Home » Cyprus » Cyprus - part I.

Prelude

After almost two years I revisited Cyprus in February 2004 to participate in a seminar near Limassol. Although mostly work it was a nice prelude to the vacation Helle and I had already booked for April.
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Saltwater pool at Le Meridien The seminar was arranged at the star-spangled spa hotel, Le Meridien, 15 km from Limassol. A luxurious reservation with lots of servants and prices set accordingly. I had a nice time, which made me long even more for the holiday. <br/>

Cyprus - part I.

Eric
2005-12-08 19:42:23

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Cyprus coffee at Café Vé on the promenade. I ordered one with no sugar and one medium, but the young waiter seems to be in a world of his own looking dreamily at girls passing by. At the next table a man oblivious to the girls is reading Lonely Planet's guide to Cyprus, and many pass by doing their Sunday promenade. We go home to relax some more and then change for supper. During the day it has become windy and a haze shields the sun, so we don't dress for tropical nights.

Aperitif and the blue half hour

At The Meeting Pub we get a table with sea view and enjoy an ouzo of decent size while the TV and large screen shows a local soccer match. "Bottom league!", says Helle, who knows about this sport. The stadium is large and good looking and there are many enthusiastic spectators. The visiting team is losing and their fans at The Meeting Pub are helpless. The fans at ringside however do their best to turn the tide by throwing stuff after players and officials. One of the officials is hit and gets medical care.

What we call "The blue hour" begins at sunset, but here it is more like "The blue half hour" because the sun sets so quickly. Light dims on the Eastern horizon, and the colour changes gradually from light to dark blue. Soon sea and sky is one. It is beautiful and sets the mind at peace.
Meze at Militzis'

A quarter past eight we walk towards Militzis. The spotlights in the pavement, supposed to illuminate the small medieval fort, aren't lit and on the far side of the fort the noise from the promenade is hardly heard. It is peaceful and quiet here. The wind has set with the sun, and the Mediterranean splashes kindly against the coastline. We pass the restaurant "Monte Carlo" with only a few occupied tables in the sea pavillion.

Militzis however is almost full - in the smokers' area. If we want to smoke, the waiter says, there's only room outside or just inside ...