Androlikou

Beautiful again, sunshine all day and very warm.

Up early, headed for breakfast.  It wasn't long after, when the hired car arrived.  After battling with navigation tools, we finally set off to explore.  First stop was for a coffee at Giolou, then headed to Polis.  A walk around the town, and lunch in a local café.  We headed to Limni Pier, the sea was too choppy, so headed to Latsi beach, had a swim in the sea.  We took a quiet road that lead us to the stunning village of Neo Chorio, another coffee break.  Sat-Nav took us on a very remote road to the village of Androlikou, then headed back towards the hotel.  First time spotting two European Rollers, beautiful birds, some big lizards too.  Dinner in the hotel, then another quiet night, driving again tomorrow. 

There really is some fascinating history around Cyprus, but on the flip side, some sad history too.  As we arrived in the village, I first thought all the abandoned houses may have been with the remoteness.  I quick look online, it had once been a thriving community of Turkish Cypriot, peaking at 498 in 1973.  During the 1974 war, Turkish men fighting were arrested and held as POW, whilst others fled to the mountains and made for the north.  By 2001, only 2 stayed in the village, rising to 20 today.  Locals today were very cheery and waved as we passed by.  I wonder how the village would have looked today, if there had never been a war.  One of the many old homes in ruins, Androlikou, Cyprus.