Day 32: Rainy Streets of Nikosia

Today we drove to Nikosia (helpfully signposted 'Lefkosia' at random times, as though there was a secret plot to ensure great confusion and, if possible, prevent entrance altogether).  It was, I can safely say, cold and rainy today. Other days I hesitated to use the word 'cold' as I remember the temperatures in the minus numbers in Scotland, but today I was very thankful for my hoodie and, I must confess, a little miserable for a while.  It was dark, and wet, and we got lost. Walked for many minutes in the wrong direction.  I remember thinking that if I was by myself I would probably turn back and just go home.  But I know that there is only one way to enjoy life and build creativity and that is to go places, even if it's cold and you're lost.

Soon we found our way and we dandered the streets of Nikosia (Lefkosia?), did a little window shopping ("Oooh, I like that! I'd buy that for her and that for them...okay, let's go"), and even crossed the border to the northern part of Cyprus.  (A lot of history there...for another day.)  We saw a few mosques, more photogenic walls and windows, Cypriot cats and a tiny kitten who danced and pounced one minute and sat yawning the next, and then walked a much shorter route back to the truck.

And then the torrential rain began.  Blinding rain that slows you from 100km/hour to 40.  It was not easy driving, but soon I noticed that there was an entire queue of cars pulling over at the shoulder to stop altogether. It was as though this rain was so intense they were just refusing to drive in it at all.  I did have some sympathy - it was wild, and more fierce than I have seen in a while, and certainly more than I expected here in Cyprus - but how funny to experience the difference between countries!  In Scotland they slow down by perhaps ten miles an hour (and some don't slow at all), and keep driving on.  Here they stopped entirely, put on the hazard lights, and waited it out.  But I drove on, and got soaked to the skin once I left the truck...ahhh, Cyprus!

Walk length: 2 hours+