On a Road Trip...

Lakis and Argy are currently away up in Spilia at Lakis's family home.  They had been spending time with his brother and family but they had left over the weekend and so we had arranged to go up and have lunch with them.

It is about a two hour journey from Droushia to Spilia.  We travel up the F617 following the Dhiarizos River which is probably just a dribble at this time of year although that area looks to be very fertile and is dotted with abandoned Turkish villages and places with names which sound very middle eastern like Kidasi and Kedares.

This route takes you past the Extreme View Cafe and the Rock of Chasmpolion which is a narrowing in the road where a Turkish Cypriot family would hide and terrorize those that slowed to pass through.

Recently the rock narrowly escaped being bulldozed to widen the road which is good news as that run is actually very pretty.  Pretty but narrow and winding roads where the oncoming traffic seemed to insist on being in the middle of the road which resulted in quite a hairy journey especially for me who hates being a passenger at the best of times.  

Fortunately we arrived safe and sound and the sat nav got us almost to the door - fortunately we remembered the final bit right in the village.

It is beautiful there but the village is miles from anywhere and has limited facilities (if any now) plus the family home is now in need of some major renovations.  This photograph was taken off of the verandah.  We sat here catching up before going out for lunch.  The air is fresh and filled with the aroma of pine trees.  At night you would see a million stars from here as there is so little light polution.

We headed off towards Kakopetria for lunch and stopped at a place called Droseri Potamia (Cool Rivers) which cannot be seen from the road but is vast.  It reminded me of some of the places we have eaten in the Far East which are like huge canteens with wipe clean tables and chairs but which serve good local food.  For a Monday lunchtime it became really very busy with locals.  We seemed to have chosen a table with a young waiter who was never going to become a Maitre d' because he managed to forget just about everything and come to our table with a tray but not put stuff on it and take it away - it gave us something to laugh about if nothing else!

Our trip back home necessitated a brief comfort break at the Extreme View where I was admiring the plant in the photograph above.  It is Euphorbia Marginata or Snow on the Mountain.  As I was looking at it Mrs Fotious lept up and asked where we lived - telling her Droushia she immediately went to the side of the garden and carefully pulled up two plants which she wrapped in damp kitchen roll and gave to me.

I have planted it at home and hope that it will survive long enough to produce some seeds because this would look amazing dotted around our garden.

I was shattered by the time we got home - a long day but a lovely one.