June Ladies Wot Lunch Meeting...

Today being the first Wednesday of the Month is the day when the Droushia Ladies Wot Lunch meet up.  It is a busy old time of the year what with one thing and another so for a variety of reasons some of our group were unavailable - my guess is that some are still recovering from Jubilee celebrations!!!

Helen (Wheelie Cyprus) had kindly offered to give some of us a lift in her trusty old 4x4.  There was a bit of a difference in opinion as to the best way to get out on the road to White River which is where we were eating.  White River is located either just before or just after Viklari (the Last Castle) depending on which direction you are travelling of course!  Helen decided to go through Inea (word of note: anyone thinking about going to the Inea Taverna it is closed and up for rent unfortunately).

Anyway, the road we wanted to take had a sign across it which either meant keep left or closed - difficult to tell really so we kept left and carried on down a steep and roughish road only to find out that the sign did in fact mean Road Closed so poor Helen had to carefully reverse someway back up the road before she could find somewhere to turn round.

Helen, who knows the area well, opted to take us cross country on a road which would pass down the left hand side of the Avakas Gorge.  However she had not passed this way for sometime so there was a questionmark as to whether the heavy rains of the winter might have washed it away in places.  The first part of the road wasn't too bad and passed through some lovely countryside.

As we progressed towards the coast the road got progressively worse but never so bad that we were in danger of having to turn round thank goodness!!  So thanks to Helen for offering to drive and for getting us there safely.  On the plus side I have never been down that road and have never approached the Avakas or Viklari from that direction before and John and I always like to take that 'road less travelled' when we can.

George from White River keeps his own goats, chickens and pigs.  This little fella (or girlie) came to greet us - wickedly Helen and I christened it Apple Sauce!!  It was a bit of a cutey really.  John and I had been to White River on one occasion for a drink when there had been a horse out on the road which would not let any traffic pass - it stood firmly in the middle of the road and if a car moved to the left or the right it would move to block it.  Maybe it was trying to encourage passers by to go into White River and not carry on up the hill to Viklari!

The taverna is on a bend opposite quite a nice beach and has a pretty view from the terrace.  Those who attended the lunch and opted for the fresh fish (sea bream) said it was good -  unfortunately I can't say the same for the cheese omelette as he forgot to add the cheese and then brought fried halloumi to put on top afterwards.  He also, in good Cypriot fashion, brought the salad first, then the chips sometime afterwards and then the fish or omelette last and we Brits expect to have the elements of our meal on our plate all at the same time.  The poor man is probably on a bit of a hiding to nothing being so close to Viklari which has a view to die for and which sticks to what it does best - souvla, potatoes and salad and, if you order in advance, one of the best fassouli beans that I have tasted.  All I can say is that personally I would not rush to return to White River even if the fish was good because there are plenty of places closer to Droushia that serve equally good fish.

As the afternoon progressed the goats and the sheep came trotting down the hill for food.  The goats wear a variety of different toned bells so make quite a noise as they are running around.  The weather on the coast was beginning to cloud over and before we left had become quite thundery.  No so as we came back up the hill to Droushia - this time Helen opted for the traditional route rather than go cross country!

It will be my job to organise the next few meetings as Marian and Chris are returning to France.