Day Three: Nicosia/Lefkosia- the last divided capitol in the world.

16th Century map of Nicosia from the Leventis Museum showing its Venetian 'petal' walls

An art nouveau style door from 1909 in Nicosia

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Day Two: Kolassi Castle, Ancient Kourion Ruins and Beach, and Aphrodite’s Rock

Kolossi Castle

Me in an archway of the Basilica in Ancient Kourion

View to the Rock of Aphrodite.

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The sunny beach of Limassol!

Hello! After a long hiatus from travel blogging I AM BACK! I have been living in London since the Fall of 2010, attending graduate school, and I have another blog which is dedicated to my London experience soon to come: Londinner.com. I will also add something about London to this blog.

I have had some other small travel excursions since I moved to London: a weekend in Paris, a hellish 36 hour return flight to the US during the snow dusting of Western Europe in order to have much needed friend and family holiday time, and a class trip to Belgium. However I have chosen my next two trips to include on the blog: Cyprus and Spain. For the second week of April I am spending the week in Cyprus with my roommate, M. We will be staying with family friends in Limassol and visiting various places around the island and relaxing. The reason I decided to visit Cyprus is: the possibility for good weather/beach, the Byzantine icons, and Meze (Turkish/Greek/Syrian/Lebanese/axis of evil version of Tapas…see my Turkey posts for more on this). Also I enjoy the family friends we are staying with so that was another reason to visit!

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3/28-3/31

Mango truck

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3/20-3/30 FOOD FROM AYACUCHO, CUSCO, AND LIMA! INCLUDING MY “LAST MEAL”!

AMAZING TACU TACU FROM PUNTA AZUL

Great group shot at AlmaZen for my last meal!

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3/24/10-3/27/10

Cleaning a St. Michael statue from the top of La Cathedral

One of the cusco school paintings and frames I purchased

detail

The purpose of this visit to Cusco was to speak to artisans and workshops that produce Colonial Cusco School style paintings. I arrived to Cusco on my own but I met up with Erin, a good friend from high school, as well as with Gloria, Renee, Anita, and Carey (Renee’s father) who arrived the day after I did. Unlike Ayacucho, I did not have an art exporter to help me find workshops so I had to go around and ask the artisans who had shops if I could see their workshops. Most of them shook their heads and said that their workshops were too far away to visit easily. My limited Spanish was also a hindrance and I depended both on my friends and people that I met in Cusco to help me communicate more smoothly. In the end I was able to visit one painting workshop which was very fruitful. I am very pleased that I was able to return to Cusco as I found it rewarding in terms of my Gelman Project and had a lot of fun with my friends as well.

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3/27/10

Handing down the craft to the next generation! (photo courtesy of the artist) www.pinturascusco.galeon.com

This Cusco Painting School workshop was exactly what I wanted to see in Cusco! I was initially very impressed by these Colonial style paintings when I came to Cusco back in February and since then I have become determined to see a workshop that produces these reproductions and reinterpretations of 16th-18th century Cusco School paintings.   My goal, as it is with all the workshops I have been visiting, is to see the technique, the materials, and find out how the workshop is organized.

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3/22-3/23/10

Mari's Collection at Las Pallas Shop and Gallery: Perfecto!

Courtyard at Las Pallas shop and gallery

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3/19-3/21/10 Ayacucho!

Plaza de Armas! That is the main Cathedral up ahead with its Easter decorations on the outside

Top of the hill, visiting workshops!

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