Today is Fran and co’s last day. They leave at 8am tomorrow. It’s gone so fast…..

We set off about 915 and our first stop was Mr Pound on the Kyrenia bypass!! It’s a must do! We spent an hour in there buying all manner of necessities and non necessities before heading off over the mountains to Nicosia. I was riding with Bobo to navigate for him. He did a great job of some difficult driving.

We got to the carpark just behind the Selimiye Mosque in Nicosia and we walked through the narrow lanes of golden stone houses around to the front. The Mosque-that-was-a-Cathedral is undergoing extensive renovation and is totally wrapped in scaffolding at the moment. We could just see the minaret. Then we walked to the Great Han and sat at the cafe there for some lunch of little borek. Yum. Everyone always loves the Han, it is so picturesque. Busy today. We walked around many of the craft shops on the upper floor. They are expensive but some are very nice. We walked up to see the smaller Han and then doubled back and explored the bazaar streets all the way to the border crossing. The girls enjoyed the shops a lot I think. Janet bought a very very nice handbag.

At 2 we came back to the Selimye Mosque and went to see the Whirling Dervish show. Ive seen it many times now. I wouldn’t have said this was the best performance ever but it is always intriguing and exciting to see. How they can whirl endlessly like that is a great mystery.

We headed back to the cars after the show and tried to find our way out of the old part of the city.. The gps took us a really weird way and at one point we reached an almost un-navigable turn and I had to get out and clear some furniture out of the way that was making things even worse. Poor Bobo. What an introduction to Nicosia driving!!!! Somehow we found our way out and headed back north. We drove up to the ridge below St Hilarion castle and pulled over for a photo stop. Such amazing views up there of the beautiful green mountains leading down to the sea. It was a good end to the day.

Tonight was guest’s choice for dinner and overwhelmingly everyone wantedto go back to Driftwood. We sat out on the dock which was a spectacular setting. I have to say though that neither the food or the service tonight reached the levels of last night. Heyho. It was still very good.