Flat, long, crooked, french-style, thin, fleshy, pointed, aquiline, celestial, hawkish, broad, bulbous or snub…..regardless of its size and appearance, you should thank your nose for offering you the possibility to indulge in incredible scents in your surroundings, without having to spend a single cent. At least, if you live in a place like Cyprus. With … More No30. Citrus paradise
You start by wanting to introduce a name with a playful twist of two seemingly unrelated words…. and end up finding out that “a Hitler Youth manual from the 1930s promoted soy beans, which it called “Nazi beans” as an alternative to meat” (!) [if in doubt, blame Wikipedia and their source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/9859294/Hitlers-food-taster-speaks-of-Fuhrers-vegetarian-diet.html%5D. And as … More No28. German_Soya
I’m “forced” to come back to the previous post, 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. *************** A bit of background history first: Lápithos is one of Cyprus’ largest … More No27b. Orchiduary [The Sequel]
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 … More No27. Orchiduary
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 … More No26. Here Come the Brides!
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 … More No25. Cavo Gre.at
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 … More No24. LaLe Land
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 … More No23. Three in a row
Actually… not just a few! Tens of them! [They just require a bit of searching to find them. As usual.] I have only seen the Orchis Italica flower while hiking in the northern part of Cyprus during springtime. The flower gets its Naked Man Orchid alias from its obvious appearance. Looking at it more closely, … More No16. A few good (naked) men
It sounds gross, but in fact’s this is one of the best spots for giving your eyes a treat. Where? Well, right up Sotira’s nose!! Not any regular nose, though. Moutti tis Sotiras (Sotira’s nose in word-word translation from Cypriot Greek or Sotira’s Peak to be exact) is the highest spot on the combined Adonis … More No13. Right up Sotira’s nose
This could be a post about the long-standing rivalry between the Apoel and Omonia football teams (both based in Nicosia) … but it’s not. It’s about the yellow and green colors that dominate the outdoor scenery of the island between January and April every year. This is when Cyprus wears its best costume (the more … More No7. Of Yellows and Greens
“What do you see when you look up!?” In Cyprus, it could be the blue sky, it could be the mountains, it could be ancient ruins, it could be beautiful Venetian balconies. Many times I wonder how flowers would respond to this question, if they had a human voice. I try to find answers using … More No2. Looking upwards
I am fortunate to be living very close to Akadimias Park not far from the center of Nicosia, which is a lovely option for spending some relaxing time alone or with friends and family. It’s also a great option for exercising by walking, running or cycling. There’s a picnic area, a kiosk (with wifi) serving … More No1. Spring time in Akadimias Park (Nicosia)
You've Got: Cyprus! 