Crossing the line

Today we crossed the green line and went south into Southern Cyprus which of course is Greek.  Immediate changes were noticeable especially the flags, Greece and S Cyprus instead of Turkey and the inverted white and red N Cyprus flag. The language on the signs is also obvious with the distinctive Greek script. The country seemed different too, perhaps more cosmopolitan in the towns and more rugged in the countryside.

We stopped in a village not far from Larnaca called Lefkara reknowned for hand made lace. This lady wa sitting there doing some drawn thread work. I couldn't resist talking to her and asking for a photo. She was more than happy. Of course I then had to go into her shop. She had a photograph of an altar cloth in the Duomo in Milan. It took her and two others 18 months to do it and they presented it to the church on it's 600th anniversary. She had also lived in Manchester for 40 years but looked very Greek sitting in the sun sewing.
It has been 24 degrees today and although we were 800 metres  up and it was mid morning it was 18/19 C but she was wearing three jumpers.

The land is quite arid chalk unlike the very verdant arable north and ideal for vines. In particular they make a very sweet desert wine thought to have been made since the Knights of St John.


Had our lunch on the promenade in Larnaca and visited the church of Lazarus where he is said to be buried, we also saw the lake side mosque dedicated to Mohammed's mother who died falling from a horse here! The lake usually has flamingos as they over winter in Cyprus but they have just left for France!

Sadly we leave tomorrow. Wake up call is 3.00 am, midnight in the UK, it's going to be another of those days. Hope to catch up with you all when we get back. Thanks for your comments and stars.