• Around 9pm, arrived airport.

Airport deco for merry Christmas and new year.

Still got time before assembly time, so we go to McDonalds for the early supper and snack, it night fly to Dubai, when reach Dubai already early in the morning, then transit to Cyprus.

Beautiful Guanyi (in Chinese) sculpture come across while at the airport. Guanyin (觀音) is short for Guanshiyin, which means "[The One Who] Perceives the Sounds of the World." for Eastern Asia. Similar like Western world Goddess of Mercy and India Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. Piece of art.

After checked in all the bag and issue boarding pass, it time to go inside and waiting for departure.

11pm, another cup of drink while for departure an hour a way.

It transit flight from KLIA to Dubai, then to Cyprus.

Digital travel journal write at that time and before, for the trip.

Vietnam Air uniform? beautiful, they seem to tap the image of the culture of Vietnam, that should be the way to be, marketing the uniqueness.

In flight midnight meal on board.

Upon arrival Dubai, it midnight before sunrise. At least being regional gateway, the shop, restaurant and drink store all is open. It at least make the time easy going by walking here and there, take a cup of coffee or take meal or snack.

I like this photo, I take it from the second floor, when arrival, one scene capture all people in coffee table, either talking with each other or using a smartphone.

An advertisement sign for seasonal favourite, I end up buying one of it, while waiting for the transit to Cyprus.

Arrived Cyprus. The rest of the real journey is begin, after 2 flights over.

This abstract painting seem like tell me, welcome to land of christianity.

This seems like Aphrodite in Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess of sexual love and beauty, identified with Venus by the Romans.

Hello and welcome to Cyprus. An advertisement sign saw while by a store in the airport.

Christmas seasonal decoration.

First sightseeing place is historic lakefront mosque, being an important Muslim pilgrimage site. The site a bit of small in scale, it only got one pillar, in particular after you visit those giant size mosque like Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, White Mosque in Cairo, Egypt and Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco. My experience over here is a lot of cats, moving around.

Umm Haram (Turkish: Hala Sultan) was the wife of Ubada bin al-Samit, a companion of the Prophet Muhammed.

Hala Sultan Tekke complex is composed of a mosque, mausoleum, minaret, cemetery, and living quarters for men and women. The term tekke (convent) applies to a building designed specifically for gatherings of a Sufi brotherhood, or tariqa, and may have referred to an earlier feature of the location. The present-day complex, open to all and not belonging to a single religious movement, lies in a serene setting on the shores of the Larnaca Salt Lake, which appears to be an important site also in prehistory. Hala Sultan Tekke is a listed Ancient Monument.

It being know as the fourth holiest place for Muslims in the world. Remark: no 1 site is Masjid al-Haram at Makkah, since every Muslim has to be Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. Not only is it the largest mosque in the world, but it also encases the Kaaba. No 2 site is Al-Masjid an-Nabawi at Madinah,it the Prophet Muhammad mosque. No 3 site is Al-Aqsa Mosque at Jerusalem.

Before left, stop by taking the photo at lakefront with mosque as background.

We walk to the church, local encounter ask for the donation and in return sing a Christmas related song in return, it need provide me the Christmas feel.

Iconostasis of the Church of St. Lazarus

It reminds me like Greek food, food table of meze. Of course here is under strong influence of Greece, and North with Turkey. Dish after dish, small dishes that make up the meal.

I like the scene capture, the old man is swimming and after that come up from the sea, I wait for him to take his bicycle and in the middle of the shoot, to take it. Enjoy the framing and wait for the shutter taken while saw the viewfinder.

Another scene I like, what walk along the beach, this mother and her daughter, I believe watching the sea and feed sea birds, make the scene where all seabirds is surrounding. I saw a while before taking the scene, as I enjoy the scene too.

Resort checked in, and have buffet dinner in resort.

While on the way to resort, outside already saw the early sunset (it winter season) it start, lucky after checked in the room, still can see the sunset moment from room balcony.

Angel deco on the table, saw while in the resort for buffer dinner.

After hotel buffet breakfast, we continue the journey. Before that, after finishing breakfast, we go to the beach have a walk first.

