A Winter Trip to Agros Village...

A lazy Sunday afternoon with nothing much to do and my friend Maria suggested we go up to her village, Agros. The winding forty-minute drive took us through other neighbouring villages such as Ayios Ioannis and Pelendri and it got considerably colder as we reached the village. Our first stop was my friend's village house with spectacular views of the village. We then stopped at Kyria Niki's to buy some jam and preserves specially made in Agros village. The quaint little shop was quiet, most people opting to sit in their houses by the log fire.

We then visited the rose factory, which smelt divinely of rose scented candles. There was rose jam, rose herbal tea  and even a rose face cream which according to my friend works miracles. I bought some rose jam, curious to try the distinctive taste.

It was getting late, but we still had some time for a coffee by the fire. As we sat down we took pictures and chatted away as our hot beverages arrived to warm us up. The little cafe was buzzing with activity as young people sat around and read gossip magazines and newspapers or played cards on this lazy Sunday afternoon. It was refreshing to see so many young people around which proves that villages still have an attraction for the youngsters who opt for more relaxed pastimes.

As we approach Christmas there is nothing better to get you in the Christmas mood than visiting a village like Agros with its picturesque houses with the smell of wood burning and the promise of snow.

Autumnal Reveries....Where are we going?

Monday morning at 9.15 Anexartisias Street, Limassol. The shops are about to open in the expectant hope that there will be customers. People sleepily go about their daily routine. Cleaners mop the floors inside the shops, some of which are offering discounts. I casually pass a shoe shop that has been around ever since I remember. It's doors are firmly closed and a 'For Rent' sight decorates its display. This is the present situation. Growth and prosperity a distant pipe dream.

It's been eight months since the crisis of March where many lost their savings in what some would call an all out daybreak robbery. Cypriots are still feeling jittery and worry about what else will befall them. The present government I feel is trying its best to subdue panic. Our President has met with many foreign leaders to build stronger ties and sign agreements for a better future through this difficult time. The government is looking West at the moment, which is wise but also East in our strong bonds with Russia. Confidences are steadily being restored, but unemployment is still soaring and poverty is revealing its ugly head. I've had experiences of both. At present my father is trying to do his best to save the small family business we own and we are getting by on the bare essentials that we need to survive. Poverty in its more positive side, can build strength and brings us back down to earth. But people are feeling insecure, they wonder, where are we going? What does the future really hold?

We're not alone. Everywhere around the world there is discontent and protests of anger at what is happening. In Greece and Spain, we see the same issues of economic crisis and bailout deals. Yesterday Greece was at a standstill as people marched on the streets protesting. In Cyprus Troika has visited once again and is happy with developments, but Cypriots can't help feeling angry that once again in their history, they are being controlled by a foreign power. We just can't get away with the feeling that this little island has been a pawn for big powers to play with.

And what about the Cypriot Problem? It stands there glaringly and there doesn't seem to be any sort of agreement being reached. The irony is, that if the Cyprus Problem was solved, it would bring the much needed growth and prosperity to the island. I suppose its up to the big powers to sort that issue out and the Cypriot people to vote if a new referendum becomes feasible. Then there's our natural gas reserves, something which we Cypriots are very proud of. When will we reap the benefits? Economists speculate in about five years.

A lot can happen in five years and where there's a down, there is also an upwards, but when will it go the other way? Will we reach a moment again where we are prospering and growing, where shops are opening and not closing? Time will only tell and we can only hope. With patience and perseverance and a touch of positive force we can survive. So, where are we going? To a better future, hopefully.

Wining and Dining....An Evening at Ta Piatakia, Limassol

I've always enjoyed good food and wine in an agreeable atmosphere and a place where you can find all three is a small restaurant in Limassol run by Roddy Damalis a South African who repatriated back to Cyprus ten years ago and now runs his restaurant in Limassol. It is called 'Ta Piatakia' translated as little plates since you order a combination of small dishes, something like a meze.

The interior is cozy and welcoming with lively colours dominating the walls and tables. To start you order from a selection of wines kept in his wine cellar. We opted for the South African wine Arabella, a rose, to go with our food. Roddy has a hands on approach and a lively, bubbly character to match which wins over customers. He also has a great enthusiasm for food which goes beyond just cooking it.

 For a starter we ordered deep fried celery leaves which are phenomenal and a fixed item on his menu, together with a green salad with figs and kefalotiri cheese. There is always a special and personal touch to his food combining traditional with a twist of modern.

As a main we ordered a few dishes such as chicken strips in sesame which went down well with the wine, duck in walnut preserve and a garlic and herbs pitta bread. All the dishes were superb made with careful attention to detail.

The dessert menu was enticing but we were too full from the mains to enjoy it. It did however promise a gastronomical experience all on its own with chocolate caramel cheesecake, homemade fig ice-cream and chocolate chilli brownie.

So if you want to experience a great night out in Limassol with good food with a twist, I highly recommend Roddy's restaurant, 'Ta Piatakia.'

A little neighbourly love and kindness...

I've often heard my mother recount stories of her childhood in Morphou, of the great feasts and parties my grandmother cooked for, of late nights sitting on the porch making necklaces from jasmine petals, of spending the night outside on the veranda sleeping on comfy matresses and fearing no danger, only hearing the snores of the neighbour next door. Neighbours. They are always included in the stories, personalities which were part of family life and acts of kindness like baking a cake and visiting Kyria Chrysoulla down the road and in return she offers you sweets and coffee.

