The time has come. It is bittersweet. We look forward to the next part of our adventure, but we have loved our time in Cyprus. It is a beautiful country. The people are kind and demonstrate generosity of spirit. In that way, they remind me of the people we met in Israel. It is one of the greatest pleasures of travel. It restores my faith in humanity when so many horrible things are happening in this world.

We have some repairs to make to the boat. Two of our windows have “popped.” I am using this term, I don’t think it is technically what it is called. What I mean is that they are no longer sealed to the boat entirely. The second one just popped yesterday. Apparently, this boat is known for windows cracking. I guess I’d rather have it pop than crack. Anywho, Michael and I are going to attempt to seal them today. Fingers crossed.

I guess that is the only actual repair we have to make, so I misspoke. The other stuff we need to do is typical maintenance and more cleaning. Seahike gets rub marks when she is in a berth. I am not really sure where they come from since we use fenders, but they magically appear. We also need to flush out the old coolant and add new. The only coolant we could find (was it in Egypt?) wasn’t exactly the right stuff so we want to swap it out with the right stuff.

We’ve changed our itinerary three times now. 🙂 The first time we changed it was because we learned that the Corinth Canal is going to be closed when we want to use it. The second time was yesterday, when a gentleman who has been sailing for 20 years recommended that we stop at Kas, Turkey before beginning our tour of the Greek Islands. So now we are going to do that.

As to when we leave Cyprus, we think it will either be late Sunday (like 11:00 p.m.) or early Monday (like 3:00 or 4:00 a.m.). We need to talk to the Control Room to see if we can leave under the cover of darkness. We also need to ask Customs and Immigration what hours they operate and whether we can check out with them one day and leave the next should the need occur. (I am writing this today because I think it is the only time I will have to dedicate to the blog.)

We still have a twisted main halyard. We kept waiting for a windless day and either we had one and didn’t take advantage (most likely!) or it was windy. We’ve never tried to untwist a halyard so we don’t even know if it can be done but it is a HUGE pain in the ass to raise the mainsail. First, I go to the mast to try to untwist the line by hand. Then we try to raise the sail. Then we see that it won’t go to the top of the mast because the lines are twisted. Then we drop the sail. Repeat. Repeat. Until success. If it is quite windy we can raise her with one reef in her and call it a day, but that isn’t always the case.

We finally went to Cape Greco. It is on the southeast corner of the island. It is beautiful. Here are some pictures both from the land and from Seahike.

The last post, which was about my sister’s birthday, also included information about the first part of our final road trip in Cyprus. This post contains info about the rest of our trip.

On my sister’s actual birthday, March 23rd, we went for a hike. We actually went for several hikes on this road trip. This is the “hike” part of “Seahike.” The trail we hiked on March 23rd was the Millomeris Waterfall Trail. We chose this because it was about the right length (2.4 km round trip) and ended with a waterfall at the turn-around point. There are several hikes in Cyprus that end with a waterfall, so you have choices should you choose to hike here.

The instructions told us to park at the Platres Athletic Center, but Google Maps couldn’t find it, so we parked at the first “free parking” sign we saw and walked downhill about 50 meters to the sign that marked the trailhead. (I should note that a couple of hours later the parking lot was full, and we were there in the off season. If you are going to take this hike, you will want to get an early start.)

There were no surprises on this trail. No rock hopping. No boulders. Just a nice trail. There were uphill and downhill portions, but what respectable trail doesn’t have those? We walked by a babbling brook for quite a while before heading uphill and away from it. It is a beautiful trail and the waterfall is a treat for the eyes and spirit.

As I sit on a bed in a hotel listening to a Greek cartoon, I think about my sister, whose birthday is today. Other than when we were at each other’s throats when we were younger, she’s been a good big sister. Happy day to you, Debbie. I hope it is awesome!!

Now, to what we’ve been doing. The last time I wrote, we’d returned from Israel. We then spent several weeks relaxing on Seahike at the marina. That included breaking in our new dinghy motor. I was very excited:

Michael did a fine job driving while I adopted the role of hood ornament so I could read my book, take pictures, and stare at the clouds.

I tried some octopus at the marina’s restaurant. It was very good!

We spent a wonderful afternoon with six 20-somethings. We met the three women on the cab ride home from Israel. We’d invited them to meet us for coffee at Coffee Berry and go for a sail with us. We were SO happy when they contacted us the next day. They asked if they could bring three of their friends. “Of course!”

There ended up being no wind that day, but we had a nice time chatting at the coffee shop, then took all of us out on Seahike (via motor). They were so much fun! It was a wonderful day!

We’ve had some rainy days in Ayia Napa. My umbrella reminds me to be safe:

We were very happy with our trip thus far. We were also excited about what was ahead. We ended up deviating from my itinerary a bit due to lack of time, but it all turned out fine in the end.

We took the train from Jerusalem to the airport the morning of the 24th. We did that because we needed a car for the rest of our journey.

