Cyprus - Kourion

 Cigi has been traveling now since Christmas Day and slept in many different places. She is finding it difficult to settle and sleep well at night and so we decided we would need to take it a bit easier on her...just do one thing a day, in the morning so she could have her afternoon nap, then some activity around the house and village, then supper, evening routine and bed. Hoping she will settle into the place better. So this morning we set off to Kourion, about half an hour East.

We drove along the B6 rather than the highway so I could show then the British Army Base, a little chapel and some coastal views. We stopped at the visitors centre for a map and brochure which Chris and Jason took turns reading from )depending who had Cigi at the time.

 

 First stop the large, covered Roman Villa with two rooms of mosaics.

It sat on the edge of the hill with lovely views of the fertile plain, long beach and the sea.

It doesn't matter how many times I see them, their detail

and survival, amaze me.

Because nature tries to take it back

and subsequent occupiers are rarely kind.

The Amphitheatre is still used for performances and what a view.

Chris, Jason and Cigi explored "The Earthquake House" that had been destroyed by an earthquake and never rebuilt so when it was excavated everything was as it had been that day...skeletons of the family and a donkey, household items etc. I sat it out as I have been to the site twice and wanted to rest my hips after yesterdays walk.

We started with CiGi in a stroller but soon realized that the site isn't entirely accessible so Jason used the chest carrier and sometimes she insisted on walking/running/climbing.

According to what we read, the city covered the hill, the sea side plain, the river valley and up towards the Trodos Mountains. We knew there were ruins beneath the paths we walked on and there is ample evidence of structures with columns and stones just lying around.

The ground isn't flat, its lumpy with stones peeking through

covered with grass, flowers, shrubs and trees (Carob and Olive)

Clambering in the Christian Basilica area.

We walked and we read

in the Agora,

the baths (cold, warm, hot and steam) and the cisterns. But turned around with out reaching the final 3 villas.

We had planned to eat at one of the restaurants down on the beach but thought it better to get home, eat lunch there and get Cigi down for her nap. Miraculously she didn't fall asleep in the car.