Friday, January 28, 2011

Cyprus: Famagusta and Salamis

Famagusta is a city on the Turkish side of Cyprus.  This city was passed around from Venetians to the Ottomans to the British and I think I'm missing some in between.  IMG_6644It has a wall around the city with a fortified gate that has survived the many conquests (note the cannon ball) IMG_6705and within are a collection of Christian churches representing each phase.  Some of them are in ruin from the conquests and some of them have been turned into Mosques (note the minaret).  Not exactly a step towards unification but I guess at least they are maintaining them.  IMG_6663This picture of my dad with Norah sitting side by side is after we had visited a candy shop that only sold Baklava and Turkish Delight.  I had no idea there were so many varieties.  We bought a whole lot of each they were tasting.  Norah loved both even learned to say "Balala."IMG_6698This picture of the building with a big gash in its side is an abandoned hotel and it is one of many abandoned, decaying hotels in the Varosha section of the city.  There This area was the tourist quarter and actually has better beaches than Aqia Napa but all the inhabitants fled in 1974 during the Turkish invasion and never came back.  It is just a ghost town now.  Since the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is not a recognized state(except by Turkey), the tourist industry is pretty much nonexistent in Famagusta now. IMG_6701The pictures of the Greek ruins are in Salamis.  IMG_6732IMG_6734IMG_6746My dad carried Norah on his shoulders for a lot of the trip and she would hold onto his ears. IMG_6724IMG_6725

3 comments:

Hillary and Jonathan said...

Wow, Bryan's bulked up a lot since the last time I saw him!

Ashley said...

These are my comments:
1. I love the pic with Dad sitting next to Norah.
2. What was going on with the wind?
3. Norah has a very cute coat.

Ashley said...

4. Oh yeah, and ears as handles -- that's brilliant.