You Got Cyprus!

Orchiduary [The Sequel]

charis — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 20:16:00 GMT

I'm "forced" to come back to yesterday's theme, as I would like to be fair to the orchids and other flowers which graced my day with their presence, in yet another great, uphill-downhill-dressed-in-cloud-and-mist hike, this time above the village of Lápithos/Lapta.

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A bit of background history first:

Lápithos is one of Cyprus' largest villages, to the point of being considered a small town. It is also one of the island's most picturesque villages, with the limestone rocks of the Pentadaktylos/Besparmak mountain range rising majestically above it [at its highest point of 1031 m.a.s.l.], and the Mediterranean sea washing its feet. The village is bathed in (its own version of) lemon trees - more on this in a future post - and the pine/cypress/carob/olive tree forests of the mountain range. As I mentioned in post "No23. Three in a Row", Lapithos is one of the villages that are visible from the Queen's Window in St. Hilarion Castle above the town of Kyrenia/Girne.

Overall, the area has a very exciting history, as it appears to have archaeological roots dating from 3000BC. Lápithos was recorded as a colony of the Laconians following the Trojan war (1000BC) and was one of the island's 9 ancient city-kingdoms in the 4th century BC. In Roman times, Lápithos was one of four major administrative districts under the name of Lapéthia. For the first 7 centuries AD, commerce in the area flourished - Lápithos was very popular as a copper-processing and earthenware center, together with its produce and its port/shipyard. It's not surprising the town was also called Lámpousa (ie. "shining" in Greek). The Arab raids period (7th-10th cent. AD) was marked by continuous destruction but recovery came by the Byzantines and later during the Lusignan rule, when Lápithos had more inhabitants than Limassol, Famagusta or Paphos. After 1570, much of the land of the wealthy was seized by Ottoman rulers and parts of Lápithos were broken off to become separate villages in the surrounding area. The British turned Lápithos into a municipality.

When Cyprus became an independent country, the municipality was administratively split into 7 different neighborhoods: six of them (parishes) inhabited by Greek Cypriots and one of them (mahallá) by Turkish Cypriots. The 400 TC left their homes in 1963 after the first major clashes between the two communities and moved to an enclave closer to Kyrenia. Post-1974, following the displacement of 5000 Greek Cypriots to the southern part of the island, the village is mostly inhabited by Turkish Cypriots.

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"Legolas, what do your elf eyes see!?".

Without further delay, I hereby present to you what our (not elfish nor selfish ) eyes saw... [missing: fairies and Bambi, everything else was basically there]

* The day's bonus was a visit to the very big flower/cactus garden and photo exhibition of Mr. Hikmet Ulucam (in his house).

Taken from my blog about Cyprus (includes photos): https://yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Orchiduary

charis — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 20:15:00 GMT

O-rchi-du-a-ry [noun]: *

a) The name given to the month of the year when Cypriot Orchids typically blossom. eg. January, February, Orchiduary... etc.

b) The name given to the obituary of an Orchid following the completion of its blossoming period, eg. "Oh, the Daisies read a very touching orchiduary at the Orchids' funeral yesterday", said Rosemary with a tear in its eye.

*Source: Mesmerized Spring Addict's Dictionary :)

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On a more serious note.... (well, sort of!):

If obituaries for Orchids really did exist, my personal dedication for them would go - somewhat - like this: (if in doubt, look at the photos.... can you blame me!?)

"What began as a 25km never-before-attempted-by-myself-and-dear-friends hike to and from the Antiphonitis church in the Pentadaktylos/Besparmak mountain range ended up being a tender, surprising and awed encounter with hundreds, if not thousands, of our beloved Orchids ... which of course meant an analogous amount of photo-ops and tens of stops along the way in order to capture that perfect image of them. Oh, those colors - pink and white and crimson and yellow and green and brown and purple and some hints of electric blue! With every step we took, we noticed even more of them crowding the mountainside above and below the trail. Together with our other natural stars, the Anemones, they created a truly wonderful scenery. Some of these Orchids we had never seen before but it took only milliseconds for them to catch our attention...and our hearts! I can safely say that we left the mountains feeling even more deeply in love with Mother Nature and all of its beautiful gifts.Farewell, our beautiful Orchids. You gave us a day we will remember and cherish forever and we shall gladly look forward to many more future encounters with you. Hasta la proxima!"

