The divided city

The weather appears to be changing for the worst here, it's getting more like Wales, which isn't what Tufty promised us. After breakfast we headed up the motorways to Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus and a divided city. The northern part of the city is occupied by the Turks so to travel into it you need your passport. There is a distinct contrast between the two halves of Nicosia and as you cross the 20 metere border control it becomes very obvious. To the south you pass Debenhams, McDonalds and Peacocks before showing the sour faced border guards your passport and enter the north. Here you are faced with run down buildings, still showing the bullet holes in the walls from the conflict of 1974 and cheap shops selling track suit bottoms that make would make you look like a Russian prostitute, if you were female. We stopped in a cafe for a Turkish coffee, the black sludge had a bitter taste and was thick enough to stand a spoon up. We wandered until we came to the old Venetian walls and a statue of Ataturk. The distinct lack of females on the streets with groups of men standing on street corners chatting seemed very odd, where were all the women? Probably at home getting Sunday lunch I thought, to myself.

Nicosia crossing point

We drove back to Amathusa over the mountains, a longer journey but well worth the spectacular views down to the coast and then off to Molly Malone's Irish Bar, a 10 minute stroll away to watch a famous English rugby victory in Paris along with a smattering of ex pats. Dinner followed and then our coffee time chin wag with Phil and Barbara, who are rapidly becoming our new best mates.

A final word on just two things that are slightly bugging me - firstly, the surliness of SOME of the bar staff is beginning to get on my toot. Is it a Polish national trait not to be able to smile? Secondly, at meal times the dining room staff always seat you as close to another couple as possible so it is impossible to have a private conversation. I happened to make this remark to the Gavin Henson look alike waiter as he was seating us at dinner in the laps of a couple from Swansea. His reaction was to shrug his shoulders and beam a big orange tanned smile at me - well at least he smiled.