Day 6 (March 19, 2015): A logistical plan enacted in full

If there was ever a day when logistics had to work like clockwork on a Dave & Pam tour, it was today for our return to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. 

The alarm went off at 6:30AM and we were enjoying the fine buffet spread at the Crowne Plaza by 7:45AM.  We pulled out of the hotel by 8:30AM and started phase 1 of a 5-phase logistics plan to get us from the south coast to the north coast.  Since rental cars cannot be taken across the border, the plan went like this:

1. Drive rental car from Limassol to Avis in Nicosia. 

2. Taxi from Avis to the Ledmas Street pedestrian border crossing.

3. Do Cyprus and Turkish border formalities. 

4.  Taxi from the Turkish side to Ercan Airport. 

5.  Pick up new rental car from Ercan and drive through the mountains to Kyrenia on the north coast. 

We stopped for a couple of viewpoints along the way to Limassol:

The view of Limassol beach

The flat white rocks of Governor's Beach

Waiting our turn at the Cyprus border crossing, we noticed this sign. Despite the decades that have passed, the separation between the north and south remains deeply bitter. 

Our new rental car was a Hyundai manual with 75,000km on the odometer. We had to climb a steep mountain range to get to Kyrenia, and at times we wondered if the buggy would even make it. 

Somehow we had pictured Kyrenia as a sleepy fishing town. But with 33,000 citizens and tons of tourists, it is a super-busy place.  Our hotel is right on the water near the Old Port - very comfortable. 

Here is the Old Port, with the Kyrenia Mountain Range in the background. 

The highlight of our afternoon walking the Old Town was our visit to the Kyrenia Castle, parts of which date from the 13th century. 

While Halifax is still digging out from over 70cm of snow this week alone, the spring wildflowers are in full bloom all over Cyprus. Including inside the castle. 

The Turkish and Cypriot Turkish flags fly in tandem all over North Cyprus, including from one of the castle's bastions. 

The most gruesome part of the castle is the dungeon, complete with horrific factual stories of those who were tortured and killed there. 

The oldest mosque in town provided a quick peek inside. 

And amidst a population that is pretty well competely Muslim, a few brave Anglicans maintain a brave presence wth a small, peaceful church. 

We had heard there was a beach further west along the coast from Kutenai, so in the late afternoon we set out to find it. It didn't turn out to be much of a beach. But we did find the ruins of an old church that looked stunning in the setting sunlight. 

And a rugged coastal view that was quite spectacular. 

So that's the kind of day it has been: logistics and neat sights. We ended it at a low-key restaurant recommended by Lonely Planet, and I did a late run through the Old Town.  And that's a wrap on March 19th. Our last touring day will start early, so good night!