Limassol, Cyprus, Kourion and Omodos Village

This morning we met our wonderful guide, Elisa Pastidi, who took us to our first tour stop in Cyprus of the Greco-Roman city kingdom of Kourion.  We went to see the excavated house of a wealthy Roman individual, Eustolios.  Here we saw excellently preserved mosaic floors of the wealthy Roman's private villa.  We saw the private bath house with its mosaic floors in the changing room.  We also were able to visit the Greco-Roman Amphitheater built in the 2nd century BC.  It has been completely restored and they hold performances there today.  The bottom rows of the theater are original stones, while the top has been restored.  

We the drove through a countryside that is clearly in need of rain!  It has been a VERY dry season and it is fairly arid looking.  We arrived at the very quaint village of Omodos.  Yesterday was the annual festival in Omodos of the celebration of The Holy Cross.  The Holy Cross resides in what used to be a Monastery.  The cross comes out once a year from the Monastery.  There is a small door in the silver cross that when open shows pieces of the rope that purportedly bound Jesus to the cross.. There are no photos permitted inside the Monastery, but we did see beautiful old icons and gorgeous woodcarvings...

In the same village, we also saw the medieval wine press!  The jars were too heavy to transport by donkey, so the huge jars were filled with wine while citizens came with their own containers to purchase wine..

Cyprus declared  it's independence from Greece in 1960. There has always been a minority population of Muslim Turks on the northern part of Cyprus.  For many years, Christianity co-existed quite well with their Muslim neighbors.  In 1964, however, Turkey invaded the northern part of Cyprus to "protect" the Muslim Turkish  minority.  They have been occupying the northern part of Cyprus since that time.  Cyprus joined the EU in 2004 and adopted the Euro in 2008.  There are still hard feelings between the Muslim Turks in the northern part of the island and the Greek Orthodox Christains on the rest of the island.

We also had time to visit a small medieval castle in the city of Limassol-- by far the largest center of population on the island..It is thought that Richard the Lionhearted married Berengaria of Navarre at this castle and then crowned her Queen of England in 1191.

It was another lovely day.  We have now set sail for Rhodes.  Tonight we had dinner in one of the specialty restaurants on board, Jacques.  We thoroughly enjoyed our meal.  If you do this ship sometime, try Jacques and go for the Dover Sole or the Duck a la Orange!  The dessert Crepes  Suzette were also wonderful. 

We have eaten twice now, at another specialty restaurant, Polo. We are going back there once more.  The menu is excellent and we all have something we want to try at the next meal!

The mosaic tile floor in the private villa of the Roman Eustolios.  This was th floor in the private bath changing room..

Sitting on th benches in the amphitheater ..

Pod from a Carob tree. The pod produces a sweet sugary substance used by the Cypriots in desserts.

Medieval wine press...

Our guide is showing where the pressed juice would flow into the urn...

Entering the Medieval Castle where Richard the Lionhearted was married...

The restored amphitheater. 

Sample of a mosque near the village of Omodos from the days when the two religions co-existed...

Inside the Medieval Castle..

Molds used to make part of the edifice of a building..

Good night to all from somewhere on the Mediterranean Sea headed to Rhodes and another new adventure!