Taken from my blog about Cyprus (includes photos): https://yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Here Come the Brides

charis — Mon, 27 Mar 2017 20:06:00 GMT

How else could I describe the thousands of blossomed almond, peach, plum and cherry trees that we come across in the city streets, villages and open fields of Cyprus between February and April? White and pink, large and small, and with a subtle scent of honey (in the case of almond trees), these blossoms are a true pleasure to our eyes and noses and certainly a gift to the bees that fly restlessly from one to the other, faithfully performing their pollinating role.

Soon they will be followed by the orgasmically-scented blossoms of citrus trees... but I'll dedicate another post to those in a couple of weeks.

One of my favorite hiking trails this time of the year is the 14km linear one between Lagouderá village and the monastery of Stavrós tou Ayiasmáti (close to Platanistása village) and that's because it passes through an abandoned orchard of blossomed almond trees. The drive to and from Lagouderá through a number of villages also includes views of many blossomed trees. One can imagine that the temptation to stop the car on the side of the road, cut a few branches and carry them home to put in a vase is irresistible. [Tips: watch out not to get the branches too close to each other, they are so delicate that the flowers will start falling off! Also, devise a way to keep the branches wet until you get home - a very wet napkin wrapped around the base of the branches, with a plastic cover on top to keep the humidity in, should do the trick.]

As for the cherry trees, those need colder weather thus a higher elevation, so the Nicosia-district villages of Kampos and Tsakistra in the Paphos forest [typically described as part of the most "remote" area of the Troodos mountains] are the ideal location to see them before the beginning of the 40-day gestation period after which the cherry fruit is ready for picking. I can personally eat a bucket of wine-colored cherries in one sitting! There is a 10km circular hiking trail (called Panthéa) that starts from Kampos and goes up to the top of the mountain above the village, before bringing you down again through an orchard that allows the opportunity to lie on the grass under the trees. ;)

Taken from my blog about Cyprus (includes photos): https://yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Papouts.....what!?

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:47:00 GMT

Pa – pou – tsó – si – ka!

“Shoe figs”, man, what don’t you get?! :)

I don’t know about you, but I find it very funny that in Cypriot Greek we call the prickly-pear, Opuntia ficus-Indica cactus plant (of Central-American origins) “papoutsosikiá” (παπουτσοσυκιά). Turkish Cypriots call it the báboutsa plant.

The word for the fruit (papoutsósiko, singular) literally means “shoe fig”, not surprisingly because the leaves of the plant look like the sole of a shoe.

Did you know that the whole cactus plant makes for great fire protection because of its slow-burning characteristics? In Cyprus we find it many times surrounding houses and cultivated fields.

If you are tempted to try the very nutritious fruit of the plant (they are freshest and juiciest between June – October), you have two reasons to proceed with caution:

a) the prickles on its skin (water them so that they are softer and easier to remove) and

b) the fruit’s seeds, which cause constipation if consumed in large quantities.

This story was taken from my blog about Cyprus: www.yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Traditional food products: Check!

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:42:00 GMT

Most of the times I am on my way from Nicosia to the Troodos mountain range for a hike, I will make a stop at the traditional bakery and local products store called “O Dípiros Ártos” (Ο Δίπυρος Άρτος) in Akaki village. It is right on the side of the main road in a traditional house. Mrs. Maroulla runs the place (her number is +35799524801).

There you can find freshly baked bread, olive and halloumi-flavored bread, fresh dairy products made of goat’s milk (yogurt, halloumi cheese, anari cheese), wine, dried beans, nuts, pumpkins (when in season), and made-on-the-day deserts like Cyprus halvá.

