turkish Chai. We passed the smart English School of Kyrenia … annual fees a snip compared to UK fees at £11,000 p.a. for years 10 & 11.
Local cafe to our apartment… but Liptons. So disappointed
Back at the apt, we slowly froze. The air con unit which should heat, just didn’t. On for 10 seconds, then off for 60. I messaged our host, whilst wrapped in a blanket. Before the aircon had time to complete a cycle, there was a knock at the door. Our host and English speaking grand daughter delivered an electric heater. The grand daughter attends the English School of Kyrenia.
Not the best plan to do a wine tasting at 10.00 a.m., but hadn’t been able book Sunday, or Monday as a public holiday. Healthy samples too … J stepped up.
We leaned more about the July ’25 fire. Our host pointed out where the fire was halted on the perimeter of the village. Her family lost vineyard buildings and 2/3 of their vines. The Cypriot government only financially assisted if 3/4 lost. Some EU money, but 7 years before the vineyards are productive. This small family vineyard supplied wine for charcuterie producers, wine paste coated almonds (same as seen in Georgia) and a delicious grape and sesame marmalade. Unfortunately the small jars were over 100ml so we couldn’t buy any to bring home.
Clay plithoi from 18?? Still used for the charcuterie wineRaki stillThe grand daughter read chemistry at Uni, then a post grad on wine in Athens. She also dances and rides a motorbike.
A drive over the mountains to Nicosia. We did a self guided walking tour in the Greek side. Nothing special, but pleasant enough.
Modern Liberty SquareLiberty monument: two resistance fighters are pulling on prison chains to releasemen women and children Famagusta Gate: part of the Venetian wall defenses. Wide enough for two vehicles to passInteresting mix of architecture, and yellow post boxesAnd saw the pedestrian border crossing
Then off through the vehicle crossing for us. Supper easy and quick. I was asked at the Greek side, if we had visited the occupied terrotory before? A reminder that Turkey is the only country to recognise Northern Cyprus. We bought Tr insurance for the car €35. No customs checks … mindful of our wine confiscation from Georgia to Turkey, we had decanted 1.5 litres of gin into our drinking water bottles!
Northern Cyprus does not feel like Turkey. Half the hoardings along the motorway advertised whiskey, campari and raki. We looked hard to find a lady in a head scarf. And the supermarket had a full aisle of booze.
Had bought an esim, which was so rubbish we couldn’t navigate to our accommodation. We ended up connecting to a hotel and screen shotting the map. Stressful. So unpacked … including un-decanting the gin … cheers.
Another lots of stops day. And over 20,000 steps. We left the house at 0845 due to the pm rain forecast.
Only 360m walk from the car to Millomeri Waterfall.
it is pretty …… not pretty. Shame about the monstrosity being constructed very close by. A great view for a tiny minority.
A short drive to Kaledonia waterfall. A 3.7km circuit. Climbing up alongside the river. Then an easy descent along a wide service track.
Some crossings had bridgesOthers didn’t
We drove on uphill, with ears popping, to the Artemis Trail. 7.5km circular around the top of a mountain. Easy as less than 50m of ascent. The woods occasionally opened up to reveal amazing views, including the sea. Turning a corner, we entered the black cloud. Then the hail started, followed by light snow. We didn’t even stop for water as it was too cold. -1°C real feal -3°Cc. Can’t remember the last time we were in sub 0.
500 year black pineFab views … whilst we had visibilityThe sea is out thereBlack cloud coming inThis is as much snow as we want please!So the hail started and stayed with us
Back at Baby Blue the hire car, we ate with the engine on.
Down the mountain to Omodos, and a balmy 10C.
And to hot chocolate and lava cake … shared
Omodos has a pretty monastery with museums.
Omodos Monastery with museumsAn ancient wine press and so many wine tasting bars EOKA resistance hideout … resistance against British 1955-59. British culpable of torture, hangings, curfew and imprisonment without trial. Baby Blue … since Ben is Nino Rojo, dubbed by the hotel staff in MexicoNino Rojo
Like in Greece, the translation can have multiple spellings. Where we live Kambia or Kampia, Almyrida or Almirida, Kalyves or Kalives, Xania or Chania. And the accent. I know Cretan is the equivalent of British Geordie, but here is much smoother, less emphasis on the syllables. And it feels very British. Well, it was. All signs are in both Greek and English. Lots of ex Pats. Hoarding adverts are in English. And they drive on the left … I’ve not been caught out … yet.
