We arrived on Saturday, rested Sunday and went to the local market on Monday. By Tuesday we were ready to explore. We took the local bus to Famagusta on the east coast
below the panhandle of Karpaz. It is an old walled city with some interesting
ruins. There is an old cathedral, which was converted into a mosque (Lala Mustafa Pasha Mosque), something
fairly unique. And whether you look at it as a church or a mosque, it's a lovely building. We had an expensive but superb mixed grill lunch followed by the best baklava in our travels so far. It was a fun excursion
and we were back by early afternoon and well in time for the marina’s social event - movie night
at 8PM… bean bag chairs, free popcorn and “Fast and Furious 7” playing. The movie was heavy on testosterone and light on plot, but the bean bags and popcorn were great! :)
We rented a car mid-morning the following day and drove the northern coastal road to Girne (Kyrenia). We walked along the small quaint harbor front, had a bite in a local kebaperie, then headed from sea level up to the mountaintop and St. Hilarion Castle, a full on fairy tale castle, perched on top of vertical cliffs overlooking the coast and hillsides. This castle is said to have been the inspiration for the wicked witch's castle in Disney's Snow White animation. 
We made the most of our 24-hour car rental and headed
to the east end of the Karpaz peninsula early the next day to see more of the countryside and to visit the wild donkeys that roam free there. They aren’t so much “wild”
as they are “liberated”, since they were supposedly domestic critters before
the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974. When the Greek Cypriots living in
the area had to flee to the south, many donkeys were abandoned and left
to fend for themselves. They seem to have done an exemplary job of it. They were adorable and we made fast friends with several, who were happy to be bed, patted and photographed... but mainly to be fed.with Equanimity and Joy