Morning drive to Lefkosia (Nicosia), the largest city, capital of Cyprus at the centre of the island and has history traced back to the Bronze Age. It is located near the centre of the Mesaoria plain, on the banks of the River Pedieos. It became capital by the Lusignans who turned it into a magnificent city with a Royal Palace.

First stop is The Liberty Monument, a memorial park.

St. John Cathedral

Follow with the walk and visit St. John's Cathedral. It just next to Archibishop's Palace. The day have event, saw the TV broadcasting and reporter is follow the event. We wait a while after the that before we enter into the cathedral.

St. John Cathedral was built by Archbishop Nikiforos in 1662 and is dedicated to St. John Theologian. It is a small single-aisled church with Franco-Byzantine architectural elements. It is the only church in Lefkosia (Nicosia) in which the whole of the internal wall paintings from the 18th century have survived in theirs entirely. Come here mainly to see fresco inside St John's Cathedral.

Walk through the old city within the Venetian walls to admire its unique architecture. During the walk visit the House of Chatzigeorgakis Kornesios which is the most important 18th century building in Lefkosia (Nicosia).

Cyprus Museum

Once the residence of the Dragoman Chatzigeogakis Kornesios, it now house the Cyprus Ethnological meseum.

Next stop is Cyprus museum, Archeological museum displaying many artifacts from island excavations, from pottery to sculptures. I have a good time here, very informative visit and come across interesting objects. Since can not take photo, I bought museum collection book as a gift for the trip.

The last 3 photo is pick from internet search, since museum prohibit taking photos, so do not take any photos during the visit inside.

Selimiye Mosque, Nicosia, North Cyprus

After that, we visit old district of the city, have lunch near the border. After lunch visit Northern Cyprus. When arrived in Northern Cyprus, first thing is to visit Selimiye Camii, Airy mosque in a 13th-century Catholic cathedral with Gothic architecture & white interior walls. Follow with visit to the Büyük Han, Historic 16th-century inn, now a shopping center with boutique shops, cafes & a courtyard. And then hanging in the Main Street before assembly time passing back the border control.

Selimiye Mosque, historically known as Cathedral of Saint Sophia, is a former Roman Catholic cathedral converted into a mosque, located in North Nicosia. It is the main mosque of the city. The Selimiye Mosque is housed in the largest and oldest surviving Gothic church in Cyprus (interior dimensions: 66 X 21 m) possibly constructed on the site of an earlier Byzantine church.

In total, the mosque has a capacity to hold 2500 worshipers with 1750 m² available for worship. It is the largest surviving historical building in Nicosia, and according to sources, it "may have been the largest church built in the Eastern Mediterranean in the millennium between the rise of Islam and the late Ottoman period". It was the coronation church for the Lusignan kings of Cyprus.

A local kid bicycling and smile with me.

Omeriye mosque was converted into a mosque in 1571 by Mustapha Pasha, who believes that the original 14th century Augustinian church of St. Mary was built on the post where prophet Omer rested.

Büyük Han

Limassol Old Port

While back to Limassol, go to The fish market restaurant at old port area, for the dinner first before back to the resort.

Kolossi Castle is a former Crusader stronghold on the south-west edge of Kolossi village 14 kilometres (9 mi) west of the city of Limassol on the island of Cyprus. It held great strategic importance in the Middle Ages, and contained large facilities for the production of sugar from the local sugarcane, one of Cyprus's main exports in the period. The original castle was possibly built in 1210 by the Frankish military, when the land of Kolossi was given by King Hugh I to the Knights of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (Hospitallers).

The present castle was built in 1454 by the Hospitallers under the Commander of Kolossi, Louis de Magnac, whose coat-of-arms can be seen carved into the castle's walls.

Owing to rivalry among the factions in the Crusader Kingdom of Cyprus, the castle was taken by the Knights Templar in 1306, but returned to the Hospitallers in 1313 following the abolition of the Templars.

The castle today consists of a single three-storey keep with an attached rectangular enclosure or bailey about 30 by 40 metres (98 by 131 ft).

As well as for its sugar, the area is also known for its sweet wine, Commandaria. At the wedding banquet after King Richard the Lionheart's marriage to Berengaria of Navarre at nearby Limassol, he allegedly declared it to be the "wine of kings and the king of wines." It has been produced in the region for millennia, and is thought to be the oldest continually-produced and named wine in the world, known for centuries as "Commandaria" after the Templars' Grand Commandery there.

