Changing Scenes

 05-30-21, Sunday (partial)

We're heading to Limassol this morning! The bus leaves from the marina at 10:30 and I don't think we have time for breakfast and to check out, drop the big suitcase, collect our voucher for the nights we not staying here, and walk to the marina for the bus.  Ammar assures me I'm wrong.  And wouldn't you know it, he's right again!  He sends me up to breakfast ahead of him while he gathers his things, and he gets upstairs just as I'm enjoying the last of my hot chocolate. (A change of pace from yesterday's cappuccino!)

A quick trip back to the room to collect everything and it's down to the desk where Ammar tells our new friend that there is two million dollars in the suitcase, so she needs to keep a watch on it.  She says we should know that when we get back the suitcase will be gone...and so will she!

It's a short walk down to the promenade and the bus stop, and, sure enough, there's a green bus there, waiting!  There is even time for Ammar to grab a cup of espresso at a little stand while I stash the small bag and my purse in the overhead compartment.  Amazing!  Left to my own devices, I would have given up on the 10:30 bus and settled for the 1400 one!  Good thing I'm not on my own!

The bus is comfortable, with footrests and good air conditioning, and the intercity ride is only about an hour.  It's eight Euros for both of us;  our taxi driver wanted fifty-five!  Along the way we can see the small mountains in the distance!

Larnaca is famous for the huge flock of pink flamingoes (and one black one) that winer in the salt lake near by.  These guys are in the median!

OO! OO!  Mountains!  All right, hills;  but when you're from Florida any elevation is thrilling!

                                                                     Lots of windmills.

Yes, Virginia, they do drive on the "wrong" side of the road.  And I think that's 

all limestone.  That's why the water is so hard and people drink the bottled stuff.

I don't know what it is or what it's doing out in the middle of nowhere!  Maybe we'll find out.

Limassol has a lot of cruise ships in the port and anchored in the water.  And the buildings reflect the income from the cruisers.  We hop off at the second stop and visit a little street market to see what there is to see and Ammar finds that there are a lot of Arabic speakers.  From one of them he learns that the Ajax Hotel is not walking distance from here, so we go looking for a taxi.  I don't know how he caught the cabbie's eye;  but presently one stops for us and we're whisked away!

It's a very nice hotel, even if the lady at desk has a problem with our reservation!  I show her my phone with the reservation confirmation number and pin and everything and she suggests that we have a seat for a few moments.  That works out well since the little bar serves espresso.  Presently she calls us back to the desk and gives us an executive room with a very large bed and a balcony that overlooks the pool!  Life is good!

After a while I call down to reception to see about going to the Old Town and to ask about massages at the spa.  The man says he can call us a taxi or we can walk a kilometer to the beach and catch a bus.  And the spa will be open in the morning and they will call us after 9:30.  Eventually we decide it's time for dinner and a bit of sightseeing, so we request a cab and he drops us off, but won't give us a recommendation for a good restaurant.  We wander the old streets and visit the cathedral of Ayia NAPA It was built in the early 20th century on the ruins of a smaller Byzantine church.  

There's an intriguing shop which is run by the perfect shop girl!  Her English is great, she's funny and knows her merchandise inside out!  She makes it much to easy to spend money!

Now we're searching for dinner in earnest!  Lots of walking and inqiring and we finally find the ultimate fish restaurant.  They serve a fish meze (a bit like the Spanish tapas) and OMG the dishes just keep coming and coming!  They even have a small side table to accommodate the overflow!  Ammar has given up when they bring ice cream and baklava for dessert!  I may never eat again!!  and to top it off I had ordered a shot of Zinavia, a Greek liqueur and when it's gone Ammar gets me another!  I think he has an ulterior motive (Giggle!)

                                          This description gave us no hint of what was to come!

                                                         I even ate octopus and tiny crabs!

                 I was going to post photos of each course as they came; but there were just too many!

I'm not sure how we're going to get home!  It's way too far to walk, even if we weren't too full to even breathe.  Somehow Ammar finds a cab stand! Thank you God!  Back home there's a stop at a convenience store for sugar-free Coke and it's up to our room to sit on the balcony and watch nighttime descend and the lights of the city to illuminate the streets and buildings.

Tomorrow we're thinking of going to the ruins of Kourion.  They are the largest ruins on the island!  Maybe we'll visit the casino and/or get massages afterwards.