Cyprus - Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates

Last night I followed through on something I had promised myself I would try, when I heard about it. A woman on the walk last Wednesday said that you could make Lemon Curd (which I love!) in the microwave. I have made it before but it is a tiresome, double boiler, obsessive stirring, process. So I googled it, shopped for the couple of things I needed and gave it a go. Dead easy and delicious.
You need 3 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3 good sized lemons worth), zest from 3 lemons, 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (melted).
You whisk the eggs and sugar together until they are smooth in a microwave proof bowl. Whisk in the other ingredients. Put it in the microwave on full power and heat for one minute intervals, whisking between, until it starts to get thick. It took me 4, 1 minute times, and it started to bubble and thicken. Push through a fine mesh to remove the bits of zest. Then you pour it into jars or bowls or whatever and refrigerate where it will finish thickening. I didn't have the mesh and don't mind the bits of zest. I eat it just as is but you can have it on ice cream, fruit, yogurt......

The weather forecast was not good for today but although grey, it wasn't raining so I set out to find the archaeological site at Kourion, about 30 km west of here. I drove up into the village but the road was closed, so I cut through a back road I had walked, but the other road was closed. I either had to negotiate my way through the very narrow, winding roads of the village to get to the only other road I knew of that went down the hill, or double back and get out through the Bay (that's what I did)

I had a garbage bag full of recycling in the trunk so was pleased to find these on the road out of the Bay. Wine bottles in the right hand one, next one gets paper and cardboard, one on the left gets plastic and cans. I had 3 weeks worth to get rid of.

I drove along the B6, could have taken the A6 (motorway), they are parallel, but wanted the quieter road and being able to stop and look, take pictures, etc. The road goes through a British Army base in Akrotiri:
In 1960, a treaty of establishment allowed Cyprus to become an independent Republic, free from British control. Within the agreement, two Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) at Akrotiri and Dhekelia were identified as real estate that would remain as British sovereign territory and therefore remain under British jurisdiction. (from www.army.mod.uk - deployments)

It is in a lovely location, the residential area is pristine and has large houses, there is a huge playing field area, riding stables, a beach, a clay shooting area. The roads are perfect, hedges are trimmed and there are lots of signs telling you "No photographs!". The base itself is surrounded by a tall fence topped with barbed wire.
Just beyond it I came to a brown sign (these are tourist signs) for The Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates. I thought I would fit this in if I had time on my way back from Kourion but as it wasn't raining, and might at any time, I decided to stop here first.

Paperwhites in bloom next to the bathroom (my first stop)

There has been a Sanctuary here since the early Bronze Age (2000BC)  when a male fertility God, Hylates, was worshiped.  He was a deity of Nature.

Just like the worship of Aphrodite, at Kouklia, the cult object was originally a conical stone

As the Romans grew in influence in the area Hylates was incorporated into Apollo, the God of fertility and nature who evolved into a military character as well.

The site is sparsely labelled with diagrams and brief explanations in Greek and English.

There are areas labelled "Dormitories" and "Chief Priest's House"

2 gates, one facing Paphos and one facing Kourion

and

leading to the Sanctuary itself.

Part of a wall was standing and had been restored. You could see what was original and what was reproduction.

You could clamber all over the site, walk in the rooms,

climb the steps, sit on the stones and imagine.

The only area that was covered and fenced off was the baths

Part of the floor remains in place

This room has an almost complete floor

with a little corner of mosaic.

The entire complex was destroyed by an earthquake in 370AD.

Sanctuary cat

Just a little way up the road a sign directs you to The Stadium. In it's day it held 6,000 spectators.

From here I continued down the road to Kourion but it was another 160 picture day and I need to do some more culling. The next post will have to wait.