Home » Cyprus » Cyprus - part V.

Pygmy Elephants Is No Joke

Flowers in the garden by the tourist office Scattered clouds, but mostly sun, says the weather forecast. We go for a walk and window shopping. There are many jewellers and shops with children's clothing. We find an inviting Cypriot cook book, "Cyprian Cooking", and in a genuine leather shop (i.e. not souvenirs) in Hermes Street I find a quality belt to replace the old and worn. Leather goods are cheap in Cyprus. The belt is professionally shortened to fit. Then there's the difficult choice between buckles with names like Calvin Klein, Armani and Camel - probably phoney. I don't care and just point at one that turns out to be Camel.

Cyprus - part V.

Eric
2005-12-08 19:55:19

Displayed times (last time: )

Pygmy Elephants Is No Joke

Flowers in the garden by the tourist office Scattered clouds, but mostly sun, says the weather forecast. We go for a walk and window shopping. There are many jewellers and shops with children's clothing. We find an inviting Cypriot cook book, "Cyprian Cooking", and in a genuine leather shop (i.e. not souvenirs) in Hermes Street I find a quality belt to replace the old and worn. Leather goods are cheap in Cyprus. The belt is professionally shortened to fit. Then there's the difficult choice between buckles with names like Calvin Klein, Armani and Camel - probably phoney. I don't care and just point at one that turns out to be Camel.

What money can buy...
What money can buy...

Municipal Market - mostly junk for touristsWe walk through the Municipal Market with all its junk like fake "genuine saffron" and glass beads. At Julios we find coffee, peace and rest. Several tables are occupied by local men drinking coffee and debating. Many are to young to be pensioners, so there must be some unemployment. Helle studies the cook book and says it looks good although it might be difficult to find lamb intestines in porky Denmark.
Paleontological Museum

After coffee we visit the new "culture house" (or whatever it is called) at the end of the promenade close to the Police Station. Here's a gallery and paleontological museum. Admittance is free and in the hall we notice something framed on the wall signed by Danish "Prince Consort" Henrik.

Helle ridiculed me yesterday when I said that I had read or heard that mini elephants once lived on the island. So I am not displeased when we discover several fossils of pygmy elephants and pygmy hippos. Posters descibe the phenomenon, which is known from other islands too. Scientists believe that at some time in history the animals came to the islands from the African mainland, and in island isolation with no natural ...