Cyprus Christmas Day

Christmas morning dawned bright and sunny and with a few texts and phone calls with people we care about it started off to be a good day. Brunch was our left over rice risotto from our Christmas Eve dinner without the left over Cypriot wine. We had promised ourselves a lazy last day in Cyprus and so we drove to Lara Peninsula – not far from our hotel. We stopped first at Coral Bay and where we saw an insignificant archaeological dig (well to our eyes anyway) and walked along the port. There were a number of others walking along aimlessly just enjoying the sunshine with no purpose in mind and or anywhere particular to go. An English couple were sitting having their Christmas lunch on a wooden bench (lettuce and cheese sandwiches) and we said ours was soon to be crackers and cheese (we didn’t know at that stage we had forgotten the cheese!!). Back in the car again and a few kilometres on we stopped at Cape Drepano – rather a nice coastal scene with white limestone cliffs, sea caves and clear blue water. A few more tourists taking photos and some locals enjoying the sunshine and fishing.  The day continued that lazy, hazy sunny day of summer feeling (although it is really winter). We came across Agios Georgios and what nicer way to spend a few minutes on Christmas Day but in a little local church sitting on the side of a hill (could you believe that a Mr Whippy was parked there as well!). The Cape was initially a late Roman and Byzantine town and the church was built not far from the 6th century Basilica that has apparently well preserved floor mosaics but this time of sea creatures – we could only imagine the crabs, turtles, fish and seaweed as it was closed. The Church of St George (who is patron saint of animals and those unlucky in love).  There were cats around everywhere but not sure whether those taking photos or just admiring the view were unlucky in love or not.  The church was built in 1928 and to my eyes just how a church should be. Little, with a few frescoes, light and very peaceful. Which is how I would describe Cyprus really after 6 days here. There appears to little crime here. Tavern owners leave their chairs and tables out all night - no chains or bolts securing them to each other or a lamp post. We felt safe walking anywhere (except for the snakes).

If we had been more energetic we could have gone for a walk up the Avakas Gorge, but we weren’t and so we settled for a drive to Lara. This is a special place, and the sand and sea worn stones reminded me of many of the beaches at home (eg Paekakariki and Paraparaumu). The bay is a reserve and one of the few nesting grounds for the loggerhead and green turtles. We didn’t see them as it is not the season for nesting – but if it were we wouldn’t have been allowed on the beach so we wouldn’t have seen them anyway. Their story is worth telling.  These turtles crawl up from the sea and lay their eggs in the dry sand sometime during June and September. They lay about 100 eggs at a time and spend some time digging a half metre hole before laying the eggs and then burying them again. The human protectors come along and move the eggs to a specially protected area of the beach away from dogs and foxes (and probably cats). After seven weeks the eggs hatch – obviously unperturbed from their prenatal move – and the little turtles head straight for the sea. No nurturing by Mum for these babies!! At about 20 they return to the same beach  where they were born to lay their own eggs. Another miracle of nature.  Getting to Lara Bay was another ‘off road’ experience - we stopped to take some photos of the roads we have travelled but decided that we would not send the blog link to the rental car company (though ours was not the only one doing the ‘adventure’ sport bit). And then the first swim of the season back in Coral Bay. We did a Mr Bean act and got into our togs in the car (in what we thought was a quiet part of the car park but everytime we got into a slightly tricky situation along came someone else – who knows what the woman sitting in the car next door thought – she certainly decided not to look our way too often. The water was lovely, crystal clear, gentle waves and the beach was virtually humanless (empty deck chairs, folded umbrellas told us what it could be like in summer) so we were glad we were there in winter. Once in the water felt warm but 2 hours after we were still feeling a bit chilled to the bone - perhaps we stayed in a bit longer than we should have.
Tonight Christmas dinner was put on at the hotel.  But we should have known that hotels with an international clientele usually do a mediocre meal and we didn't realise that Christmas Eve was the gala dinner rather than Christmas Day.  Again we regretted not finding out whether that little restaurant we tried on our first night was open.