On the way to the hike, I usually pick up a paper bag of 10 salty, halloumi-flavored pittákia tis sádjis (small sadji pies) for 1 euro. They are addictive, especially when eaten warm! The other option is a larger-in-size, sweet version of the pitta, with honey (also check out my post “Home made goodness”). On the way back from the hike, I stop by again to buy cold, dairy products and anything else that winks at me

* Halloumi cheese usually sells for 8 – 14 euro per kg in Cyprus. The cheaper kind, found in supermarkets or sold overseas, is usually made of cow milk and feels more plastic and mass produced. In this store, I buy it for 11 euro a kilo (usually 4 individually wrapped pieces or 5-6 of them in a bucket with its own juice) and its worth all of it! Oh, not to forget – this one’s made of goat’s milk.

This story was taken from my blog about Cyprus (includind photos): www.yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Does it snow in Cyprus?

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:41:00 GMT

Yes, it does!

With its height of 1952 meters, the Troodos (pronounced Tró-o-dos) mountain range receives the majority of snow flakes falling on the island between December and March*, with the Pentadaktylos/Besparmak range (of 1024 meters height) receiving a sprinkle (that melts usually within 2 days) if the conditions are right. Chionístra or Ólympos are the names given to the highest section of the mountain range.

In the current global climatic conditions, on Troodos the snow can reach a height of 80-100 centimeters. When that happens, Cypriots go nuts to go play with it – which means endless lines of cars (despite the police warnings to use anti-slip car chains) heading to the mountains for the …. ultimate selfie with a snowman.

If you are into the sport, there are 4 designated ski slopes with 8 routes for beginner to advanced skiers.

Otherwise, put on your hiking boots and waterproof gear and join one of the island’s hiking clubs [EOS Leukosias (ΕΟΣ Λευκωσίας) is the one I usually follow] for a strenuous walk through the snow. Depending on the time of the year, the location and the freshness/height of the snow, a usual 3-4 hour hike can take 6+ hours (and a bit more effort) to complete.

* According to Élisée Reclus´s Nouvelle géographie universelle, la terre et les hommes, l´Asie antérieure (1984) description of Troodos, the snow back then remained on the highest parts of the mountain range for most of the year.

This story was taken from my blog about Cyprus: www.yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Dead or Alive?

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:38:00 GMT

They call it the “Dead Zone”. Yet, it is quite the opposite. It is all alive and well, thank you!

This is the strip of land (aka buffer zone) running 180km from the East to the West of Cyprus, dividing the northern from the southern part of the island and regulated by the UN Peacekeeping Forces since 1974 (in fact, the UNFICYP arrived on the island in 1964). The total area of the zone covers 3% of the island’s surface area.

Between 2004 and 2011, 25000 (!) land mines were cleared from the buffer zone … so I guess yes, if you had stepped on any one of those, YOU would be dead… but not the zone itself!!!! [Unfortunately.]

The zone also goes by the name of “Green Line*”, as the first geographical division of the island occurred in late 1963, within Nicosia. Mark Hobden, member of the British Forces in Cyprus drew a line (with a green pencil) on a military map of Nicosia to indicate how the Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking neighborhoods of the town would be barricaded to prevent an escalation of tension between the two communities. The line divided the town in two, from East to West. That division remained until it was “solidified”with the Turkish military invasion in 1974. In Nicosia is where one would find the shortest width of the buffer zone: 3.3 meters.

What has the Dead Zone experienced, in all its liveliness, since 1974?

There are UN troops (divided in 4 sectors) patrolling up and down. There are groups of wild dogs crossing between the two parts. There are farmers who grow crops in the cultivable areas of the zone. There are hunters and asparagus gatherers who venture out in the zone, without permission. There are groups of Greek Cypriots allowed to visit the renovated church of their abandoned village once a year. There’s the dumping of excavated rocks from the Skouriotissa copper mine. There are the people living in Denia village, one of the 5 villages located within the buffer zone. It is the natural habitat of the free-roaming Cyprus Moufflon.

The buffer zone is where the abandoned Nicosia International Airport is located, used for the laboratory workings of the Joint Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus and as a site for meetings between the leaders of the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities. The latter are part of the process to find a political solution to the division of Cyprus. The zone is also where Pro-Peace gatherings of Greek- and Turkish-speaking Cypriots take place within the center of Nicosia.

