Thursday 26 May Salamis to Famagusta (12 miles)

We are up early and get to breakfast before 7:30, the idea being to get to Salamis before everyone else, which we do, and it's deserted...just us and lots of starred agamae (the largest lizard in the island), some of which have lost their tails. Before we leave our hotel I talk with a group of Swedes, who are at our hotel for a reunion of those who served in the UN forces that were here in 1974. They point out that the situation in Cyprus since 1974 is merely the workings of a ceasefire and not a permanent solution. We walk all over the remains of the Roman saunas, gymnasium and theatre, and even cycle to the basilica near the beach with its diamond shaped pieces of mosaic...it would be quite a walk otherwise. We are now only a stones throw from the sea, and we swim and sunbathe and I go looking for the remains of the Roman harbour, now largely submerged. There are hundreds of shards of pottery here, all smoothed by the waves over the years. After a while we cycle along the dual carriageway (which for some reason is largely devoid of cars) and then enter Famagusta, with its mass of doner and shish kebab eateries. We find our lovely hotel, the Arkin Palm Beach Hotel - quite an attractive Art Deco building with beach and pool at the front. It is right next to the ruined and abandoned part of Famagusta known as Varosha. For 42 years mile after mile of hotels and apartments have been left to decay. It's a military area and photography is forbidden. To the North and West we can see the Kyrenia mountains which taper towards the Karpaz peninsula. What a long way we've cycled!