So take off your coat and hop in a boat, just messing about on the river 🎶

We have most recently had a fabulous day aboard Bruin who is the sturdy and noble steed of our friend Norman who has kept her afloat and has explored nearly every inch of Britain's navigable waterways and even ventured along the coast to bring Bruin along the Medway.


We met Bruin at Pyrford Marina having passed Wisley church which used to be frequented by senior Woodward's 


The boat is immaculately made and everything has a dual purpose or at the very least a neat way of folding in order to be stowed 


One among many- the boats at Pyrford


Heading out we passed through some flat locks which are actually flood gates


We passed a ruined Priory


Ahoy there!


Some parts had quite an industrial feel. There is a new marina being built just beyond here.


We went along to... well we were here:



For lunch here:


And a cup of tea afterwards here:


And then a leisurely run back through the locks to Pyrford. I learned that there are techniques to locks which make it easier and better for the boat rather than just opening and shutting them as quickly as possible


We passed this lock which apparently moved... I must remember to look up why!


Going down


Waiting to be collected after doing the lock


Here they come


Along the way the was wildlife - I also saw a real kingfisher


A pike?





Some kind of insect


You go all year without seeing a single narrow boat...


🦆 


And safely back 


Surrounded by a flotilla in the marina




Tying her up for the night
And last but not least the final sculpture we spotted -ratty?




So off to research the lock that moved good night all xxx

Coffee, Cake and Karsiyaka

Look away Joyce (she is going to this monastery another time and don't want to ruin the surprise!)

We went to Karme which is a village up in the mountains which is a real Little Britain- it is a little more European than that but there has been a real export of British parochial culture right down to coffee mornings...



The expat money has meant that the village has been done up a lot and is very picturesque but there is also a sort of artificial feel to it. However the view of the mountains is always real!


View down to the sea from a higher road...


The church tower ...


And on the way down in a lower more ramshackle village is the basket shop...


love it...


The scrapes on the old church walls where years of vehicles have scraped it and a large basket for a multitude of cats... (who would no doubt ignore it anyway)


We took the high road along through the mountains exploring many dead end narrow roads - main roads and dead ends all look alike and sign posting is all a matter of whim 


A monastery we didn't get to that is now an old people's home


We found monasteri sokak but the car was not up to the large stones that kept emerging from the road surface so we stopped for our picnic

Then Woody and I continued up by foot to explore the terrain and see how long it would take us to get to the ruins that appeared quite distant from the glimpse we could see
From the car park...


Nearly there...


And then suddenly after a mere 7 minutes up....


The way in i found....


It had a lovely atmosphere and a beauty to it that was very special


The view from the window...


Inside


The old church...


The ruins have a fabulous view up to the mountains and down to the sea


The old water course- it went to a shaped place where there were sinks and it then went on further into a pool. As we were here we heard the magical sound of goat bells ever moving and eventually we did see some up in the heights 


At this monastery there were oranges....


And a modern water fountain in honour of her maj. not working though! These features are scattered across the island...


We took the road through the mountain peaks past st hilarion and this is the view to the south...


And this is the view to the north...



Dinner was with a friend with an interesting history and was at Mevhane which served traditional Cypriot foods with a wealth of
Meze, my favourite being the aubergine dip. We think it was cooked by a flame giving it a smoky texture and then the skin removed so it had no purple colour to give it away...


You get entertained by traditional music if you like it! They come from table to table and sing and play


And on return the view of a flood lit st hilarion to help you to sleep xxx