Today we headed into the old walled city of Nicosia (Lefkosa now) to do a little shopping, wandering and sightseeing. It’s been about 6 or 7 years since Stuart and Fi last visited. It takes about 40 minutes to drive from our house.
We parked up in a car park behind the Mosque-Cathedral and near the Covered Market built by the British in the 1930s. The streets around the old town are so pretty and quaint. Golden sandstone walls, coloured shutters, lots of plants, jaali shuttered balconies overlooking the street. It’s all very higgledy piggledy and a bit dilapidated but there is a lot of restoration underway and little boutique hotels and businesses springing up.
We had a mooch around the market and Fi bought some pashminas – absolutely genuine cashmere 🙂 and only £10 each!!!! Well, obviously they weren’t but they were soft as and very very pretty. We stopped for Turkish coffee near the cathedral. It is still covered in scaffolding – a huge restoration project. Walked on through the bazaar street down towards Ledra Gate crossing. It was very busy today in all the shops. Lots and lots of tourists over from the Greek side. With suitcases for their shopping.
We went in the Great Han of course – the crusader era inn. That was very busy too. Walked around the little shops upstairs and then went down and had some lunch in the corner restaurant. It was really really hot – 32C – and we were glad to be in the shade. Ordered two plates of the divine little pasties they make on the premises. One plate of spinach and one plate of herby minced lamb. Just delicious and more than enough. You get 10 pasties per plate. We now know not to order too many having been caught out several times before. Yum.
Walked around a bit more and then went back to the market and Stuart and Fi bought some mixed Turkish delight from the speciality shop there. Lots of lovely flavours so much nicer than the stuff we get in the UK.
Got home at about 230 and jumped right in the pool. So hot….
Tonight we went out on a private chartered gulet (Turkish wooden yacht) for a sunset dinner cruise from Kyrenia harbour. There was about 16 of us, we travelled by minibus to the harbour for about 515 and got home about 930. Unfortunately the sunset element tonight was a bit rubbish unlike previous trips when the skipper just went out to sea and then turned the boat due west into the bright orange sky. However, what the evening lacked in spectacular sunset scenery, it more than made up for in great company, food and drink.
It was a warm night and pleasant sailing and we sailed west towards the Kaya Palazzo and then turned back east and anchored up in front of Lords Palace for our dinner and swimming. David led the swimming by jumping in from the deck, then he was followed by Bob, Pamela, Jacqui and a few other brave souls. They all had a good splash about and said the sea was warmer than the air. By the time they got out and dried off, dinner was served. We had fried chicken and fried fish, various mezes, salad, chips…. lots of g&ts and much chat.
A very very fun evening. We were all very merry by the end. Kyrenia harbour looked lovely all lit up as we returned to dock. I love going out on a boat whether its a daytime cruise or a sunset one and always recommend them to our guests.