Barbara Laborde, a French photojournalist, followed and captured life in the buffer zone (with permission from UNFICYP) for more than a year, in a project titled “Inside, Outside and in Between” which culminated in exhibitions in Nicosia in 2014 and 2016. In the first page of the printed publication describing the project, Laborde says: “The buffer zone has man faces: mountains, alleys, forests, ruins, valleys, villages or fields alternate up to where the eye can see. The zone is deserted or full of life. Sometimes the landscape only has one color and sometimes it’s a multicolored mosaic. Green, yellow or red, it adopts the color of the land or of the seasons.”

This story was taken from my blog about Cyprus (including photos): www.yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

The odds of finding cats in Cyprus...

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:35:00 GMT

… are just as high as the odds of you breathing while you are reading this story!

100%!!!!

Actually, make that 2 million%! That’s the estimated number of cats on the island!!!

Yes, that IS more than all the humans living here.

If you are a cat-loving person visiting Cyprus, you are definitely in for a treat! However, as you might understand and imagine, it can get quite noisy here during their mating season. Too noisy, if you ask me!

You might be wondering why we have so many cats here. According to an article (and a related documentary I’ve watched) by the National Geographic [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/04/0408_040408_oldestpetcat.html], cats are not native to Cyprus. They were imported here from the area of present-day Turkey.

It appears that the oldest known domesticated pet cat was discovered in a 9500-year old grave in Cyprus, during excavations in the Neolithic Settlement of Shillourokambos.

During the Byzantine rule of Cyprus, the island was full of snakes and rats due to a 40-year drought. Urban legend has it that Santa Helena, the mother of Byzantine King Constantine, founded the Stavrobouni monastery in 327AD and brought hundreds of cats to the island for the purpose of dealing with this problem.

Apparently we have two breeds of native cats in Cyprus, the “Santa Helena” and the “Aphrodite Giant”*. The southern-most tip of the island, located within the Akrotiri British Sovereign Military Base is called Cape Gáta, after the Byzantine monastery St. Nicholas of the Cats that was build there in the 4th century.

Nowadays, because so many stray cats are fertile, not neutered and fed on the side of the street by numerous citizens, their numbers have increased immensely.

* Cats are considered so sacred in Cyprus that in 2009, a “diplomatic” episode emerged after claims by the Cyprus Friends of Pure Breed Cats Club (or something like that) that there was an attempt to mutate the DNA of pure breed Cyprus cats by mixing them with Ankara cats in Turkey and then registering the “bastard” cats as an original breed with the World Cat Federation.I guess that’s another incident of Cypriot identity crisis…

This story was taken from my blog about Cyprus: www.yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Coffee Tales

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:23:00 GMT

Not surprisingly, even the coffee in Cyprus has an identity crisis.

Depending on where you sit on the island, you will be expected to say either Cypriot coffee or Turkish coffee to mean the same thing. [The citizens of Greece call it Greek coffee, the citizens of Armenia call it Armenian coffee – go figure.]

You can have your coffee in 3 versions – without sugar, with one spoon of sugar (medium) or with two spoons of sugar (sweet). In terms of size, the cups come in Regular and Double. Let the coffee “sit” for a few minutes before you start drinking it, so that the extra coffee settles at the bottom of the cup. Sip slowly and stop once you get to the sediment.

While growing up, I remember that it was an extra treat for me to have a Morning Coffee (brand) biscuit dipped in my mother’s coffee cup while she was having a chat with the neighbor.

This kind of coffee is brewed in a special metal coffee pot (called mpríki in Greek and tjisvés in the Cypriot Greek and Cypriot Turkish common vocabulary). Traditionally, the pot was placed on heated sand (ember) but nowadays fire or electric stoves are used.

The identity crisis of the coffee in Cyprus also extends to the political arena. Depending on your political affiliation, if you live in a village in the Republic of Cyprus (southern part), you might choose to have your daily caffeine dose in the Left-wing or the Right-wing coffee shop of the village. This trend emerged in the mid-late 1940’s, when the Greek Cypriot residents of the island were split between those supporting a nationalistic, Union-with-Greece agenda (right-wing) and those in favor of a more moderate approach that also included the Turkish Cypriots in the future administration of the island (left-wing). The division was extended to many facets of daily life, including football and remains strong until today.