Next stop Kourion.

Kourion

Kourion was an important ancient city-state on the southwestern coast of Cyprus. In the twelfth century BCE, after the collapse of the Mycenaean palaces, Greek settlers from Argos arrived on this site.

In the seventeenth century, Kourion suffered from five heavy earthquakes, but the city was partly rebuilt. The acropolis of Kourion, located 1.3 km southwest of Episkopi and 13 km west of Limassol, is located atop a limestone promontory nearly 100 metres high along the coast of Episkopi Bay.

The Kourion archaeological area lies within the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dhekelia and is managed by the Cyprus Department of Antiquity.

Come to Kourion historical ruins site mainly is to see two importance piece of item: Mosaic in the floor with historical mosaic and Kourion's Greco-Roman theatre.

Greco Roman Theatre and the House of Eustolis originally a private Roman village, that became a public recreation centre during the early Christian period.

Fall to sleep while travel from Ancient Kourion to Omodos Village, wake up only when arrived. Come here mainly to visit the The Monastery of the Holy Cross, have a lunch and visit local souvenir and gift shop.

Omodos village is one of the most beautiful and traditional villages on the island. The wine producing village of Omodos, built on the Troodos Hillsides amidst expanses of vines, with its narrow cobbled streets.

Monastery of the Holy Cross and the medieval wine press and enjoy a whine tasting in one of the villager's wine cellar.

Spacious mall offering fashionable retail stores, a food court, ice-skating rink & bowling alley.

Today time will be excursion to the town of Pafos, listed UNESCO world heritage site. Pafos was the capital of Cyprus for a long period of time in antiquity. Along the way, make few stops.

Petra tou Romiou, the place where, according to the Greek mythology Aphrodite, the Goddess of beauty and love was born.

Petra tou Romiou, also known as Aphrodite's Rock, is a sea stack in Paphos, Cyprus. It is located off the shore along the main road from Paphos to Limassol. The combination of the beauty of the area and its status in mythology as the birthplace of Aphrodite makes it a popular tourist location. The Romans widely referred to her as Venus. A local myth is that any person who swims around the Aphrodite Rock will be blessed with eternal beauty.

Continue to the village Yeroskipou visit the Byzantine church Ayia Paraskevi, dating to the 9th century Kato Pafos, visit Chrysopolitissa Church, built in 13th century over the ruins of the largest Early Byzantine basilica on the island.

Geroskipou is a coastal town in Cyprus, east of Paphos. Its current population is approximately 7,000 and it is the second largest municipality in the Paphos District. Yeroskipou, with its remarkable five-domed Byzantine church of Agia Paraskevi, and its Folk Art Museum, is a popular tourist destination.

After visiting the five-domed Byzantine church, I went to a local candy making store to show how they make the candy and bought one, since it comes with an alcohol Ouzo drink favor I missed during the Greece trip.

Tombs of the kings spread over a vast area. These impressive underground tombs date back to the 4th century BC. They are craved out of a solid rock with some being decorated with Doric Pillars.

The Tombs of the Kings is a large necropolis lying about two kilometres north of Paphos harbour in Cyprus. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After lunch visit archaeological park, where the House of Dionysos, House of Lion, and the House of Thysseus are located. The mosaic floors of these noblemen's villas dating from, the 3rd to 5th century AD are considered among the finest in Eastern Mediterranean.

Paphos Archaeological Park (also Kato Pafos Archaeological Park) contains the major part of the important ancient Greek and Roman City and is located in Paphos, southwest Cyprus. The park, still under excavation, is within the Nea Pafos ("New Paphos") section of the coastal city.

Its sites and monuments date from prehistoric times through the Middle Ages. Among the most significant remains so far discovered are four large and elaborate Roman villas: the House of Dionysos, the House of Aion, the House of Theseus and the House of Orpheus, all with superb preserved mosaic floors, especially an Orpheus mosaic.^[2] In addition, excavations have uncovered an Agora, Asklipieion, Basilica, Odeion, Hellenistic-Roman Theatre, and a necropolis known as the "Tombs of the Kings".

In 1980 Nea Pafos was inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO for its outstanding ancient remains.