Visiting my brother in Limassol (he had to work there for a couple of years) was what I’d call “a perfect summer”.
His apartment was 10 meters away from the beach. For a month I had a personal and daily battle against the sand invading the balcony and the rest of the house. After a month I gave up because, in fact, I love sand. I just had to learn to accept it everywhere.
The sea is incredible salty and calm, with absolutely no waves and the sand is more like a cement dust or something.
If you visit Cyprus during the summer, June-July-August, as I did, I suggest you find something to keep you busy between 10 am till 5 pm, because it’s way too hot to stay on the beach. For instance I slept, because I was out all night. There is a strange discomfort that I felt in some evenings, because it was too hot and too humid outside – so I was unable to sweat.
I don’t think food was very impressive, but you can’t be so hungry when it’s so hot – salads keep you alive and ice-creams keep you happy.
I liked Nicosia very much, we walked on so many small and empty streets, with many houses left in ruin but with nice proportions and decorations. I did not cross into the Turkish side of Cyprus, and I couldn’t see much over the dividing wall.
There are impressive ancient mosaics in Paphos.
And of course I wanted to see the place where the legend says Aphrodite was born, from the foam of the sea waves. Before being there, I was wondering what’s so extraordinary about foam of sea waves; but only after I saw that calm and dull sea, the legend made sense. On this beach there is a stone in the water and it’s the only source of waves and foam – and what’s rare is precious and beautiful. The few bushes on that beach were all covered with ribbons – from people who come to pray for love matters.
Cats enjoy a great respect in Cyprus, something like cows in India, let’s say. And they are so naughty that they dare to jump on your table and steal your meal if you don’t pay attention.
Lack of water can be an issue: in difficult times you can’t wash your car because this is considered to be a waste. The building had a water tank with water collected during the rainy season.
I liked to see bushes of oleander everywhere and I took some and planted back home – it’s interesting to see how they hibernate during winter and then they grow up so fast.
All my clothes lost their initial color due to sun exposure …
