The Legacy of Joseph Barnabas in Cyprus

No cameras allowed in the museum, so I took this photo from the museum guidebook I purchased.

This morning we walked to the archaeological museum in Nicosia. The building is not that impressive, but the collection of artifacts is stunning. Interestingly, the descriptions of the artifacts in the display cases were done with an old, manual typewriter–as in predating electric typewriters. I hope that the next time we go to the museum, we can go with an archaeologist so that we can ask all sorts of questions.

On our walk back to CAARI, we crossed paths with Daniel Hadjittofi, the director of the Fulbright Commission, and Keith Peterson, the new public affairs officer of the United States Embassy to Cyprus. Daniel asked if we would like to join them for lunch. I immediately said, “Yes.” We had a stimulating conversation about Cypriot politics over an extended lunch.

The Fulbright staff in Nicosia have been very friendly and accommodating. Ioli even tried to arrange for a portable AC unit to put in our blistering hot apartment. We don’t know if the CAARI administrators will allow it to happen. Dealing with heat seems to be a dreaded but accepted part of life here in the center. One woman goes around with a wet scarf around her neck. Another puts a wet towel on her forehead when she goes to bed. But we are grateful to be here conducting research on issues that we consider to be important.