So, depending on which coffee shop you eventually choose, the cup and glasses used to serve your coffee and the accompanying water might also reflect this left-wing vs. right-wing division. Your cup and glass might come from the Laikón Kafekoptíon (Λαϊκό Καφεκοπτείο) or the Kafekoptíon G. Charalambous (Καφεκοπτείον Γ. Χαραλάμπους) respectively.

In any case, sit back, relax and …. to your health (stin eeyá mas – στην υγειά μας)!

Oh, and if you find a person that can read your fortune from your coffee cup after you’re done drinking, don’t let the opportunity pass. At the very least, you will have a laugh with what might come up!

This story is taken from my blog about Cyprus (including photos): https://yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Hamammmmmm

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:20:00 GMT

The Ottoman rule in Cyprus between 1571-1878 unsurprisingly led to the appearance of a number of public baths (hamams) for the cleansing, relaxation and social networking of the people of that time. Both of the two hamams which are still in operation within the walled city of Nicosia – the Omerye Hamam and the Grand (Buyuk) Hamam (largest of the two) – were built on the site of preexisting medieval churches after the Ottomans conquered the island.

According to the 1881 book “Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus” written by Louis Salvador, Archduke of Austria who visited the island in 1873, there were 8 hamams in the town at the time.

The entrance of the Buyuk Hamam is located two meters below the current level of the road and the baths are located even lower, at 3 meters. Historical records show that the church erected in the 14th century by the Lusignan rulers of the island flooded from the Pedieos river in 1330, causing the death of thousands. The height up to which the water rose is marked by a nail inside the wall of the current structure.

Being a curious spa junkie, I have visited both of the Nicosia hamams and this is what I have to say about that:

Both Hamams have days and times designated for visits only by men, or only by women or by both sexes. You can see the visitation schedule here: http://www.hamamomerye.com and in the photo below for the Grand Hamam (their website is not functioning).

The current administration of the Omerye Hamam, following its most recent temporary closure and renovation under the Nicosia Master Plan, is the same company that runs the Dessange Spa and Quick Spa locations in Nicosia. I have visited both of these spas and can only speak in favor of their professionalism and the high quality of what they offer. The inside decoration of the Omerye Hamam is very nice and luxurious, which is also reflected in the higher cost of the services, compared to the Buyuk Hamam.

When I first visited the Omerye Hamam in 2008, I took a photo of the sign that remained on the wall before entering the baths section, as a memoire of the prices charged in the past for the services there. As you can see in the photo, the cost of a wash-Loúma (Λούμα) was 20 shillings, the cost of a rub-Trípsimo (Τρίψιμο) was an extra 10 shillings and if you also wanted a massage-Masiás (Μασιάς, the correct spelling should have been Μασάζ) you had to pay a whooping 2 Cyprus pounds (Líres/Λίρες) !!!!

How do the services compare? Like I said, you pay more in the Omerye Hamam for a “richer experience” (e.g. more comfortable relaxation cabins, tea, water and raisins or nuts upon arrival, more welcoming reception staff). To give you an example, the use of just the Hamam will cost you 30 euro for one person in Omerye, compared to about 10 euro (30 Turkish Lira) in the Buyuk Hamam. The kese borek (foam massage with body scrub) treatment costs 55 euro for 55 minutes in Omerye and about 35 euro (100 TL) for 50 minutes (Sehrazat treatment) in the Grand.

Although I would personally vote in favor of “budget” over “expensive” for more or less equal services, I have to say that the scrub and massages I received in Omerye were of higher quality. In other words, for me a stronger scrub + stronger/longer massage = better body detox, especially considering I don’t get to visit the hamam on a regular basis. Having said that, I’m more than happy when I receive a discount voucher for use in the Omerye.

I am personally aware of two other (still standing but not in use) hamams on the island:

1) The hamam in downtown Paphos, also built on a preexisting medieval structure, was renovated in 2015, as part of the monument restoration project undertaken in the last 10 years by the Bicommunal Technical Committee for the (preservation of) Cultural Heritage.

2) The hamam in the walled city of Famagusta, which is also in dire need of restoration (see photos).

