Second Day Oop't Karpaz

Great sleep in our barn room.  Very comfortable bed.  Woke up to the sound of silence and the sea and the sun shining outside.  The hotel has wireless but at the moment that didn't extend to our barn.  So, up and off to breakfast and to pick up mails.  The lovely owners said we were welcome to stay on till 1pm so we decided to spend the morning at the hotel beach.  Its a lovely stretch of golden sand with crystal clear water and very gently shelving. 
​Breakfast was a Turkish affair with salad, cheeses, omelette, yoghurt with honey, toast with jams.  A good spread and included in the room rate of about £45 for 2 for the night.  Really amazing value. 
​Stayed on the beach till around 1230, just swimming and enjoying the water.  It was so warm.  Didn't want to leave really.  It would have taken very little to persuade us to stay for another night... However.. we went back and showered and checked out.  Will definitely be back.
​Headed off to Cantara Castle about half way back to the Villa.  It is one of the three great crusader era castles built atop the Besparmak mountains.  Believed to have been built in Byzantine times, it is first mentioned in connection with Richard the Lionheart in around 1191.  A mighty castle of over 100 rooms, it is reached up a very winding and steep road from the coast and is right at the point where the "arm" of the Karpaz begins.  The views from the summit are truly amazing.  You can see the sea on both sides of the peninsular looking northeast.  No wonder they built there, no one would take them by surprise.  
​We stopped for lunch at the Cantara restaurant in the village.  Just a snack salad really, but very welcome.  It was a lovely spot in a garden amongst the pine forests.  Once you get up in the mountains above the coastal plain, it is all pine woods.
​The ascent to the castle is up rock steps and quite steep but the views make the exercise worth it.  I thought it much more picturesque than St. Hilarion.   Although it was a bit hazy with the heat, we could make out Famagusta in one direction, the sea on both sides of the peninsula and Turkey across to the north.  Fantastic.
​Got home about 530, rather tired.  Had a rest and then out for dinner to our local stalwart, Tervetuloa.   A small meze, grill, dessert, coffee and brandy for £12.  Total bargain. 

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