Kouklia, Cyprus - Aphrodite again

We slept until 8 (Nic and Dave went to bed at about 9) and came upstairs to a sunny day. A leisurely coffee on the balcony day. After showers and breakfast we drove up the coast. Along a road that is technically closed. I had to drive around barriers to get on to it. I am normally a law abiding, barrier obeying citizen, but the bus drives this way and it is a lovely road along the coast and I wanted Nic and Dave to see it  - officer.

We pulled off the road to admire the coast.

The sea had lovely blues and turquoises today as we looked up the coast

to Aphrodite's Rock.

At the side of the road there was a little shrine like an church

red hearts as well as icons inside.

Nicola and Dave explored the beach area and I sat on a rock, in the sun,

contemplating the variety of colours in the rocks and pebbles

and listening to the waves on the pebble beach:

Nicola loves crashing waves. Photo by Nicola.

We drove up to Kouklia and wandered the Sanctuary of Aphrodite. I was starting Nic and Dave with the least impressive of the archaeological sites. 

The location is lovely, high on a hill overlooking the sea but the site has few mosaics and those or not as intricate as other sites. Much of the site has been destroyed by earthquakes and plundered for the building materials. It does however have the oldest religious article I have ever seen, the black rock worshiped prior to the time of the Romans and their introduction of human looking Gods.

It takes a lot of imagination to visualize the temple (in it's various stages) and the city that surrounded it.

While Nic and Dave went into the museum, I sat on a rock and sketched some rocks (remains of columns, steps and architectural elements) and then noticed others enjoying the sun. A Starred Agama

and another one. These are the largest of Cyprus' lizards and can be up to 35cm long.

We walked into the village and ate at the taverna that a number of people have recommended, Gabriel's, that wasn't open when I was last there.

Dave had pork souvlaki and Sheftalia (Cypriot pork and lamb sausage) with salad and chips (of course). Nicola and I shared a Haloumi (Cypriot goat and sheep milk, brined cheese that can be grilled) salad and Koupepia (vine leaves stuffed with rice, ground pork and herbs and cooked in tomato and lemon juice) and chips!

We drove home on the motorway (no more going around barriers for me) and stopped at Papantoniou's for a quick grocery shop. It had cooled considerably when we got home and we put the heater and fireplace back on.