From what I have read, there is another complex of ottoman baths in Paphos, the baths of Hasan Aga, which are on the list for future renovation by the Bicommunal Technical Committee.

This story was taken from my blog about Cyprus (including photos): https://yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Three in a row

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:15:00 GMT

Little did the Lusignan Kings imagine, when they were expanding and reinforcing the 3 Byzantine fortifications on the Pentadaktylos/Besparmak mountain range in the 13th century, that these sites would become one of the island's most magical places to visit a few centuries later. Regardless that the Venetians neglected or destroyed much of them.

The castles of St. Hilarion (guarding Kyrenia/Girne and the northeastern side of the island), of Buffavento (guarding Nicosia and the plains) and of Kantara (looking over Famagusta and the Karpasia/Karpas peninsula) were meant to protect the island from attacks by the Arabs. Imagine the scene [Lord of the Rings' style]: enemy ships approach, the guards on the castles run to the towers and light up the beacons, the signal is received, command is given, troops are mobilized....

All three castles were called Kástra tis Rígenas (The Queen's Castles). In the absence of proper roads at that era, one can imagine the challenge of building them and accessing them.

The castle of St. Hilarion was the main of the 3 castles. The mountain top on which it is built was called Dídymos (twin) in ancient times because it is divided in two peaks. In other words, Twin Peaks: Cyprus Special Edition. This name was mispronounced as "Dieu d' Amour" (God of Love) in the Middle Ages. Urban legends also connected the castle to Cupid, son of Aphrodite. Nowadays it carries the name of a Syrian hermit that lived on the mountain in the 6th century.

A visitor in 1893 describes the following regarding a visit to Buffavento: "We proceeded with horses up to the Monastery, passing by many ruins of small churches, up to the point where no four-legged animal could go any further. And we had to go up with our hands and feet, following the trail over the cliff, which is nothing more than a hardly visible goats trail. It was an extremely tiring climb, breathless, as if it would never end. [] must have lasted for at least an hour and a half." * Nowadays, the 1.5km of tall concrete steps up to the castle (from the parking lot below) takes about 20-25 minutes.

Kantara, whose name means bridge or arc in Arabic, was first referenced in records in 1191 when Richard the Lionheart captured Cyprus. Issac Comnenos, a Byzantine prince from Trapezus proclaimed himself King of Cyprus and sheltered himself in the castle. When the Genoese conquered Famagusta and Nicosia in 1373, Kantara remained in the hands of John of Antioch, brother of King Peter 1 of Cyprus. King James 1 of Cyprus refortified the castle between 1382 and 1398. [Cool stuff, don't you think!? :) ]

What I personally love about the castles:

a) St. Hilarion: Its impressive look as it is perched on top of the cliff, the many levels one has to explore

and the views from the Queen's window out towards the northwestern coastline (including the villages of Karmi and Lapithos/Lapta drowning in the forest on the foothills of Pentadaktylos). The Lusignan Queen surely chose the best room in the "house"!

b) Buffavento: The amazing sunsets and the clouds escaping from the north side of the mountain to the south side as you are approaching the

main entrance of the castle. Bonus: the commanding view of Nicosia, the Mesaoria plains and the Troodos mountain range on a clear day.

c) Kantara: The view of the Karpasia peninsula on a clear day. As I'm in love with the Pentadaktylos mountain range,

any clear view of it after much needed rain makes my heart bounce with joy.

I would suggest the following ways to access the castles:

a) By private car, the easiest to visit them all in one day, which would be best in March-April when the day is long enough and the natural surrounding is as beautiful as it can be. When the atmosphere is clear, the snow-capped mountain range of southern Turkey is visible.

b) With a hike, the toughest but also the most rewarding: St. Hilarion is reachable from the village of Karmi. Buffavento from the Pentadaktylos rock locality (Besparmak restaurant). Kantara is reachable from the villages of Flamoúdi/Mersinlik or Eptakómi/Yedikonuk.

*Source: The Island of Cyprus: A photographic itinerary from the 19th to the 20th century (2007).