 I used to spend the summer of my own childhood in Limassol at my grandmother's house in Linopetra, a neighbourhood which had solely been built to house the refugees of 1974 and I spent my days there visiting the neighbours  and made many friends.We would sit and talk over a lemonade and I even witnessed a chicken been slaughtered once, ready to be plucked and cooked for dinner. The neighbours sat until the early hours and talked and laughed under the stars, chairs from one house mingling with chairs from another.

Twenty years on neighbourly kindness still abides in that little quarter in Linopetra, but over the years I can't help feeling that the same kindness has disappeared. People have closed in on themselves, through their own changing circumstances because this modern rat race and all that it entails has pushed them under. Whenever I visit my grandmother now, something has been lost of the old friendly neighbourhood. People are still polite but reserved and often with a sad resigned look.

In the suburb of Limassol where I live now this impersonal and reserved stance exists quite a lot. I hardly know who lives around me. It's a shame that the old feeling of neighbourly affection has ceased to exist. I have a hope however that we will return to the old values out of necessity. People need people. Without eachother there is nothing. Without a simple smile of recognition and a friendly hello there can't be
progress.

Cooling off...Trooditissa Monastery-Prodromos-Trimiklini

 After being spiritually and physically rested after my ten day sojourn on the island of Poros in Greece (everyone needs a bit of a getaway, even from Cyprus), I headed up to the mountains of Troodos for some fresh air and inspiration. The destination was the old monastery of Trooditissa, a haven for those seeking refuge from the August heat and some spiritual enlightenment. It is well worth the visit if you want to learn a little about the island's religious history.

 The monastery itself went through many stages of development and in difficult times was often short of money and in delapidation but through hard work, faith and some funding it recovered. It has been a place of retreat for generations, has educated and guided the population in its walls and been there to support struggles. It housed refugees during the invasion of 1974 and helped them rebuild their lives.
Many visitors both Cypriot and foreign have visited it, one such comparing it to an area in Switzerland. A British traveller by the name of Simon Baker, visited it in the summer of 1879, using it as a place of retreat and quiet contemplation. He took residence in a tent close to the monastery for three months and when those three months were over, regretted leaving commenting that "in this land one finds himself closer to heaven than in any other location on earth." He goes on to talk of the surrounding gardens and admires the work of the monks living there. Today's monastery is shaded by age old trees in the courtyard, surrounded by beautiful mountain views. On the day I visited the monastery was brimming with people young and old, reverently paying a visit, lighting a candle and silently praying.

We left the monastery and headed to Prodromos camping site, sitting on a picnic bench to eat our sandwiches and fruit. Many Cypriots this year have opted for low-key, low-cost holidays and the campsite was dotted with tents. In the picnic area a woman washed fresh grapes and a watermelon with the crisp mountain water and the men cooked the souvla. An air of calm could be felt and this feeling kept with us as we made our way down to Trimiklini passing the mountainous hills of pine. A storm cloud promised there might be some rain and the fresh, cool breeze covered our faces as we let the windows down.

In Trimiklini we paid a visit to the church there and sat at the cafe and had some loukoumades (fried honey balls) gulped down with some Cypriot coffee. The sun was getting lower, casting a glow on trees and vegetation below. We bought some fresh figs and grapes from the market there and headed home. It had been a beautiful day in the mountains and I recommend it to anyone looking for some peace and quiet, away from town.

With Faith and Hope...

 Cypriots have always been a religious people, with the church playing a major role in their lives. As an example people old and young still cross themselves when they pass a church. The Archbishop is a central figure who often voices his opinion on current issues, in an effort to guide and advise.

Easter in Cyprus means people attend church services throughout the Holy Week, with Holy Saturday the time when people light their candles to celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead and the bringing of light to the world, often with a effigies of Judas burning in all the church courtyards as a symbolic gesture of those who refused to believe.

Everyone lights a candle at midnight on Holy Saturday. It's a beautiful moment, a moment of great emotion and reflection, everyone singing 'Christ has risen' in unison, faces lit up against the candlelight, a sea of candlelight enveloping the church courtyard.

This year will be more poignant than before after all the events which have unfolded. Those who were not usually religious will feel different, digging deep into their ravaged souls in a desperate attempt to find their lost faith. It is a time to believe in a higher power, whatever that may be, call it God, call it the Universe but having faith is an integral part of survival. Many will turn to the church for support as in other times of Cypriot hardship. To light a candle means to pray and to believe and hope, at least in something.

Strolling Along the Promenade...

The past month has been to say the least chaotic and mind numbing, people being at a loss, uncertain of what the next day would bring them. The storm is slowly passing and people are getting back to routine. The sunshine and the hope of another summer, a new season have wiped away the sad grimaces and worry lines away. It is a time for uniting in a common goal of helping eachother and those that have been hit the worst by the crisis. The concert in Limassol on Wednesday brought flocks of people together in a gesture of support with music which encouraged and rallied people on.

With this in mind, on a Sunday morning it was refreshing  to see people enjoying the weather this weekend. Down by the Limassol promenade parents and children strolled down by the sea. Some eager tourists were swimming or lying on the loungers, lazily sipping in the sun. A group of youngsters trailed by on their bicycles breathing in the freedom that being on two wheels can mean. Old and young, foreign and local mingled together in a forgetfulness of woes and a hope for a better days. I've said it before and I will say it again. We are not a people that gives up when times are hard. Our multifaceted and difficult history is proof of our inner resources and strength. We've seen worse times and got through it. We trudge on and believe things will truly get better.

On a lazy Sunday as I happened to be walking on the promenade I realised this to be true. The weather meant a scattering of heavy winter clothes for lighter ones and also a shedding of heavy hearts.