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To flee the cold and wet Netherlands; that is the whole point of this holiday. So there we are, on Schiphol, Amsterdam, on our way to Cyprus. Neither of us have ever been there before...

Cyprus - part I

Elisabeth & Teije
2004-03-06 13:00:40

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love to come here to cool down a bit, away from the heat on the plains and near the coast.

After 'climbing' Mount Olympus (a long walk on a paved road), we drive gradually towards Kykko monastery, a well-known Greek-orthodox monastery, founded about 1100. It was used as headquarters by the guerilla's for communications and as transportation center during the war for independance against the British.

The monastery won't go bankrupt soon: gold shines everywhere, but it used to be much richer with possessions in Asia Minor and even Russia. A highlight is a golden icon of the Virgin Mary.
The view from the monastery over Kykko valley is very nice. We tried to make a panoramic view from several pictures, but we are not that good yet with the manipulation of pictures.

Next we go looking for Cedar Valley. It is quite an adventure, driving for more than an hour on a narrow sandy path, close to a ravine. We meet 2 oncoming cars and they ask us how long it will take to reach a paved road. They look very anxious and tell us they have been driving for hours, coming from the other side. But the scenery certainly makes the trip worthwhile, as long as you aren't afraid of narrow roads next to a steep ravine.
The cedars are endemic to Cyprus and can become quite tall. They grow mainly on heights between 1000 and 1400 meter.

At last, after more than 2½ hours, we arrive on a paved road. With the map on our knees we look for some more small (paved) roads and drive around the area for a few more hours. Pictures to the right: view on Pedoulas and the environment of Platres. There are many small villages with Byzantine churches in this area, hidden in the valleys.

This picture is also made in the neighbourhood of Platres. The village is a favorite holiday resort for the Cypriots themselves, especially during the summer, to flee the heat of Nicosia. In February it is quiet, though. We walk around a bit, but the temperature drops quickly, so we return to the hotel when the sun sets and warm ourselves in the bar, which isn't so bad, after all.