This story was taken from my blog about Cyprus (including photos): https://yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

LaLe Land

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 07:06:00 GMT

I can't stress enough how beautiful Cyprus becomes in the spring! Knowing how the island heats and dries up in the summer, makes the experience of the colors, scents and sights of the spring season even more precious.

Among the flowers that bloom in March are the Anemone Coronaria and the Tulipa Cypria, which in local language are called lalés (the Turkish word for tulip).

Anemone are easier to spot than the Cyprus tulip, an endemic species which appeared on the island a few hundred years ago. The tulips of Cyprus are rare and under threat by the brainless people who cut them or the heavy agricultural machinery that is now used to cultivate the wheat fields where they grow.

In order to discover them together with friends, the day's road trip had several parts, starting from

a) Nicosia towards St. Hilarion castle, then

b) a drive through the wonderful forest road (narrow enough for only one car to pass at some points), with wide views of the sea below on one side and the valley around Nicosia and Morfou/Guzelyurt on the other side, down to Vasilia/Karsiyaka village (including a stop to listen to the grazing goats and admire the multi-colored anemone that covered the side of the road; a smile-up-to-my-ears kind of moment), then

c) a turn towards Karpasha village (where I found myself agreeing 100% with a kind, old Turkish Cypriot man [displaced to northern Cyprus from Androlykou village in the Paphos district] - whom I asked, in Greek Cypriot dialect, for directions towards the tulips - on who caused the division of Cyprus), before following

d) the Greek Cypriots who showed up at the perfect time while I was talking to the old man and were also heading towards the wheat fields of the Kormakitis/Korucam area, where the beautiful red tulips grow.

The second half of the day was split into:

e) a drive towards the forest and beach of Ayia Irini/Akdeniz, where the rough, dark blue sea was pounding the coast and the Troodos mountains were clearly outlined in the background, which was the perfect setting for

f) a humble picnic and coffee on the spot, before

g) heading back to the forest for walking on one of the area's trails, enjoying more of the anemone and lying on the fresh grass.

Oh...c'est LaLe vie! :)

Taken from my blog about Cyprus (includes photos): https://yougotcyprus.wordpress.com

Cavo Gre.at

charis — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 06:59:00 GMT

I invite you to have a look at the map of Cyprus - looks a bit like an electric guitar, don't you think!?

You will notice 5 main points sticking out of the "body" of this guitar. Starting from Nicosia and going clockwise: The long Karpasia peninsula, Cape Greco between Paralimni and Ayia Napa, the Akrotiri peninsula next to Limassol, the Akamas National Park in northern Paphos district and Cape Kormakitis above Morfou/Guzelyurt.

Out of all of Cyprus' physical attractions, Cape Greco/Cavo Greco is certainly one of the most popular. Part of the Natura2000 network as a protected National Forest Park, the area boasts limestone rocks rising high above crystal clear blue waters, sea caves, trails and paths that attract swimmers, climbers, divers, paragliders, hikers and cyclists year-round. Naturally, the area also attracts numerous birds, small animals and lizards and is the natural habitat of hundreds of different kinds of plants, almost 30 of which are either endemic or very rare.

A few thousand years ago, Cyprus was full of forests. The Cape Greco area could not be any different; the area was covered with Juniperus Phoenicea trees which are too strong for their own good. The locals cut them and used them in their homes and for industrial purposes. Unfortunately, the area is now mostly covered in lower vegetation, which makes exposure to the sun an issue between May-October.

Luckily for visitors, the large garbage dump that one would see (and...smell) from the top of the Monument of Peace locality in the direction of the Sea Caves has been properly covered.

If you think it doesn't get windy in the area, think again. Up on the hill with the gazebo overlooking the Sea Caves in the distance, the wind can get quite strong, enough to knock your drinks to the ground. I've lost ceramic cups filled with tea this way, so I'd better be the "whistle-blower" for the rest of you!

A government-funded Environmental Information Center was built in the park a couple of years ago. I'm not sure I agree with the design of the outside space (tonnes of rocks encased in wire - seriously??) but I hope they've done a better job with the information inside! Check it out if you are in the area.

Taken from my blog about Cyprus (includes photos): https://yougotcyprus.wordpress.com