Lots of tourists, despite being only February. Crete is largely protected from all year mass tourism, as November till March requires a flight change in Athens. Cyprus is major destination for Brits 30-34% of all tourists. Followed by tourists from Israel Germany, and Poland. Russian visitors are fast increasing. Chatted yesterday to two young charming girls from Russia and Israel who live here. They attend English school.
We packed up and were on the road before 9.20. A journey to our next accommodation, but with stops.
Edro II shipwreck
Built in 1966 and travelling from Limassol to Rhodes with a cargo of plasterboard. A storm in 2011 has given it a permanent home rusting just north of Pafos. The location is particularly pretty. Safari jeep tour stop, so quite busy. Did overhear a guide explaining that a nearby house had hosted UK Love Island.
Spotted these motorhomes
Coral Bay
Billed as having a stunning white beach … not sure where! They must remove the seaweed for the season. And then we saw a mountain of perfect sand ready to be spread. If all the accommodation is full occupancy, plus the day trippers … yuk!
On a spit is Maa Palaeokastro. Late Bronze age settlement of Greeks from late C13 to early C12 BC. Only a few generations. Evidence of houses and defensive walls. A Linear A script was found … Minoan. Not a lot to see, but J being over 65 was free. I was €2.50
Only the landward side defensive walls survives, the seaward a victim of the elements
Tombs of the Kings
Found a much needed coffee en route. Actually, I had two. A necropolis from C4 BC, not for royalty but aristocrats and officials. And there must have been a lot of them, judging by the huge number of underground tombs. The Romans pinched and excavated a lot of of stone, but remarkable how much survived.
Pafos
Being so close we could not ignore the city. We planned to walk a self guided tour. Think a) we were running out of steam and b) we just don’t like places that exist solely for tourists.
We walked along to look at the fort, where St Paul’s pillar is and a Frankish hamam. Skipped the mosaics and the Archeological Park. And we were done.
Fort and marinaSt Paul’s pillar in there somewhereFrankish hamam. The ottomans added the domes
Drove all of 300m to a superb hypermarket to stock up. Stocked up also on Gordons at under €13 /ltr. After our recent trip to Turkey, we suspect booze will not be easily available and expensive.
Staying 2 nights in Pera Pedi. An hour 30 drive along a quiet motorway east and the north up to the Troodos mountains. Most of this road blighted by wild fires from July ’25. 125 sq km. Apparently 14 villages evacuated. Amazing not to have seen property destroyed, as the Internet states 43 houses were completely destroyed with a further 29 severely damaged.
We started the day by taking Poor Penny’s body to a vet for disposal. It keeps hitting us in waves. Both the old owner on Crete and the new one in Wales have been super supportive of everything we tried to do for her. Monitoring Flo, hoping she doesn’t go down with whatever caused it.
We came off the motorway on entering Slovenia as I can’t be bothered with a go box for over 3.5 tons. Very pretty. Every time I come back to Slovenia, I’m reminded why it’s my favourite country.
The main reason for coming here is to eat at Mak Restaurant. A complete barking rocker chef but amazing food. We also had the paired wine tasting. €319 plus tip for 2 of us. Just fab. So fab, we will go back tonight! Robyn’s fault!!!
Pix are just the amuse-bouches
Just realised I never finished the trip blog! We had another, but different food and wine night at Maks.
Drove off motorway up through stunning Slovenia and then the Julien Alps and Austria. Slow plough had piled up snow either side of the road.
An overnight stop with Kerstin in Reutlingen. Penny still not house trained. Pee on Kerstin’s floor. And we put most of the pee soaked rugs and towels through her washing machine.
We made such good time, we had 2 nights in Bergues to recover from long driving days.
Back in Blighty, mum cooked and then I dropped Robyn to her daughter-i-l. But only after she helped me empty and clean Jez. He is now on a forecourt near Chichester. End of an era … but we want to use the sale proceeds for long haul.
Maddy and Ben flew back to Crete with me and Jordan joined us for a long weekend.
Clune Gap Years 