Our first stop on our road trip was to Ein Gedi Reserve. We absolutely did not have enough time there and would go back in a heartbeat if we are in Israel again. That said, we took a lovely short hike and saw four waterfalls. Now, that might not seem interesting but we were pretty much in a freakin’ desert, so four waterfalls seemed excessive. Here are some pics from our short hike:

We next drove to Masada National Park but they’d closed early that day so we had to skip it. We had already planned to go to the Dead Sea, so we followed that plan. Not much to say except it was absolutely beautiful and we floated!

We took a little trip! The marinas in Israel had no room for us so we decided to fly there and visit for a week. Our itinerary was packed. That was the plan: spend a little time in a lot of places to get a feel for the country and have diverse experiences.

Those who worked with me know that I tend to plan using the “back of the napkin” method. Here are the notes I took:

Perhaps those who utilize a similar system will recognize the superior methodology. I ended up with a very well-organized itinerary that I typed in Google docs. We didn’t follow it 100 percent but it was a very useful guide and allowed us to make amendments on the fly. I highly recommend this approach.

We flew to Tel Aviv. Michael got a window seat so I told him that it was his duty to take pictures. With great seat assignment comes great responsibility. He did well.

The plan was to take the train from the airport to a station near our lodging. The plan played out well. . . . and it was really cheap!

Michael surprised me by suggesting that we walk the three kilometers to the hostel. It was a lovely night and a nice walk.

Once we checked in, we walked downstairs to the hostel bar for a beer. Michael was quite clear that he just wanted one beer. Okie dokie.

Little did we know that Matan (not sure how you actually spell his name, but it rhymes with “baton”) was bartending that night and that we would spend the next two hours laughing our heads off. I laughed so hard my stomach muscles hurt. The beer was also good. I was surprised when Matan asked us if we wanted a second round and Michael said yes. That’s when I knew for certain that he was having as good a time as I was.

We started the day with a yummy breakfast again. Here’s where we ate each morning:

I took a final walk on the promenade while chatting with my daughter, Abby Boyum, most of the time. She stays up very late, so we often FB message in the morning my time (middle of the night her time). I love this time of the day because I don’t feel so far away from her. Here are some more pictures of the beauty to be seen from the promenade.

You can see Pafos Harbor at the other end here (I hadn’t realized that’s what it was until we visited it the day before):

We awoke to a beautiful day and started with a full breakfast at the hotel. I want to give a shout out to the hotel. It is the Amphora on Poseidonos Avenue in Kato Paphos. It included a free breakfast, and the offerings were extensive. It is right on the sea in a lovely area. We had a private balcony. The rooms are nice. There is an outdoor pool (it was closed, sadly), indoor pool, sauna, and exercise room. There is a promenade by the sea that goes for several miles. We were there in the off season so consider that, but we paid only $71/night. It was a steal. We *highly* recommend it. Here are some pics:

On the agenda for today was a trip to Kato Paphos (or Pafos) Archeological Park, followed by a visit to the Tombs of the Kings. Part 1 of today’s post includes the former. Part 2 covers our visit to the Tombs of the Kings.

Spoiler alert: the main points of interest are the mosaics. I enjoyed them in and of themselves, but I like the stories behind them even more. Of course I will be sharing them. Those of you who have studied Greek mythology (and those who took Classical Mythology at St. Kate’s to fulfill your fine arts requirement) will be familiar with the stories.

We started Day 1 at 6:30 a.m. and ended our sightseeing at approximately 4:30 p.m. This was Michael’s plan to ensure that we made the most of the daylight each day. Oddly enough, we woke up later on Day 2 (maybe 8:00ish?), had a leisurely breakfast, followed by (Michael’s idea) a walk on the promenade. Then we each took a shower. This slow pace was either a good sign that Michael was finally in vacation mode or that his back was stiff and he wanted as much “non-walking” time as possible. (It was the latter.) In any event, it was a relaxing way to start the day. . . and we still had plenty of time to do the sightseeing we had planned for the day.

The Archeological Park is quite large. We will share just a bit of it, for which you are probably grateful. This is how big it is:

The Tombs of the Kings

Let’s start by acknowledging that “Tombs of the Kings” is a misnomer. There were no actual kings buried here (with a possible exception in Tomb 8, see below). The name derives from their monumental aspect and the magnificence of their architecture. The tombs are burial monuments entirely hewn out of the rock and are included in the most important works of ancient times that have been saved. They are among the few monuments of Hellenistic architecture that can be seen in Pafos. It is thought that the part of the necropolis that holds the eight tombs (the northern part) was used for burials of rich people and perhaps for burials of the Ptolemaic state’s dignitaries that served in Pafos.

The most ancient tombs were created at the end of the 4th century B.C. The most imposing were made towards the 3rd century B.C., when the richer families developed. Then the region filled with tombs and the remainder of the burials were spread everywhere. This site continued to be used as a cemetery but for the poorer who were reusing the site.

