Cyprus - saying goodbye.

Saying goodbye has been harder this time. This is the first time I have really felt connected to a place and the people I have met here. Numerous members of the two walking groups expressed a hope that I would return and it was mentioned that if I did go to Crete (which is my plan) next year..."It's not that far away, you could come back to visit". 

My last painting class and we focused on skies.

Judith said that she hope I would come back to class if I came back to Cyprus.

She said she had enjoyed the experience of teaching again as the rest of her students are now so proficient it is just a case of making occasional suggestions.

Nikki and John had me over for a drink and nibbles as a send off and I took them over the flowers and herbs that I had purchased back in January, for them to plant in their new garden.

Jimmy, Kay and I had a lovely goodbye dinner at Saffron, the Indian restaurant in Pissouri Bay

and I got up the courage to gift them my painting of Pissouri as they are moving away next month. Jimmy said, of me leaving, that it is like a "mate" moving away. He said the biggest compliment that an English man can give is calling you a mate.

My last day was spent packing, organizing, cleaning and sitting in the sun at every opportunity. Loucas (taxi) came and picked me up at 2pm.

The drive to Larnaca flew by as Loucas had been 11 and living with his family in Famagusta in 1974 when the Turks invaded. His family had to evacuate and start all over again, first in Limassol and then in Pissouri. His father had had a landscaping company and after working for someone else for a while was able to buy a machine and build up his business again. Loucas has only been back once and was very sad to see the dilapidation of what he described as a beautiful, vibrant city. He said that they all still have hope that they can return and still think of it as home.

My hotel is a block from the coast and a small fishing harbour.

No pleasure boats here, they are all small fishing boats and a couple of scuba diving boats.

An area to clean fish.

A stretch of high rise apartment blocks and hotels

and a wide sand beach

with a few people swimming and a couple of wind surfers.

 

Early flight tomorrow morning. The next blog post will be from home.