Sunday 6th April 2008 - a momentous day in the life of Cyprus. The Turkish Cypriots and the Greek Cypriots had cooperated and after 2 years' wrangling finally opened up their [non-existent] borders on either side of the 'buffer zone' on Ledra Street that leads from Arasta Street in the Lokmaci area of the north right down to the Square at the end of Ledra Street in the south. The previously omnipresent Greek Cypriot guards had also been dispatched.
6th April: Greek Cypriots on the right waiting to go through Immigration Control - a fate that awaits us on our return. Our Immigration Control booths on the left do not have queues. Passports out and visa forms filled in.
6th April: We walk through the 'buffer zone' but are not allowed to look at the area hidden since the 1950s. The flower pots down the middle are a nice touch. We were stopped by a British UN soldier in his teens and asked not to take photos, though he had no idea why not.
6th April: Back on the Greek Cypriot side - a trip that normally takes over an hour from the old Ledra Palace crossing. The EU in its myopic way says that there can not be borders within the EU or within an EU country. Who are they kidding.
6th April: I had read in the online version of Cyprus Mail of an exhibition of Wax and Silicone Figures made by a Russian Sculptor living in the South. The first thing of interest for us, just over the 'border', was this figure of Cap'n Jack outside the Exhibition.
6th April: We finished chatting to Johnny Depp and the Sculptor and enjoyed the group from Hogwarts ...
6th April: ... that included poor old sad looking Doby ...
6th April: ... and Hagrid allowed himself to be photographed by Anita with me.
6th April: Hmm ... what is Anita checking ... his credentials?
6th April: The exhibition would not have been complete without an effigy of Aphrodite the Goddess of Love. After all Cyprus is Aphrodite's Island and, over the years, we have seen her Birthplace and her Baths.
6th April: Some heads waiting their bodies.
6th April: After Ice Cream in a Greek Ice Cream Parlour and a Starbucks Coffee with cake we headed home - hoping that the queues of Greek Cypriots walking north would have thinned out. Not a chance. It took us an hour to return to Arasta Street. But thankfully everyone was good humoured.
6th April: The immigration police in their cabins with their computers and rubber stamps.
6th April: Back home in the north with the Greek Cypriots pouring into the parts of North Nicosia that most of them have not visited for over 40 years.
11th April: A restaurant owner in Ozankoy, to the East of Kyrenia (Girne), had organised a minibus trip to the Karpaz to visit an archeological dig of a bronze age settlement. We met our guide, Uwe Muller, at the old British Colonial school.
11th April: Anita took this shot to show that the building is too damaged for it to instantly become a museum for the finds.
11th April: I poked my camera up over a windowsill and recorded the interior view of a classroom.
11th April: This is where we were headed - Kings Hill - Kral Tepe - the top of.
11th April: As we walked up to the summit we were all amazed by the quantity of bronze age pottery strewn around.
11th April: In order to allow for the needed rests, Uwe stopped every so often to continue his fascinating description of the 'Dig on the Hill'.
11th April: The summit will take some time to reach and we enjoy the views.
11th April: At least we both have walking boots. Some came in sandals and had to go back to the restaurant in the village of Kaleburnu, where we were to meet for lunch.
11th April: What a view.
11th April: Another stop to recover and have a sip of water.
11th April: ... and an opportunity to hear more from the Professor.
11th April: We had been standing within a bronze age homestead.
11th April: Anita took this incredible shot of the plain below us ...
11th April: ... and this shot of some old codger she met on the way up ...
11th April: ... to the summit.
11th April: Though she also spotted this somewhere along the way.
11th April: We reached the summit and Anita had a ptrivate moment with our guide.
11th April: Part of the Bronze age building, that is fast eroding away.
11th April: The roof caved in and this is a piece of solidified mud that it fell onto ... leaving impressions of the straw.
11th April: Professor Uwe Muller giving another part of the descriptive talk on the excavation.
11th April: A view from the top over the 'dig' showing erosion.
11th April: Uwe pointing out where the settlement extended too before it collapsed through erosion ...
11th April: ... so it is not there any more ... the area below was lived in by poorer bronze age citizens. Then off for lunch and the minibus trip home.
13th April: How some people transport pets to Firdez the Vet.
13th April: Anita took a rose photo ...
13th April: ... and this goatsbeard.
13th April: It is Citrus Blossom time ... again ... and the bee knows it.
13th April: We bought these tulips in the UK last August. It will be interesting to see how many there are next year.
13th April: The mixed lettuce from UK seed is not doing as well as hoped following the drought. No rain.
13th April: Asparagus peas grown from our saved seed growinfg well despite not being watered.
13th April: Oh well, another citrus blossom shot ...
13th April: ... and poppies that are self sown.
13th April: Anita's grand daughter, Mia, gave her a variety of seed last year. We bought some annuals and mixed them up together then threw them about a bit. This is one of the results ...
13th April: ... as is this one.
13th April: I am gardening and am joined by Chloe who waits to see if a lizard will walk her way ...
13th April: ... and Keo who sits in the rustic old stone sink in the middle of the lawn.
13th April: At the same time a likeable garden cat wants to join the UK cats and use the sprinkler as a scratching post.
13th April: Gazinias that self-seeded from last year.
13th April: Apricot blossom on Anita's tree ...
13th April: ... just a few this year ... but more than last year.
13th April: We find it odd that there are no leaves when it blooms.
13th April: Young olives up the road.
13th April: I have no idea what this is ... it is on a house up in the village.
21st April: More citrus and another bee.
21st April: Some seeds from Mia produced Sunflowers with unusual (to Cyprus) petal markings.
21st April: Gazinias that were bought last year from Green Garden and seeded themselves ...
21st April: More seeds from Mia that are still giving us a wonderfully floral garden in this period of drought.
27th April: Kyrenia Animal Rescue Dog Show and Annual Fayre. The Registration area where Anita and Neslihan [from Cyprus Observer] take down the dog and owner details while George takes the cash.
27th April: Teresa from Lapta with her puppy.
27th April: Anita in catty-face, painted by Amber a member of Kyrenia Dramatic Society.
27th April: My last job was to label 6 of these little jackets.
27th April: A fair bit of cash comes from the Bric-a-Brac Stall.
27th April: Ann and her faithful crew making a mint selling books, videos and CDs.
27th April: Take me home ... ... please. I'll be ... ever so nice.
27th April: Karin the kitten fosterer with her ever attractive Tombola Stall.
27th April: The most favourite bloke at the Show .. hic .. with Green Garden General Manager on the left ... hic ... it wash free wines he wash dishing out ... all day.
27th April: The ever popular cake stall with Elaine, Jos and Gwen.
27th April: Amber hard at work painting little faces with Snazaroo paints from Minehead.
27th April: More child-orientated entertainment run by a Brit.
27th April: The popular KAR Stall selling KAR marked products.
27th April: Di Silberry's successful Catalkoy Riding Centre can always be relied upon to support KAR.
27th April: Just a pretty duo walking around the Show.
27th April: I like my hair slides ... I think they look ... luverly ... so there.
27th April: Where's that ... fox?
27th April: Phew ... it's too hot to walk any further.
THe Mahoney Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the best KAR Rescue Dog in memory of murdered Anne and Reece who never failed to support all KAR events.
27th April: The lady on the right is the General Manager of KAR Dog Show Sponsor Green Garden with Best Puppy and Owner ...
27th April: ... while UK Judge Penny Carmichael awards the Green Garden Cup for the Dog [hidden] that Green Garden like the best.
27th April: Penny with Best in Show - a Crossbreed - and Owner.
27th April: The Show comes to an end ... as does this month's Diary.