Before we visit the tombs, here is a brief description of the burial customs in ancient Greece that were observed in this cemetery of the Hellenistic period. First, the relatives of the deceased covered the body with oil, then a linen cloth. The deceased was publicly exposed, at which time lamentations started and relatives visited the dead for the last time. Following that, a silent procession through the streets of the city took place, ending at the cemetery for the burial. The burial was followed by perideipno, a dinner to honor the dead, during which the relatives ate at the tomb. Excavators have found offerings such as the amphorae (a tall ancient Greek or Roman jar with two handles and a narrow neck) in the tomb. The amphorae were probably used for libations of wine and olive oil, as offerings to the dead. Gold jewels have also been found. It was believed that the dead would return and claim them.

All in all, this sounds quite familiar, except that we don’t eat the meal after the burial at the tomb – we typically go to a church basement – and we don’t believe the dead will return to claim goods left for them. But we all develop rituals to remember and honor our loved ones who have died and we find comfort and closure in those rituals shared with those who loved the deceased. They are *so* important. Anyone who has attended a funeral knows this.

None of these tombs contains a sarcophagus. It is believed that the dead were transported to this cemetery either in wooden coffins or on a deathbed.

Tomb 1 is half above ground and half underground. There are two small niches for children and five for adults inside. It has the remains of colorful plaster which once covered the entire surface of the tomb. It was used to protect the stone and also to decorate the interior to make it appear richer. This is found in other tombs as well.

Tomb 2 is accessed via a stepped dromos. Dromos is the term for the stone staircase that leads into the interior of the tomb. They come in various shapes and sizes, but nearly every tomb has them (some have more than one) and I thought they were all in pretty good shape. Tomb 2 contains both niches and shaft tombs.

Tomb 3 is of Dorian style. The Doric order originated in the Doric region of Greece and is the earliest and simplest order, though it might have complex details in the entablature above. As you can see, the columns (which have been restored) are baseless and the capitals (the topmost part) of the columns are frugal. Above the columns are triglyphs and metopes (the latter is the flat surface between the triglyphs).

We spent the remainder of the morning (and some of the afternoon) at Ancient Kourion. There was SO much to see so we will just share a few highlights. This is how big it is:

The Theater

The original theater was built in the 2nd century B.C., a time when builders utilized a natural slope to partially support the weight of the seating area (cavea). Between 214 and 217 A.D., the theater was modified to accommodate gladiatorial games and “hunters pursuing wild animals” events, but it was restored to its original form as a theater after 250 A.D. Research indicates that the theater was used continuously for many centuries, through the Hellenistic and Roman period.

The theater as one sees it today has been entirely rebuilt and is larger than it was initially, now holding 3,500 guests. The acoustics, for which it was famous, have not lost their quality. The theater is used today in the summer for performances of ancient drama and cultural events.

The Early Christian Basilica

West of the theater one finds the site of the acropolis, including the remains of a very large early Christian three-aisled basilica. There is a map of it, but it is so large that it was difficult to tie the map to the actual site. As such, we can’t do a decent job of sharing pictures and their descriptions.

In ancient times, Cyprus was an important center of worship of the goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The dominance of Christianity in Cyprus became final by the 5th century. The building of these Christian basilicas demonstrates the important political and social changes brought by the spread of Christianity. They replaced older, small temples.

We finally took a road trip! This trip was dedicated to several archeological sites. Our next one will involve beaches and/or wine.

We went to Kolossi Castle and Ancient Kourion on the first day. I drove. I’ve never driven a car with the steering wheel on the right-hand side, nor have I driven on the left (a.k.a. “wrong”) side of the road. I expected it to be super awkward. Oddly enough, it wasn’t. I admit to walking to the left side of the car the first time, but I approached the correct door after that. I was amused to see several signs instructing drivers to “Drive in the Left Lane!” as it indicated that we were not the only ones accustomed to driving in the right lane.

Kolossi Castle is about 1 hour and 20 minutes west of Ayia Napa Marina. It is a three-story castle, 21 m high with walls 1.25 m thick. Its four sides are 16 m long externally and 13.5 m long internally. It is thought that the original castle was built at the beginning of the 13th century. Remains of the original building are preserved on three sides. The well also stands out among the ruins. In 1454, the Commander of Kolossi (a.k.a. Grand Master of the Order of St. John), Louis de Magnac, built a new stronger castle that is what one sees today. His coat of arms is carved into the castle’s walls. The castle today consists of three stories in a single keep.

The castle has fortifications but it appears to have served the role of an agrarian and administrative center of the area rather than a defensive role. That said, one of my favorite features of the Castle is a machicolation with five openings (murder-holes) for dropping rocks, boiling water or hot oil on an enemy. The machicolation is located high on the castle wall above the southern entrance, located on the first floor of the castle, which was originally accessed via a drawbridge.

As you first approach the castle you can’t help but miss the two huge trees. These are two huge age-long trees, a cypress and a kind of acacia (machaerium), approximately 200 years old and 26 meters tall.

Here are a few pictures of the Castle: